We Love Each Other
by OneHorseShay
Summary: Sequel to Jade Likes Nice Guys. Freewill, not Fate, nearly tore them apart, but they came back stronger with 'I love you'. Now Jade and Freddie have to get through life's trials and tribulations before graduation without becoming casualties of Fate's unsuspecting even to themselves agents in trying to set things back to 'the way they were meant to be'.
1. Chapter 1: There are no Fresh Starts

We Love Each Other  
By OneHorseShay

Disclaimer: Don't Own, Don't Sue. For God sakes, don't sue.

Pairing(s): Established Jade West/Freddie Benson, past ones will be mentioned and various others will be heavily explored.

Rating: Max T for possible future Violence, Adult Situations/Themes, and Language. I reserve the right to bump the rating higher if story circumstances call for it.

Summary: Sequel to Jade Likes Nice Guys. Freewill, not Fate, nearly tore them apart, but they came back stronger with 'I love you'. Now Jade and Freddie have to get through life's trials and tribulations before graduation without becoming casualties of Fate's unsuspecting (even to themselves) agents in trying to set things back to 'the way they were meant to be'.

Author's Note: This story takes place contemporaneously with Season 3 of Victorious starting after 'The Breakfast Bunch'. The episodes will be addressed in the order of production, not airing except for 'The Gorilla Club' as that was an episode filmed later to backfill between 'The Breakfast Bunch' and 'The Worst Couple' (and even then personally just between you and me, I don't think it was enough setup to make it believable that Jade and Beck were suddenly having such serious problems that would lead to a break up). Additional author's note at the end of the chapter.

Starring Victoria Justice

Leon Thomas III, Matt Bennett, Elizabeth Gillies, Ariana Grande, Avan Jogia, Daniella Monet

and

Nathan Kress

as

Freddie Benson

* * *

Chapter 1: There are no Fresh Starts

The roar from the engine of the black '69 Dodge Charger caught the attention of the loitering students hanging out in the Asphalt Café's parking lot and around the café itself minutes before the first bell of the school day was to ring as the muscle car pulled into the parking lot then into one of the free parking spaces. Most of the students, but not all, were quite stunned and gawking among themselves at seeing the fully restored vehicle that looked like it had just drove out of nineteen sixty nine and into the present when just before Christmas it was a battered heap with a mismatched colored driver's side door.

The passenger door opened and Jadelyn 'Jade' West stepped out while pulling the strap to her Gears-of-War bag tightly on her right shoulder and wearing a wicked smile. She flicked her head to the side for a moment to get some of her hair out of her face as a soft breeze blew through her very dark brunette locks and green hair extensions. The right corner of her mouth lifted up even more as she scanned with her gaze at her fellow students and seeing that she and the driver were the center of attention showing up on the fourth day of school after the Christmas/Winter Break.

The pale actress shut the door and glanced over to the young male driver stepping out and pulling an across strap blue book bag out of the backseat then shutting and locking his door. She walked around the front of the car as the handsome teenager did the same while pulling the strap over his head and across his muscular chest. When they met in front of the vehicle, she instantly laced her fingers between his fingers then started on their way through the parking lot.

As the pair confidently cut through the Asphalt Café's parking lot to head inside Hollywood Arts, Jade eyed almost every teenager (especially the female ones) that watched them as they passed with a self-assured smile on her face that reminded everyone that under that smile hid her ruthless retribution if you crossed her and who was the Alpha Female of the school. The combination of her piercing gaze and tempting smile also reminded them that her boyfriend of the last five and a half months (give or take a few days) whose hand she was holding with laced fingers was still hers and would remain so: Fredward 'Freddie' Benson of iCarly fame.

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Monday, January 9, 2012

Jade's Alpha Female smile slipped to one of a more open and genuine smile as the couple walked into the performing arts high school. The quite happy couple had decided to skip and take last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off as part of their road trip through the state of California to get away from everything and everyone after their debacle of a New Year and she couldn't have been happier with their choice. She glanced over to him to see that the former iCarly technical producer looked just as happy and renewed from their excursion as she felt at that moment along with sporting a recently grown short beard.

However, those feelings of joy and contentment were soon to be dashed away as they stepped in the first few feet into the school and before they could turn to their right to head for her locker. The green streaked haired teenager was pulled to a stop by Freddie stopping in his tracks. She looked over her left shoulder to see an apprehensive expression on his face as he scanned around with his eyes.

The pale actress followed his gaze and immediately realized that the mingling students on and around the main staircase and roaming the hallways were staring at him. Their expressions were not like the others' outside of mild surprise from the entrance the pair made in pulling into the parking lot or the due reverence of being the school's power couple (which Freddie was not comfortable with as he felt it a little elitist) or one of relief or happiness of seeing him back after his short absent, but a mixture of pity with a sprinkling among several students looking at him as if he was a butt of some joke or just thought his was pathetic.

He recognized that disrespectful look from when he used to go to Ridgeway and considered a joke among most of the students, but ignored it for a moment as he leaned his head slightly over to her and softly asked, "I miss three days and people suddenly forget that I go to school here?"

The dark haired teenager shrugged her shoulders and gave him an expression that showed she was just as perplexed as him about the strange looks from the other students. Everyone going to Hollywood Arts knew that Freddie had been attending the school since the beginning of the year and that she and the tech producer had been a couple for slightly longer, so she disregarded the idea that the rest of the students where somehow shocked to see them walking in together hand in hand.

As individually they tried to come up with some explanation as to why they were looking at Freddie in that manner, their attention was caught at seeing Dustin 'Dusty' Hale ('Soapy' to Cat), TheSlap's webmaster, Cat's ex-boyfriend from the end of the summer and their fellow senior, dash towards them with a worried expression on his boyish and good looking features. He glanced between the pair quickly as he took a quick breath then started quickly, "I have been trying to get a hold of you all weekend."

Freddie smiled to their Carolinian friend and jokingly asked, "No 'Hello, how have you been?', 'It's good to see you two', 'How was your trip?'"

Jade was not as patient to the slightly taller and leaner teenager in comparison to Freddie as she replied with a slightly curt tone, "We've been busy."

Unlike other teenagers at the school that stepped lightly around Jade due to her abrasive nature and reputation, Dusty smirked and returned with a bit of sarcastic but warm tone of his own, "It's good to see you too Angel Girl, but this is important and I'm going to have to skip the whole welcome back spiel."

Freddie motioned his head towards the surrounding area with a number of students now whispering among themselves. "Does it have anything to do with the way everyone is looking at me?"

The Southern teenager smirk fell into a sympathetic smile and whispered out regretfully, "Yeah it does buddy and it's not good."

Jade instantly frowned as her mind started thinking up the worst.

TheSlap Computer Room  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Monday, January 9, 2012

Dusty opened the door to the computer room dedicated to the school's social networking site and the first inside as the couple followed behind him. The room instantly went silent as they saw Jade and Freddie follow their de facto leader entering the room. They gave the former Seattleite the same looks as the students mingling in the halls.

Jade immediately frowned at the lowerclassmen and the smarter ones apparently had enough sense to look away shamefully. Dusty caught the glare from the corner of his eye and would usually be the first to defend the staff and chastise Jade, but refrained, not out of any sense of fear of Jade (since he didn't have any), but that he agreed with her sentiment more than she could know as he had the full story.

The webmaster turned his attention back to his staff and called out, "Okay, classes are about to start in fifteen minutes. Those who have another class for first period, head on out; the rest… go wonder the halls until the bell."

The gathering of mostly lowerclassmen looked to one another with questioning expressions. The three other seniors in the classroom for a supervision role were of no apparent help to have the rest clear the room for the trio. Dusty looked directly at the few other seniors in the room and question, "Did I stutter?"

The rest of the students quickly got up and grabbed their stuff then walked passed the trio and out the door. However, the seniors looked to him as if annoyed that he would talk down them in such a manner.

He glared at them and Jade joined him, signaling that them leaving was the best option for them. One of the seniors stopped to look at Dusty in the eyes with an annoyed expression, but he calmly replied, "You shouldn't have voted me in charge then."

The senior frowned at the Southern teenager then turned and headed out the door while Dusty kept his eyes on the leaving senior. Once he was gone, Dusty caught Jade giving him a questioning expression.

He shrugged a shoulder as he answered, "Politics, it's everywhere you go."

The green streaked hair teenager shook her head and blew out a tired breath through her nose then asked impatiently, "What's this all about?"

"You really haven't seen or heard about the broadcast?"

Freddie didn't get a chance to answer as Jade folded her arms under her chest and interrupted with an impatient tone, "We've been incommunicado almost the entire time _on purpose_. We didn't get home until late yesterday afternoon and we didn't check any messages or anything. We planned to catch up with everyone today in person."

"Then you are going to be in for an unpleasant surprise." Dusty went to one of the workstations and quickly brought up a browser window. A few moments later he brought up the iCarly website on the large monitor hanging on the wall at the other end of the room.

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and shifted her weight to one heel as she asked with an annoyed tone, "Why are you bringing up that?"

He looked over his shoulder and answered with a challenging tone, "You want answers? Here they are." He clicked the play button for selected video then set it for full screen.

iCarly web broadcast of Friday, January 6, 2012.

"I'm Sam!" the blonde shouted as she held out her arms and leaned towards the camera. She was left hanging there as Carly stood straight as a rod looking into the camera with a hollow expression. She glanced over at her friend and questioned, "Ah… Carls?"

"I can't do this," the brunette whispered in a dull voice.

Sam kept her eyes on the camera as she leaned over slightly and whispered, "Carly, we have a show."

The brunette whispered in return, "I don't care."

The blonde dropped her smile and stood up straight as she turned her attention to her companion with a worried expression on her face.

"I'm sorry Freddie. I know you're not watching, but… I'm sorry for everything."

Sam blinked then looked to Brad holding the camera. He shrugged his shoulders, but maintained holding the camera to keep the two girls in the frame.

His movement of his shoulders caught Carly's eyes and she lifted her head slightly to stare at the sandy blonde. There was a sudden chill to the slim teenager's voice, "Don't you dare cut away."

Behind the camera and unseen from the audience, Brad swallowed nervously and kept the camera focused on the web-hostess as her brown eyes bore into him daring him to challenge her.

Carly directed her attention back to the camera. "I'm sorry Freddie… for everything I've done to you and I let happen to you. I'm sorry I let everything fall apart so much that you had to leave Seattle because it was my fault… this is my confession to you the viewers and why he isn't here and hasn't been since the summer. I used, manipulated, and took advantage of mine and Freddie's friendship for the last several years until it escalated to the point where he was forced to move to Los Angeles."

She took another breath and continued as Sam looked on in stunned silence, "I let Sam do the same thing since we were thirteen including physical beatings. We stood by… all of us here in Seattle and at school including the teachers and Principal Franklin while Sam would torment Freddie for her own amusement. We all laughed and thought it was a joke when she would outright beat him like a dog whenever she felt like it because he's a guy and she's a girl. We all just laughed… when Freddie had a differing opinion, I would let Sam beat Freddie into submission because I cared about this show more than him."

She laughed out, but it was a morbid laugh then continued, "That's the real reason Freddie said that Lucas aka Fred was funny: Sam beat him into saying that and even when he refused to apologize to Lucas for not thinking he was funny after the beating, I let Sam nearly break Freddie's arm to finally get him to lie and say he thought Lucas was funny. And for the record, we should have just told you the truth that Lucas had no intention of ever stopping making the videos, but used it to get his viewership up in a fake internet war with us that we knew nothing about. It looks like it worked out for him getting a job at Nickelodeon and all."

Sam frowned at her fellow web-hostess and gave her a cold stare. "Carls—"

Carly kept her eyes on the camera, but spoke to Sam, "Be quiet Sam. You'd be in juvie 'til you were twenty one if it wasn't for _me_ covering for what I allowed you to do to him and all the other things you've done, so keep your opinions to yourself unless there's an apology for Freddie in there somewhere with the next thing you have to say." She turned to look at her friend and hissed out in disgust more with herself than with Sam, "My God, you're lucky Jade only scarred you up for a while and broke a few your ribs instead of outright killing you which she should have been justified in doing or Freddie pressing charges against you… you sent him to the hospital. You're lucky you got out of California with only a scar. One day you will have to own up to your sins."

The dirty blonde quickly shut her mouth as Carly's tone told her that it would be a mistake to challenge her on this matter.

The brunette looked back to the camera and concluded, "Where was I? Oh yeah… Freddie finally had enough when I demanded that he date Sam when she suddenly started liking him… I wanted him to be with someone that took pleasure in tormenting him any way she could possibly find while I kept my mouth shut the entire time. I wanted Sam to be happy above everything else… including Freddie's happiness."

At this point Brad was seriously thinking about cutting it off, but the look in Carly's eyes told him that he may not leave the room alive if he did such a thing and that not even Sam would be able to stop the fierce brunette.

The tired brunette looked to the camera one last time and finished with a hollowed tone, "You're a good man Freddie Benson and you deserve a far better life than what you would have here with lousy people like us. Please have a long and happy life." She took another breath then finished, "And this concludes this episode of iCarly… this may be the last one… I don't know."

Carly walked off camera and a moment later the picture cut off.

Dusty blew out a soft breath as he turned in his seat and looked to the couple. He stated with a regretful tone, "And now the world knows the truth."

Freddie stared at the screen showing the stopped tape frozen on Carly's face. He took a step back and rested against the edge of one of the tables with his fingers laced together and resting his hands on his upper thighs. He remained silent as he got lost in his own thoughts.

Jade felt her blood pressure spike as rage instantly filled her. She didn't think it was possible to hate Carly Shay more than she did after New Years, but she was reaching an entirely new level of burning rage at the moment that made her ambivalent feelings towards Tori Vega look like a candle flickering at the last of its wick. The actress didn't see it any other way than the web-hostess giving her one last 'Jank You!' to Freddie in the guise of trying to be apologetic for all she had done to her former friend and maybe get a little sympathy turned in her direction. Now the world knew the majority of the details and was causing a number of the students to look at Freddie in any other way than respectful and as one of their peers. In Jade's mind it was Carly trying one last time to take Freddie's dignity… and she would make the web-hostess pay for it if it was the last thing she did on this earth.

Dusty leaned forward in his seat and rested his forearms on his knees and laced his fingers. He whispered out with a tired voice, "I guess we should've confirmed the gossip."

Jade turned her attention to the sitting teenager and asked with a curt voice, "What gossip?"

"About what happened up in Olympia and that Freddie really did charge up there and rescue them. It may have caused people to be a little more hesitant in taking Carly's word. The badass Freddie they know verses—" he thumbed over his shoulder to the monitor on the far wall, "—the one that she just described doesn't jive very well and that would have been enough to make them doubt her."

Jade closed her eyes and shook her head for a moment in frustration about the whole situation then looked back to Dusty to ask, "Why didn't you?"

Dusty leaned back in his chair and asked with a near flippant tone, "You really think Vega and the rest would just spill the truth? Really?"

The pale actress bit her tongue for a moment and Dusty took the opportunity crack a smile as he continued, "No, they're your friends and they respect his privacy."

Freddie finally spoke up with a soft voice, "What do they really think about me?"

The Southern teenager looked to his friend and asked with a serious tone, "Here at school or online?"

The tech producer snorted out a breath then asked with a bitter tone, "Let's take the school first."

Jade gave him a concerned expression as Dusty answered, "It's a mixed bag: Some think the whole thing is outrageous and think that it is a bad joke, but…"

Freddie cautiously asked, "What?"

The Southern teenager answered with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "What do you think?"

Freddie took a quick breath as the webmaster shook his head and answered his own question, "You got abused by a girl… and they don't even see it as abuse… just you getting your tail handed to you by a girl because you're a little wuss who's willing to bend over and grab his ankles."

Jade outright glared at him and clenched her jaw tight that would have made anyone else at school tremble in fear and beg her not to destroy them either socially or physically.

Dusty wasn't intimidated one bit by the pale teenager and answered with a challenging voice, "What? You think sugarcoating the truth to him is going to help?" He stood up from his chair and looked to Jade with a hint of disbelief in his voice, "That is how most of the guys here think: he was emasculated by Sam and question whether he really is a man or not. He's becoming a bigger joke than Shapiro. They don't think of him as the guy who knocked out Steven Carson for you at Karaoke Dookie during the summer or put Corey in his place for making sexual jokes about what he'd like to do with you or the times they thought he was going to put Pretty Boy down because he janked up again or Randy down in one punch when he got mad about his eyes going all screwy with the three-D video… just the guy that was Sam and Carly's little_ bitch_."

She wanted to be furious at the webmaster for saying such a thing, but… he was just telling the truth and that was exactly how most of the guys would think.

It was one of the things she respected about the teenager: his willingness to tell the truth and not sugarcoat as everyone else around her.

As noble and wishful the sentiment that image and social standing shouldn't be the paramount things to worry about in high school, the realities of life were far less forgiving and one couldn't forget them as one of the hard lessons of life during the high school experience. If people thought Freddie was suddenly a pushover, she knew he'd be in their crosshairs as she knew underneath the friendly surface of most of the students here, they could easily turn into a pack of hyenas from her experience when Robbie turned part of TheSlap into Robbiarazzi with harassing André with ketchup or start treating him like a joke like Robbie.

Freddie spoke up, "What do you think about me? I never asked you that question when I got back."

Dusty turned his attention to the slightly shorter yet more muscular teenager. "A part of _me_ thinks you are a little wuss for letting her do that to you for all those years—"

Jade instantly frowned and glared in his direction and Freddie a little surprised.

"—because I have so little respect for people that can defend themselves, but refuse to and _aren't_ pacifists." He looked to Jade as he continued, "Like Vega in not dealing with you once and for all for all the chizz you've put her through over nearly the last two years or Shapiro who is so cowardly that he hides behind his blasted puppet." He looked back to Freddie and finished with a sympathetic tone, "But the more rational part… the _smarter_ part of me is betting that you were taught by your mama never to hit a girl and that is a very powerful and profound message instilled into _a lot_ of boys when they're children and adhere to it all of their lives… and standing by your moral principles is a blasted good justification in not just knocking that slayer out."

Freddie pursed his lips and gave a soft nod of his head to the explanation.

Jade sarcastically asked, "Your mother didn't teach you that lesson?" The pale singer instantly bit her tongue as she realized what she said as she recalled his euphemism during the last poker game at Tori's house between Christmas and New Years about his late mother being 'among the angels'. She could be insensitive, but even she had a line she wouldn't cross and making jokes about someone's dead mother was one of them.

Dusty cracked a smile and answered with a surprise sense of humor, "From the little interaction I had with my mother… she knew better than to teach me such nonsense. My benevolent sexism does not go that far… if you want to throw the first punch and hit me like a man, you better be willing to take it like a man. You remember my advice if you ever get in a fight with a girl… and you had already taken it with Puckett before I gave it to you…"

The easy going nature of the teen caused Jade to let out a sigh of relief that she hadn't offended him with her statement.

The first bell sounded through the school to let the students know that they should head for their first period class. Freddie glanced out to the ceiling to turn his ear to the sound of the bell for a second then looked back to Dusty. He cracked a soft smile and spoke, "Thanks for heads up."

He replied with a slight nod and somewhat embarrassed expression, "Sorry to be the barer of bad news."

The tech producer shrugged a shoulder, "Well… couldn't keep it a secret forever and I can't worry about it now, have to get to class. See you later." He started on his way out, but noticed the Jade wasn't following him. He looked to see that Jade hesitated in following him and raised a curious eyebrow.

She tilted her head slightly to the side and nonchalantly answered, "I'll catch up with you."

Her brown eye boy answered with a warm smile, "Okay, I'll be at my locker." He turned and headed out the door.

Jade looked back to Dusty with a worried expression, but before she could say anything, he spoke, "Shapiro is untouchable compared to him at the moment and you know there are a few that would love to take advantage of it. He _looks_ weak and they will take advantage of it and you know it could get messy before he reestablishes himself."

She coldly hissed out, "If they don't mind losing their balls you mean."

He countered with a calm voice, "Then all he's become is _your_ bitch."

Jade snorted out angrily and glared at him.

He raised a hand as he commented, "I know the double standard is frustrating, where it's expected for Freddie to stand up for you as he's already done repeatedly, but you doing it for him to the others, especially guys makes him look like a joke, but we don't live in a perfect world, far from it."

She blew out a frustrated breath and shook her head.

"However…"

She raised her pierced eyebrow in curiosity. "However?"

"If things start to go… I find using the term 'Going South' offensive, but… I may have to start persuading a few to see the situation as I see it… My methods usually worked when I was going to Northridge… it reminded them of who the Alpha Dogs were too."

She cracked a small smile as she felt a twinge better about the situation and whispered, "Thanks."

He answered with a solemn tone and sympathetic expression, "You're welcome Angel Girl."

Jade smirked then headed out the door to catch up with her boyfriend.

A few moments later, she caught up to him at his light blue colored locker that was the same shade of blue of his locker when he used to go to Ridgeway in Seattle.

"Hey," she whispered catching his attention as he put a book into his locker.

"Hey."

"Ah…"

He smiled to her and softly answered, "We can talk about it when we get home, let's just… just enjoy our first day back. I'm going to try."

She gave him an accepting nod, but she could tell from the look in his eyes that it was troubling him.

He closed the locker and quickly twisted the lock. "I'll see you later," he whispered then gave her a quick peck on her cheek and turned to head for his science class.

Jade blew out a soft breath then noticed a few loitering teenagers that had stared at the couple as they were at his locker. She gave them a harsh glare and they quickly ducked their heads to avoid eye contact with her then went on their own way to class.

The pale dark brunette clenched her mouth shut and shook her head as she headed to her locker before rushing to class.

* * *

First and second period flew past for the couple in their separate classes. None of the teachers so far gave either teenager any grief for missing the first three days back to school after the holidays. Apparently they had watched the news about the events of New Years and they understood of the situation. Freddie's science teacher, Mister Haule, just gave him a pat on the shoulder and the last three days worth of work saying he had a week to get them done. The students in Freddie's classes kept their conversations with him to idle small talk avoiding the elephant in the room and where he had been last week. Once the bell for the end of second period rung, the pair met back up after stopping by their individual lockers and started down the main hallway to head for their third period class which was taught by their eccentric acting teacher Erin Sikowitz.

Jade could tell that her boyfriend's mood had lightened as they headed for the acting class where they could catch up with their friends over the last week. However before they made it down the first hallway, Vice Principal Dickers appeared around the corner in front of the two drink machines next to the Janitor's closet and approached the couple. He had a sour expression on his face as he blocked the student's path and hissed out showing his annoyance, "Hey, where do you think you two are going?"

Freddie answered dryly, "Class?"

Dickers frowned. "Being funny? You've skipped the last three days."

Freddie snorted out with his patience already running thin and answered, "Who's being funny? You wanted to know where we were going and they were personal days. I needed them. Haven't you watched the news?"

Dickers looked to Freddie with disbelieving expression. "They're still unexcused and they bought you two a couple of Saturday detentions."

Jade sarcastically replied, "Is that a good deal for them? I guess it depends on how many we got."

The passed over principal candidate turned his glare to the dark brunette.

Freddie took a side step to get between Dickers and Jade. The idea that he may actually have to punch Dickers crossed his mind from the harshness of the glare that was soon turned on him.

Dickers lifted his hand to attempt to grab Jade by the elbow and started, "We're going to the office right n—"

A stern voice spoke from behind the couple, "You will not put your hands on her."

Dickers' hand stopped just before he reached the actress' elbow and looked up from his glare with an annoyed expression on his face to see who was interrupting his conversation the teenagers. The Vice Principal blinked at the look he was receiving from the gentleman standing about an inch or two shorter than he wearing an A-2 Flight Jacket, a grey Penny-Tee with the words 'Aim High' printed on the front, and a pair of blue jeans.

Jade and Freddie turned and instantly were shocked at their apparent rescuer as the rest of the lingering students were shocked of someone challenging the irritable vice principal.

Dickers frowned at the intruder of his conversation. He walked around the couple to take a few steps to stand in front of the unknown gentleman. "I'm not? Who are you? Her father?"

Colonel Steven 'Loco' Shay smirked as he answered with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "I've been accused of that before, but it's a moot point. You will not be touching her…" Shay took a step forward to look the slightly taller gentleman in the eyes and whisper just loud enough for the couple to hear, "…or you and I are going to have a real problem _very_ quickly."

Dickers swallowed down a bit of fear that was threatening to come up from his stomach as he had seen that look before in other men's eyes several times in his life.

A thought occurred to the technical producer as he asked, "Vice Principal Dickers? Aren't you a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corp reserves?"

Dickers glanced over his shoulder and flippantly answered as he tried to keep his focus on the man in front of him, "Yes."

Freddie smirked as he continued, "This is _Colonel_ Steven Shay of the US Air Force…"

Shay finished for the teenager with a stern voice, "As in full-bird Colonel… _Colonel_."

The Vice-Principal cleared his throat as he realized that the man in front of him could make his life very difficult in a completely unofficial capacity of course.

"If you have a serious problem or concern with Jadelyn then I _suggest_ you and I wait in your boss' office for her mother to arrive while they head to class in the meantime or… you could get back to something that really does concern you?"

The embarrassed vice principal looked to Freddie and commented, "We'll discuss this later—"

Shay spoke up with s soft, but chilled tone, "No… you're really not."

Dickers turned and sucked in a sharp breath through his nose at seeing that the Colonel was not going to let him win. He gave a brief nod then with as much dignity as he could muster, walked around the Colonel and headed down the hall.

Shay looked back to the couple and his intimidated expression left his face in an instant and was replaced with smile. He looked warmly at the daughter of his oldest friend. "Jadelyn, how are you doing sweetheart?"

Her smile was a little nervous given the circumstances and her current feelings about the man's daughter, but nevertheless a genuine one and acknowledging nod of her head. "I'm doing alright… no thanks to your daughter."

He surprised her with a grin and answered, "Just like your mother… never let anyone change you Jadelyn. Acknowledging the truth will make you strong just like her."

She looked to him in surprise at just backhandedly insulting the man's daughter and she didn't see that he had any no coldness or uncaring feeling of Carly as to why he let the insult slide. She found it a little odd.

He looked to Freddie with a more resigned expression. "May we talk?"

Freddie took slow breath as he looked to the Colonel's eyes. "I appreciate the help, but… I'm not sure how productive any talk between us would be."

Shay cracked a smile. "Maybe it won't, but… you never know, especially since you don't know why I'm here?"

The tech producer looked up to him in surprise. As he contemplated a further answer, Lane quickly approached the trio with a hesitant expression at seeing Dickers scurry off.

Lane placed a resting hand on Freddie's shoulder and explained with a motion towards the retreating form of Dickers with his other hand, "Hey, sorry about that; I didn't get a chance to talk to Dickers about your absents."

Jade look to Lane with a curious expression and he quickly offered an explanation, "Your mother called last week to explain the situation. Apparently Vice Principal Dickers didn't get the memo that Helen was going to make them all excused so you don't have to worry about a thing."

Shay spoke up, "I hope they would after what happened. Mental health is just as important as physical health."

The guidance counselor turned to the Colonel with a curious expression. "Helen feels the same way and I couldn't agree more, but ah… you are sir?"

He smiled in returned and answered, "I'm Colonel Steven Shay."

"Shay?" Lane looked over to Freddie for an explanation.

The teenager answered with a brief nod, "He's Carly and Spencer's father."

The guidance counselor nodded then looked to the veteran. He cleared his throat and introduced himself, "I'm Lane Alexander, the school's Guidance Counselor."

"Mister Alexander… nice to meet you." Shay briefly looked to Freddie to ask, "I would still like to talk to you Freddie."

Jade could tell from the look in her boyfriend's eyes that he was struggling with how he should answer. After a few more moments Freddie answered, "Alright… but class is about to start in a few minutes."

"You can use my office. I'll take care of everything," Lane spoke up sensing that they two needed to talk. Freddie may have not needed to go to his weekly sessions with the guidance counselor to help him adjust to moving to California and going to Hollywood Arts anymore, but Lane was still felt concern for him, especially with everything coming out in the open for everyone.

"Thanks Lane," Freddie answered with a polite nod of his head.

Lane motioned down the hall towards his office intending to lead the way, but Freddie spoke, "I know where it is."

The teenager started on his way, but Shay took a moment to smile at Jade then caught up with Freddie.

Jade and Lane remained where they were standing for a few more moment and the pale actress looked to the guidance counselor with an even expression.

He suggested, "It's going to be alright Jade… you'll see."

She turned her gaze to see Freddie's back disappear around a corner. She mumbled out with a lack of confidence in her voice, "Yeah."

* * *

Freddie entered the office first with Shay cautiously entering and scanning the room. He started walking around the room and glancing around the guidance counselor's office out of curiosity and getting a feel for the possible exits. The teenager waited a few patient moments as he remained standing behind the couch.

The Colonel looked away from the poster board with the various pictures of Lane and his accomplishments over the years and asked the teenager, "You look well. Decided for a beard?"

Freddie rubbed his stubble chin and jaw. He mumbled out, "More out of laziness than trying to try something new. Jade doesn't like it, says it bothers her when we kiss."

Shay cracked a small smile as he replied, "You definitely need to keep that in mind."

The pair remained quiet for a few seconds until Freddie asked the obvious question, "Why are you really here Colonel?"

The former flyer stuck his hands into his pockets and shrugged his shoulders while stating the obvious, "This is twice you've saved my daughter's life and now my son's along with it and you don't expect me to at least thank you for that?"

Freddie frowned as he retorted with a sharp tone, "Since I told Carly to go to Hell that night, I think we should count being even on that one."

Shay put on an even expression. He countered with calm and resign voice, "Fair enough."

The teenager's brow furled as he asked with disbelief, "I just told you that I told your daughter to go to Hell and you say 'Fair enough'?"

The Colonel softly chuckled as he replied, "You really think I didn't know that? You're not my first stop and you do have a fair point about calling it even."

Freddie sarcastically responded, "Okay then… you're welcome for Carly and Spencer. Glad I could help, so… bye. I'm sure Mrs. West would appreciate spending the rest of your stop with her."

Shay let out a soft snort as a small smile formed on his face. "I believe Ruby would, but… let's not insult each other's intelligence as for the other reasons I could be here."

Freddie shook his head as he blew out a breath with his response, "I don't want to hear anything from you about making a case for your daughter—"

Shay retorted before the teenager could get on a roll, "I didn't make a case for her last time we spoke when you were packing up your stuff to move here; why should I start now? Carly's responsible for her own behavior when it comes to you and you are for your own as you decided to go charging in on the white horse to rescue her and the rest of them. Samantha could have just said to Hell with what Carly said and put Nora down… and everyone knows it. You are all responsible for your own actions. It's her place to make her case."

Freddie frowned deeply as that was the exact thing he had said to Carly in the pouring rain after they walked out of the Dorshlit's home. "Okay if that's not the case, would you get to your point please? I'm missing class and I've already missed the last three days."

He gave him a polite nod and answered, "I wanted to see how you are doing… especially after Friday night."

"Really? Why? You wanted to see my reaction of her making me a laughing stock here at school? I'm not sure what they're saying about me online. I just saw it about three hours ago, so I'm still processing it."

"No, I wanted to see how you are doing because I care about you."

Freddie gave him a questioning expression and with a hint of annoyance in his voice countered, "Assuming you aren't just trying to dig information out of me for Carly for some other scheme she has planned for me, you are not obligated to care because of what I've done for Carly or Spencer."

Shay grinned widely as he answered with a near mocking tone, "Mister Benson, if I was interrogating you, you'd either know it or wouldn't have a clue I was doing it, not something in between and for the record, this isn't about paying off some honor debt with you, she did not purposely sabotage your night and she did not do that broadcast last Friday to embarrass you, but to own up to her mistakes and take responsibility for you leaving."

Freddie frowned as he realized that the Colonel was probably correct on the first part, but still had his doubts about latter part. "I'm really supposed to believe that? I thought you weren't here to advocate for her."

"Not advocating, just setting the record straight."

Freddie started pacing behind the couch and shook his head in disbelief. He looked back to the father of his first love and asked with disbelief, "You believe her?"

Shay titled his head slightly to the side. "Other than my natural inclination to believe my daughter you mean? She has the same inability to lie as her mother. Taylor couldn't lie convincingly and neither can our children. Barry finally had to learn the art form in knowing how to sugarcoat things and giving more emphasis on the good when he was going through medical school."

Freddie hated to admit it, but the Colonel was right on that point as he remembered Spencer's problems with lying and the guilt that ate away at Carly for lying to Principal Franklin the time they tried to cover for Sam and her changing grades. He focused back on the Colonel and countered, "She could have gotten better and even if she didn't and she couldn't fool you, I should just trust your word? I wouldn't put it past you to just lie to help Carly."

Shay nodded along with somewhat an amused smile as he answered, "True, I would lie for her… I would do a lot of things for my children, but I would ask you to what ends? To get back on track some master plan to get you back to Seattle?"

Freddie walked around the couch to face the multi-war veteran. "It's a possibility that I can't ignore. I told her not to go and she knew I had plans with Jade, but she went anyway. I have no reason to give her the benefit of the doubt that she didn't do that purposely to get me up there to try to make it look like I was choosing her over Jade during what was going to be a special time between us and forcing me back to Seattle by burning all my bridges here."

"No you can't ignore that, but you're assuming that my primary reason for lying to you is for Carly's happiness, it is not. I'm more concern about her health and wellbeing and what would benefit her."

"And getting me to believe her doesn't benefit Carly?"

"If it's based on a lie? No. If she is as manipulative as you think she is then I have a serious problem that I need to correct with her while there's still time and you would be the least of my concerns. I told you months ago that if Samantha wanted to go to Hell that was her business, but she wasn't going to drag Carly down with her."

The tech producer snorted out a breath and countered, "Sam's not the problem anymore. It's Carly's decisions that got us here."

"It was both your decisions that got you here… don't forget that," he chided softly. "Samantha may not be the problem anymore, but the same sentiment applies: I am not letting my daughter go down that path in some effort to get you back… however she wants to define what that means. I will not let her turn into that kind of person without a fight."

"So you've gone from trying to save Sam to trying to save Carly?"

"That's assuming you are correct… which you aren't, but I would do _anything_ to save my children… and I know you would do the same for any future children you might have with Jade, so you can't blame me for trying and still be honest with yourself."

All Freddie could do is frown as he completely agreed with the Colonel's sentiment.

Erin Sikowitz's Advance Acting I Class  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA

Tori was on the stage with Beck standing in front of her with barely a space between them. Beck looked her in the eyes and gently cupped her cheek as he whispered, "What is there to hope for when there is no more hope?"

The brunette was about to whisper out her line 'more hope', but was interrupted by a voice calling out from the back door of the classroom, "You lie to her."

The students and Sikowitz immediately turned their attention away from the scene of the pair to look to see that Freddie had slipped into the classroom with a gentleman none of them recognized.

Shay continued with a soft and solemn voice ignoring the stares of the other students while keeping his eyes on the pair on stage, "You put on a smile and lie to her and you tell her that everything is going to be okay even though you know it's not going to be okay and you are beyond hope and the inevitable outcome will happen. You do that to comfort her so she won't be afraid in her last moments and maybe yourself. So, young man and woman, when there is no hope left, you lie."

Freddie took in a soft breath as he looked to the stoic Colonel. He instantly knew to what… to whom he was referring and whatever mixed feelings Freddie had for Carly at the moment, Colonel Shay did have Freddie's sympathies.

The rest of the class looked stunned at not just the words, but the delivery as they believed what he had spoken was a moving piece of acting being ignorant that he wasn't playing a part.

Sikowitz cleared his throat and cautiously responded, "That's a… interesting view on the subject."

Shay gave the acting teacher an even expression as he replied, "Personal experience."

After the initial shock wore off, Tori walked off stage and pulled Freddie into a hug. She shouted for joy over his shoulder with a laugh, "Hey."

Freddie's spirits were lifted by the reception from his friend and returned the hug with a quick squeeze behind her back. "It's good to see you too Tori."

She took a step back from his embrace reached around from his neck to run ran the back of her fingers up and down his bearded covered jaw line. "A beard?"

He let out a soft chuckle along with his smile, "I wanted a change."

Shay continued to look at the lighter brunette for a few more moments then to look at Freddie and asked, "Why is Miss Shelby Marx in your class?"

"I do not look like Shelby Marx!" Tori screamed in frustration as she looked away from Freddie and towards the Colonel.

Freddie leaned slightly to him and replied, "She's really sensitive about it."

"Okay," Shay slowly answered with an awkward smile.

Tori looked a little perturbed from the comparison with her and Marx again, but it wasn't dwelled on as Cat shouted with glee as she nearly tackled Freddie to the ground with her hug, "Freddie!"

Freddie was able to catch her and she was actually off of her feet as the pair hugged. He put on even a bigger genuine smile with the excited girl in his arms and replied, "Hey little red."

He sat her back down on her feet and she took a step back. The redhead giddily answered, "We've missed you. You got to tell us about your trip."

"I've missed you too, but I'll have to give you the highlights later."

"Okay." The childlike teenager smiled and waved at the former flyer. "Hi, I'm Cat."

Shay blinked as he looked at the red velvet haired teenager. He blinked again to make sure he was really seeing the girl in front of him. He raised his right hand and softly poked her shoulder with his right pointer finger.

She looked at her shoulder for a second then up at him with a curious expression on her face.

Freddie glanced back and forth between Shay and Cat then cautiously asked with concern to the former flyer, "Colonel?"

"She's real," he stated in a tone as if he was questioning some fundamental truth of the universe.

The other students put on their own curious expressions from the former flyer's reaction.

Freddie blinked and looked to the Colonel with a curious expression. "Ah… yeah, she's real."

"Well isn't that interesting," he commented dryly.

"How?"

"She bares a striking resemblance to someone I knew when she was that age." He looked back to the confused teenager and spoke with a tender voice, "How are you doing little one?"

She brightened up and let her arms fling open wide. "I'm doing great."

He put on a forced smile and gave a nod of his head with his acknowledgment, "That's good to hear."

She let out a soft laugh and covered her mouth with a hand.

Beck was the next to approach as he had hopped off stage. He put on his charming smile and enthusiastically greeted the former Seattleite, "Hey Freddie."

Freddie gave a small, but genuine smile to the actor as sometimes they may have had some friction between them over the several months, but there was no real bad blood between them for being ex-boyfriend and current boyfriend to Jade. "Hey Beck."

The Colonel gave the Canadian born actor a guarded expression as he spoke up interrupting the reunion, "So you are Beck Oliver?"

Beck turned his attention to the casually dressed colonel and answered with a slight hesitation more out of confusion than anything else, "Yes sir."

He smiled, but it wasn't a friendly one. He commented with a false sounding friendly tone, "Just double checking."

Beck swallowed nervously then answered a little flustered, "Yes sir."

The other students easily picked up the underlining threat in the statement and wondered to the cause of it.

Sikowitz crossed his arms and walked to the center of the classroom to ask, "You're late Freddie… and that's after skipping the last three days of my class and who's your friend?"

Freddie blew out a tired breath, "Are really going to go through with this Sikowitz?"

Shay spoke up somewhat flippantly, "Sikowitz? I thought that guidance counselor said he'd take care of that."

Sikowitz raised an eyebrow and gave the guest a curious expression as he asked, "And you are sir?"

Shay smirked, but it wasn't a friendly expression, "I'm the one that let you walk away from nearly giving my son a heart attack twice and attempted to give one to Jadelyn in a hot tub I believe? So… you shouldn't be worrying about how late he is, but more concerned about if I'll change my mind now that I'm looking at you. And what were you doing in a hot tub with one of your students… especially since she's underage and you're just a few years older than my thirty year old boy?"

Sikowitz swallowed nervously as he saw the Colonel's cold eyes directing at him.

"Didn't your mother teach you that you shouldn't mess with a man's kids?"

Freddie quickly explained, "This is Colonel Shay… Carly and Spencer's dad."

"I'm sorry Colonel. I meant no harm to Spenc—"

Shay interrupted with a soft chiding, "You're already in the hole, stop digging."

The acting teacher immediately closed his mouth.

Shay looked to the rest of the class and gave them slight wave. "Hello everyone, just stopping by for a visit to see Jadelyn and Freddie."

The rest of the class nodded their heads in acknowledgment and some even waved. André was finally got in a word edgewise as he approached his friend, "Freddie."

"André," he answered with a smile and a quick manly hug.

The friends pulled apart and André smiled at the Colonel and offered with a friendly smile while the others were nodding their heads in agreement, "Colonel Shay, while I have the chance, thanks for getting us out of Yerba—"

"Yerba? I have no idea what you are talking about young man," the Colonel answered with a firm and authoritative voice as he eyed the songsmith.

André swallowed nervously under the gaze of the older gentleman.

Shay held his expression for a few more seconds as he gave him quick wink.

André nodded along as he understood the meaning about 'I was never there' and all that other top secret stuff.

Shay glanced around and noticed an absence. "Ah… where's Jadelyn?"

Tori looked around then commented, "She should be here by now."

Freddie slightly frowned as he got a sudden sickening feeling in his stomach.

Cat spoke up, "I think she was going to the music room for a sec. She looked… tense."

André suggested, "Probably went there to blow some steam before class started."

Shay glanced at his watch and asked, "When did class start?"

Tori answered, "About fifteen minutes ago."

Shay looked around with a slight frowned on his face as he glanced around one more time. He casually commented as he tried to keep his concern in his voice, "Let's go find her."

Freddie glanced up to the Colonel and saw genuine concern in the man's eyes similar to the rare times Spencer would react a little more adult like than normal. The teenager wasn't exactly sure to the reason for the expression, whether it was just assuming the worst from years of military service or something akin to a father's paranoia with a daughter.

Freddie didn't question it however as he kept a steady voice while he agreed not to embarrass the Colonel with his possible silliness of her probably just losing track of time, "Yeah… she probably lost track of time."

Sikowitz was about to say something, but Shay glared at the acting teacher and instantly silencing him then the pair were out the door.

Main Music Room  
Hollywood Arts High School

Jade sat at the setup keyboard as it was when she recorded André's song 'Okay' a few months back and playing any musical tune that came to her mind. She hoped a quick break from everything before Sikowitz's class (and expecting him to be late again giving her a little extra time) and playing something soothing would calm her nerves as she was still furious even after the last two periods. She lost track of time and didn't realize that she was late for Sikowitz's class, even by his standards.

However that was the least of her worries as every song that she played was filled with bitterness and anger instead of something at least partially uplifting which caused her to reflect even more on her feelings. Carly couldn't let it go. She couldn't just keep her damn mouth shut and leave them in peace after all the damaged she attempted to do against them. She seriously thought about ditching school right at that moment and getting a flight up to Seattle so she could settle the score with the girl.

She was so involved with playing in trying to expunge at least some of her negative feelings she didn't initially hear the door to the classroom open. She finally broke away from her keyboard playing with a slightly high pitched voice, "Hello Jade."

The actress frowned at the intrusion and at the realization of the owner of the voice. She turned in her swivel seat to see Nevel Papperman, the somewhat repudiated web-critic and once (and possibly still) arch-nemesis to the iCarly crew. The pair may have came to a mutually beneficial agreement of an interview late last year to promote her short film to get her extra publicity and he back on the road to rehabilitating his reputation after being filmed berating a wheelchair bound African-American just after the iCarly crew fixed everything with his previous outburst, but she was not in the mood to deal with him right now and especially alone as Freddie would have a fit of her being in a room by herself with Nevel. Freddie was paranoid about Nevel for good reason and going so far as having Dusty play bodyguard if necessary during that interview.

She didn't let any of her irritation slip into her voice as she challenged, "Nevel? What are you doing here? You're a long way from home."

He held his smile on his face, but it wasn't a friendly one. "Oh, I just wanted to talk…" he trailed off as his smile turned into a thin line and narrowed his gaze at the dark brunette.

"Talk? That's what video chatting is for. You could have used that if you wanted to talk and saved yourself the airfare. If this is about wanting to promote another one of my films, I'm sorry, but I'm still finishing up the script."

The shorter teenager grinned and shook his head while letting his lace fingered hands rest freely in front of him. "No, it's not about that. I just wanted to talk about Carly's little confession on Friday… you know, the whole story you and Freddie didn't want to give me."

Jade clenched her jaw tight and Nevel instantly saw the outrage in the pale girl's eyes.

Nevel smirked as he took another step into the room and started again with a smug voice, "It was quite a fascinating thing to watch on Friday. I had no idea that was really what their friendship was like _all along_ instead of just some fallout as I had assumed. I really thought they were this thicker than thieves trio, but…" He softly shook his head and asked, "Who would guess that it was really just a sham?"

He pulled his hands apart and casually crossed his arms. "I didn't realize Sam really treated Freddie that way… it was an eye opener." He looked her straight in the eyes and continued, "Did you know the several times I tried to do something, anything to bring iCarly down, Sam would jumped on me?" He snorted out a soft laugh as he took another step forward and started walking past the orange couch that dominated the center of the room since sometime in December. "That's not really surprising, after all I did want to destroy them, but… do you what the really funny part was?"

The dark brunette bit her tongue to prevent herself from snapping out something when she was curious about what he was going to say.

He slightly tilted his head to the side as he let his humorous tone take over, "The funny part was that Carly would pull Sam off of me or just forbid her from touching me. She wouldn't let Sam beat me up and you know all the things I've done to them over the years… I guess Carly never did that for Freddie?"

Jade clenched her jaw tightly.

His smirk grew bigger at seeing that he was pushing her buttons then softly laughed for a few seconds. Once he caught his breath, he continued, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh, but… the irony that she would protect me from Sam's wrath. Me? Her archenemy from Sam that could tear me apart, but yet… she would let Sam do that to Freddie over the last couple of years? And everybody knew about it? I just find that hilarious. Doesn't that just make you…" He stopped as he started chuckling then calmed himself to be able to speak out, "Well the look on your face tells me everything."

Jade was clenching her left fist tight with her nails digging into her skin and her jaw tight as her outright hatred of everything in Seattle bubbled to the surface.

"Oh… that's not the best part or the worst part from your point of view. You want to know what it really is?"

The pale dark brunette hissed out, "Enlighten me."

He pulled his right arm out of his crossed arms and held up his hand to cup the side of his mouth and whisper, "Everyone is taking her side."

Jade's building rage dissipated in an instant and her intimidating expression was replaced with a shocked frown. She asked in barely above a whisper for even her own ears to pick up, "What?"

"Online almost everyone is taking her side. They're accepting her apology. They think she's being too hard on herself and they're blaming him and saying he overreacted. They are coming up with every excuse for her and that's just her fans. Sam's fans are saying she's making the whole thing up. So you see, they win again and Freddie loses."

The singer snapped out, "And every last one of them can go to Hell right along with Carly."

Nevel smirked and there was a look in his eyes that Jade couldn't place as she was too distracted with her own anger over the fact that people were taking Carly's side on the matter. "I'm glad you feel that way, so… you want to do something about it?"

She spat out through gritted teeth, "What?"

"Do something about it… like give your side of the story? Not what she spinned to make herself look like the sympathetic one. Make them see that she is just playing them like Lucas played them all years ago. Make the world see her the way you see her."

Jade stood up from her seat and took a deep breath. She wanted to hurt Carly and here was her chance. She could make the world see through her eyes how Carly really was a manipulative and heartless gank for all she did to Freddie not some innocent girl next door she played up for the camera, but then there was that inkling in the back of her head.

Freddie wouldn't want that to happen or at least the Freddie before that last bit of first love where he would have died for Carly had turned into a bitter seed in his heart that she was afraid could grow into something bigger and irreparably change her nice guy into something she did not know.

So she only had one course of action: putting his wellbeing over her own sense of vengeance. She whispered out in a soft voice, "No… you don't get to know the truth on your terms. Go home Nevel… and let it go."

The younger teenager took a sharp breath as his eyes nearly bugged out of his eye sockets and faced turned ashen white with furry. He shouted as he stabbed the air with his finger at her. "You will not deny me to be great again. I gave him the opportunity to tell the truth last time but no… you had to stay silent and let her tell what happened. Everyone is feeling sorry for her now. She won't get away with it and you won't get away with denying me my place again."

Jade growled out, "I don't give a chizz about what you think or want."

"You're going to tell me the entire truth about what happened!"

"Fine, I'll use plain English to repeat myself: go jank yourself."

Nevel smirked as he whispered out smugly, "The only one here that is going to be 'janked' is you." He looked over his shoulder and called out with his voice traveling through the opening of the partially ajar door, "Demetri! Evon!"

Two tall gentlemen that looked like two stereotypical thugs, the bald one dressed in windbreaker jacket and pants as if he was about to go jogging while the second one, slightly shorter with dark hair and full beard wore a brown business suit walked into the room then the taller one closed the door behind them and locked it. Their appearance was almost comedic if she didn't suddenly feel a bit of dread starting to form in her stomach at seeing the two stern looking lackeys.

"You're not leaving until I get the truth… all of it."

The bald Russian slowly walked around the orange couch while the more muscular one started in from the other side of the room and in front of the couch. Nevel crossed his arms and grinned wildly knowing that his master plan for revenge on all his enemies was about to kick off that would finally destroy the iCarlys once and for all.

Jade shoved her hand into her bag hanging on the back of her seat then pulled out her sharp end scissors. She gripped the handle so tight that her already pale knuckles turned even whiter as she held the scissors in front of her. She spat out defiantly as she shifted her gaze between the Russian thugs, "Okay, which one of you is going to lose his balls first?"

The Russians were momentarily halted by her aggressive stance.

* * *

Freddie and Colonel Shay reached the main music room less than a minute after leaving Sikowitz's class. The teenager tried to turn the door handle and instinctively push the door open in mid-stride. He was surprised when his shoulder bumped into the door and the door handle wouldn't budge. He blinked and slightly frowned as he was surprised that it would be locked. He looked through the rectangular window and his eyes immediately shot open. "Oh my God."

"What?" Shay's voice instantly called out.

"It's Nevel."

"Nevel?" he asked with restrained dread.

"And two big guys," Freddie finished as fear filled his throat.

"Nevel—Nevel!" Freddie shouted as pounded his fist on the door. Nevel turned his head and looked through the rectangular window in the door. The brown eyed boy looked up to meet the younger teenager's eyes. The web-critic just smiled and waved then turned his back to the former Seattleite on the other side of the door.

Freddie gritted his teeth tightly and growled. He took one step back and was about to kick the door, but heard a shout behind him.

"Move!" the Colonel shouted as he grabbed Freddie by the shoulder and yanked him aside, not bothering to wait for the teenager to comply with his command.

Freddie was jerked out of the way of the door as the next motion was the Combat Controller lifting his right foot and slammed it just beside the door handle.

The wooden frame gave way as the lock broke through it and the door swung open.

Nevel and his two flunkies turned in mild surprise from the act which caused them to pause in their advancement towards Jade. The slightly shorter and heavier Russian with the dark beard was literally caught off guard as the former flyer wasted no time in charging at him and speared him under his ribcage with his right shoulder and grabbed him by the back off his thighs. Shay used his advantage in leverage and combat experience to lift him off of his feet and picked him up then shifting forward to slam him down on the floor.

The sound of the back of his head hitting floor reverberated through the room causing the lackey to nearly black out right then and there and in no real shape to defend himself, but Shay was going on years of training to make sure his opponent was neutralized. Shay in an instant crawled up to straddle his stomach and brought his right forearm up and down in a blur of motion to smash into the Russian's throat several times.

Nevel's lackey choked and gargled as he tried to breathe through an almost crushed windpipe.

Shay turned his head to see that the taller Russian after gathering his wits after being so caught off by the American's aggressiveness and was halfway through climbing over the orange couch to try to tackle him, but before Shay could grab him, Freddie dashed underneath and to the side to tackle the Russian to the floor.

The pair rolled several times as they clawed at each other. The Russian tried to throw a punch, but they were too tangled for him to get his arm free and put any power into the relatively soft contact of his fist hitting Freddie's jaw as the tech-producer got his right hand around his throat and squeezed. All weeks of rehabilitation and continued workouts to get his strength back from his nearly squished hand along with the rage fueling him, gave him a considerably strong grip and apparently quite effective on the thug as he tried to claw at Freddie's hand that had a death grip around his throat.

In the struggle, Shay had dismounted the fallen flunky and got around to the back of the baldheaded one. Shay wrapped his left forearm around the taller Russian's throat and threw his body wait backwards, pulling him off of Freddie. The former flyer landed on his back and held the chokehold on the bald Russian for dear life as he wrapped his legs around his sides and locked his ankles in front to secure his hold.

Freddie crawled backwards trying to catch his breath and watch as the Colonel growled and tightened his chock hold while Nevel's flunky uselessly clawed at Shay's leather covered arm flayed his other arm to try to grab at Shay's face and head.

He started gargling and grasping for breath as the Colonel's hold cut off his air supply and blood to his brain. Only a few seconds later he gave up the fight as the lack of blood to the brain caused him to black out and his limbs went limp.

Shay growled in disgust as he released his leg-lock and chokehold then pushed the Russian off to roll unconsciously on the floor face first. The pair made eye contact for a moment then got up. They turned to direct their individual gazes upon the younger teenager.

Nevel wore a look of abject fear on his face as he took a step backwards and lifted up his hands. "Now Freddie, just wait—"

Freddie reared his right arm back then smashed his fist to the left side of Nevel's jaw. The punch instantly split open Nevel's bottom lip and sent the younger teenager down face first on the floor. His forehead and nose smacked hard against the floor and sent blood from his nose splattering on the floor. Nevel rolled over and coughed up the blood that threatened to choke him as it ran down his throat. He opened his eyes to see Freddie staring down at him with a look of outright hatred on his face.

The former Seattleite grabbed him by the collar with his left hand and punched with the right to break the web-critic's nose, sending blood flying. The next rage filled punch sent Nevel's front teeth flying out. Freddie pulled back for another swing when a strong grip grabbed him just under his wrist and yanked him back.

"Enough Freddie! Enough," Shay shouted as he wrestled the rage filled teenager away from his target.

"Let me go!" he shouted in outrage as he tried to struggle out of the Colonel's grip.

"I said ENOUGH!" the Colonel shouted as he yanked the teenager clear off of Nevel.

Freddie growled out in frustration then took a few calming breaths as he relaxed in Shay's grip. "Okay, okay."

A few more moments passed then Shay let him go and took a breath as he tried to calm his own short lived adrenaline high.

He walked around the teenager to approach Jade. Shay cupped Jade's cheeks in his hands and looked her straight in the eyes and allowed a fearful expression to form on his face. "Jadelyn, are you alright?"

Jade nodded her head as she looked back at the hazel eyes. It was a strange sensation of seeing an adult that concerned about her safety other than from her mother. She instantly thought of her father and the lack of memory of him ever being that concerned about her.

"They didn't hurt you…. Did they touch you?"

"No… I'm fine." She held up her silver scissors and gave an embarrassing smile. "I had my scissors."

He nodded along in a manner she guessed was in an effort to comfort himself as his hands left her cheeks and rested on her shoulders. "Good girl," he whispered with a sense of pride in his voice that didn't escape Jade's notice then he gave her a relieved smile and kiss to her forehead. He took a step back while she gave him a questioning, but not disapproving expression.

He looked back to her with the same relieved smile then Freddie walked around the Colonel.

Freddie wrapped his arms around Jade and held her close then kissed her temple. He whispered out, "Are you sure you're alright?"

She nodded several times as she whispered in return awhile avoiding looking in his eyes, "I'm good, you?"

"Pissed off, but I'll be fine as long as you are."

The dark brunette looked up and gave him a reassuring smile.

Shay spoke up with a tone that brokered no tolerance for disagreement, "Okay, you two go… get who you need to, I'll watch these three."

Freddie turned his attention to the Colonel and their eyes locked for a moment as if Freddie was willing to challenge him on the matter, but he decided not to argue. "Fine…" He slipped his left hand into Jade's hand and led the teenager to the door while carefully walking around the fallen lackeys. He stopped for a moment to see the partially dazed Nevel spit out more blood to the floor and looked up at him in shock. Freddie returned the gesture by giving him a quick kick to the stomach.

The web-critic heaved him pain as Freddie stepped over him and Jade around him as they made their way to the door.

Once the couple left the room, Shay slowly walked to the fallen teenager as if stalking towards fallen prey.

Nevel spat out more blood onto the floor the rolled slightly to look up at the Colonel. "Freddie's gone insane. He could have killed me."

Shay tilted his head slightly to the side then bent down and grabbed him by the throat for the whimpering teen to quiet. He yanked the boy to his feet and Nevel stared in deathly fear of the cold rage coming through the Colonel's eyes. Nevel heard the coldest whisper escape Shay's mouth, "For planning to gang-rape her, he would have been justified in ending your pitiful little life as do _I_… just like you damn well planned to do years ago with my little Carlotta in saying you just wanted a kiss from her with two of your other thugs when she wanted her website back. You should be grateful that I just don't snap your damn neck and send you to Hell."

Nevel wanted to argue that wasn't at all what he was planning to do with Jade or years ago with Carly before she made her rope escape, but he instantly went silent as he saw the look in the Colonel's eyes. He had always considered the Shays a joke, but now he was looking into the eyes of a Shay that he knew that he had crossed and would make him pay for it… dearly.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I got a lot in it.

I was originally going to post this on August 31, the official start date for this fic, but with the news of Victorious not being renewed for a fourth season, I needed to get it out to cheer myself up and maybe you too, especially since the week leading up to the revealing of the news was a very lousy one for me which I won't get into discussing and was nearly the straw that broke to camel's back for me. You may be wondering why I haven't updated my last comedic chapter for 'Jade Likes Nice Guys'; with the release of this news, it doesn't feel right to post it due to the nature of the chapter at this time with the assumption that the show would continue for another season or more.

The next chapter will be on August 31, 2012. I have some other projects I need to get back on since my last week was taken up with deeply personal events. See you soon.

Special Guest Appearance by Joe Flannigan as Colonel Steven 'Loco' Shay

Special Guest Star Miranda Cosgrove

Special Guest Star Jennette McCurdy

Guest Star Reed Alexander

Guest Star Lt. Col. Rob Riggle as Vice Principal Dickers


	2. Chapter 2: There are no Fresh Starts P2

Author's Note: Hello everyone. I hope you have had a nice August and hopefully have a nice September. This was suppose to be posted yesterday, but I wanted to do some additional editing. I'm doing much better and getting back on track with writing even if real life is invading my time again since summer is more or less over. I'm going to try for weekly updates of this story while wrapping up my other short stories and finally, finally get back on track with 'iWould Have Pounded Him Silly'. Pray for me on that one to get enough time to properly work on it because I am not just throwing something together.

Also, check out Jade's new slap video: What I love. I think you might be just as shocked as I about one particular thing she likes. I kind of called it way back in Chapter 9 of Jade Likes Nice Guys.

Still mad about Victorious being canceled and now finding out from the Executive Producer of 'How to Rock' that it is to make room for Sam & Cat. Not fair to us or to Ariana and Jennette. I guess Dan had to lie to us because if they don't pick up the pilots to make shows, he's unemployed. However, we will not let that spoil our story.

Special Guest Appearance by Jennifer Connelly as Ruby Lynn West

Special Guest Appearance by Joe Flanigan as Colonel Steven "Loco" Shay

Special Guest Star Yvette Nicole Brown

Guest Star Rob Riggle

Agent-M-0167: Well the last chapter and this one are to wrap up some lose ends from the last story like season premieres of television shows before they really start off the new season, so I had to address some of the fall out from the climax to the last story. Also, Carly and I and maybe Beck, know Carly's true motivations, but then again I could be wrong. I believe authors can misinterpret their own work.

Nevel's actions seemed logical after Carly's confession especially with his reintroduction into the show despite his storyline being completed (I thought his involvement in iHalfoween was completely pointless since the show was near completion and his storyline had been wrapped up, yet now apparently the show will end without his storyline ever wrapping up). He had already crossed the Colonel with his behavior towards Carly and he was going to have to deal with him anyway when he turned eighteen as Mrs. West told Nevel back in Jade Likes Nice Guys.

About the new show, David Israel (executive producer for 'How to Rock') came out and said that his show was canceled to make room for the new shows as Nick is going through a transition in the hopes of luring in new viewers. Victorious is just a casualty of Sam & Cat despite the denials on Jennette, Ariana or Dan's part. At least we know the real truth now so we as individuals now can decide if one wants to watch the show that got its parent show canceled.

Daytrigg: Thanks. Finally getting my writing schedule worked out so I can work on and finish multiple things at a time.

Twilight Warrior 627: Thanks, I don't like being predictable. I don't think the rest of this story will be predictable either.

ArtisticAngel6: Here's the next chapter, I hope you like it.

PD31: I think her motivations are going to be murky until Freddie can really figure them out. The reader is along for the ride in Freddie and Jade's journey. I'm going to get back to that comedic ending for Jade Likes Nice Guys. I need to select a few more outtakes I want for it.

Jeremy Shane: Thanks.

Gavinisabassist: I've been using Flanigan for more than a year as Colonel Shay starting with iCarly's Father. He's just a few years too young, but he's almost Jerry Trainor's height and similar hair cut when Spencer keeps it short and has a little bit of humor to him that he brought to his role in Stargate Atlantis.

ICVRFF: Thanks for going through the trouble. The reason this is in the straight section instead of the crossover is that (slight spoilers) other than the last chapter and this one and Freddie being a main character, it will be almost completely a Victorious story focusing on their characters. Also, since he did appear as Freddie in a guest spot appearance in 'Who did it to Trina?', him alone now would justify it being a crossover.

Challenge King: Thanks and I hope you like this chapter.

Meee: Thanks.

RedRaider117: Thanks.

IntrovertedMind: Glad you liked it. I think a lot of people are going through Victorious and iCarly withdrawal.

Well on with the story!

* * *

Chapter 2

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Monday, January 9, 2012

Jade let out a slow breath as she looked down at the top of Freddie's right hand resting on top of her left hand with his fingers curled over her index finger to the joint of her thumb to her hand. His thumb softly grazed over top of her fingers and as soft and gentle the gesture may have been, her focus was on the dry blood on and between his knuckles with the crusting blood being a blatant reminder what had happened almost hour ago.

They had already given their statements to the police about what happened with the Colonel standing by in a blatantly obvious attempt to make sure that nothing could be construed into implying that Freddie did anything wrong… especially when Shay said that Nevel had tried to rush Jade and Freddie was forced to use that much force to put the web-critic down in order to protect her. Of course that wasn't why Freddie started pounding on Nevel, but the actress was not going to correct that assertion at the risk of getting Freddie in trouble and neither did Freddie in questioning the Colonel's assertion during the questioning. Nevel was the only one still conscious on his side when Freddie went at him and no one was going to believe him over a near victim, a boyfriend defending his girlfriend and a decorated war veteran.

The pale actress looked up onto Freddie's profile while he looked off onto the opposite wall as the couple sat on the couch in the Principal's office. He wore an impassive expression on his face and she immediately realized that he was withdrawing and burying what he was feeling.

Okay, saying he was burying might have been her jumping a little to conclusions and it could be more accurately described that he was still processing Nevel's stunt and what he had nearly done to the web-critic. The couple had been gone for the last week, unspoken of course, partially to let him process the fact that he nearly had to kill Nora on New Year's Eve along with processing the betrayal he felt from the ones in Seattle, so he could be forgiven for taking a few minutes to deal with him nearly having to do the same to Nevel however justified such an action.

The green streaked hair girl turned her attention to see their principal, Helen Dubois sitting behind her desk absolutely livid. The former child actress, whose later life was popularized with several appearances by Yvette Nicole Brown on the docucomedy television show _Drake & Josh_, was shouting at Vice Principal Dickers demanding answers on how Nevel and his goons had gotten into the school, why she had the LAPD combing over one of her classrooms as a crime scene and the need of three ambulances while he stuttered to form some kind of reasonable answer.

Colonel Shay stood off to the side and covered his mouth with a hand to suppress a laugh as it would be unbecoming to laugh at a fellow officer's misery. He turned his attention away from the scene and towards Jade and gave her a soft smile. He walked over and knelt down in front of the pale teenager. He rested his larger left hand on top of her right hand and with a smile softly asked, "Are you sure you're okay sweetheart? Your mom should be here soon, but I can go ahead and take you home if you want me to."

She cleared her throat and met his brown eyes with her bluish/green eyes. She wasn't really sure how to look at or assess the man. He was the father of the girl she hated to her core, but he was also her mother's oldest friend and he hadn't hesitated to charge into the room to take on Nevel's goons to protect her. She briefly wondered if her own father would have done such a thing if he had been there instead of the Colonel.

She broke eye contact to glance at Freddie again as she whispered, "No, I'm fine."

Shay pursed his lips and gave a slight nod of his head as it was clear where the girl's concern was focused.

However, Freddie whispered out, "You should've let me kill him."

Shay turned his attention away from Jade and towards Freddie.

Freddie turned his head and looked at the Colonel with a cold stare. He continued with a cooler tone, "He's not going to stop now. He'll just try again. He won't stop until I 'rue the day' or I kill him. He won't change. He's been humiliated twice and it didn't change him; it just made him worst."

Jade sucked in a breath that Freddie wished he had ended the miserable excuse of a person's life. Other than the intake of breath, she remained silent as she watched the pair stare for a moment before Shay answered with a calm voice, "Killing him would have been too merciful. You can't make him suffer and realize that it was wrong to make you his enemy in the first place if he's dead and I want him to _suffer_ for all the crimes he's committed against us. _He will suffer_."

Freddie slightly frowned and blinked at the response. He didn't have the opportunity to think on the matter any further as the door to the principal's office nearly flew off of its hinges.

A woman in her late forties, but looked ten years younger than her chronological age, wearing high-end business attire and bearing a striking resemblance to Jennifer Connelly, entered the office with a worried expression and called out, "Jade? Jade?"

Ruby West stopped in her tracks as she looked to her old friend standing up from knelling in front of her daughter. She held her breath for a few moments as she processed seeing the former flyer and the fact that she had been called to the school. Her brow furled as she finally whispered out, "Steven?"

He gave her a hesitant smile and a nervous chuckle, "Not the way I wanted to let you know I was here, but... surprise."

She gave a quick nod then snapped out her shock to see the teenage couple sitting on the couch. She quickly walked over and Jade instinctively stood up as she realized her mother's intention. The older West quickly wrapped her arms around her daughter and whispered, "Are you okay?"

The teenager nodded and rubbed her chin on her mother's shoulder as she answered, "Yeah. I'm fine."

The West Matriarch held on to her daughter for a few more moments and sucked in a breath saying a silent prayer for the safety of her daughter. She gave a soft kiss on her cheek then pulled away and rested her hands on Jade's shoulders. She looked to the other three adults in the room and asked, "You call me to say something happened involving my daughter, but won't go into any details and I just walk past several cops and saw two ambulances pull away. What is going on?"

Freddie replied with a sharp tone as he stood up, "Nevel."

Mrs. West slightly frowned and asked in a tone that suggested she didn't hear him correctly, "Nevel?"

"Yes."

Helen stood up from her seat and walked around her desk to approach the advertising VP. She continued with even tone, but her anger was still evident in her voice, "Yes, Mrs. West. We had an… incident—"

Freddie snorted out in disgust, "An incident?"

Helen slightly frowned as she eyed the teenager with a disapproving expression on her face regardless of how much she liked the tech producer. Jade saw from Freddie's expression that he didn't care a bit of any look the principal was directing at him.

Mrs. West caught the disapproving expression the principal was directing at Freddie, but ignored it for the moment to look at Shay for an explanation.

He placed a soft hand on her shoulder and calmly explained, "Nevel Papperman showed up with apparently some hired lackeys. He wanted the whole story about Freddie and everything that happened in Seattle. Papperman kind of... cornered Jadelyn in a room with them and they were not going to let her leave until they got the truth out of her… or so they told her."

If possible, Mrs. West's face went even whiter. She cupped her daughter's cheek and looked her in the eyes as she asked with fear lacing her voice, "They didn't—"

Jade tried to keep an impassive expression on her face as to not worry her mother as she wasn't blind to the unspoken question being asked by the look in her mother's eyes.

Shay placed his other hand on her mother's other shoulder and softly called out to get her to focus on him, "Ruby? Ruby?"

The mother hesitantly turned her gaze from Jade and dropped her hands to look at the Air Force Colonel.

He continued with a gentle tone, "They didn't do anything. They didn't touch her. I _dealt with them_. They're the ones that needed the ambulances."

There was an instant chill lacing her voice as she asked, "So they're not dead?"

Helen and Dickers glance to one another and shared surprised expressions at hearing the change of her tone that carried no regret in asking him such a question.

Shay paused for a moment then calmly answered, "No, I... it wasn't necessary and..." He spared Jade a quick glance to meet her eyes as he finished, "I didn't want her to see someone die in front of her. It's not something she should have to see if it can be helped."

Ruby nodded her head apparently accepting the answer with Jade's eyes nearly bulging out her sockets at him admitting his only problem with killing them was that she could have seen him do it. It went without saying that Freddie would protect her, but the notion that Colonel Shay would kill to protect her was surprising to say the least.

The Colonel continued with a somber tone, "Anyway, Freddie took care of Nevel… he's going to need some emergency dental surgery." Ruby raised an eyebrow while Shay grinned as he clarified, "He took out his front teeth."

The raven haired beauty started softly laughing surprising everyone in the room except for Shay. She looked to the tech-producer and asked, "You knocked out his front teeth?"

Freddie looked to her with a guarded expression and answered cautiously, "Yes."

She pressed her lips tight against one another for a moment then commented while looking at Shay and trying to hold back a laugh, "That's not funny at all."

Freddie glanced to Jade for an explanation, but she looked just as lost as he with a shrug of her shoulders.

Shay snorted out as he dropped his hands from her shoulders, "Except he's letting Papperman have his teeth back, so it is a little different."

Ruby covered her mouth with a hand as she softly laughed.

The couple looked to the older pair with an evident confusion on their respective faces along with the school administrators.

Mrs. West lifted a corner of her mouth while looking at Jade and Freddie and answered, "Old story."

"Yes… _old_ story," Shay agreed dryly as his right hand opened and closed into a fist as if a nervous twitch.

"That is quite an old story Steven," a male voice called out from the open office door, "It is somewhat amusing with history repeating itself."

Everyone turned to see the owner of the voice and some were surprised to see that it was Mister West entering the room. Mister West was dressed in a well tailored navy colored suit. He cupped his left hand over his right hand so they would rest in front of him. He wore an even expression as he kept his attention on the Colonel. He greeted the man with an even tone, "Steven."

Colonel Shay took a step to stand in front of the slightly taller man and stared right back as he replied with a matching tone, " Roy ."

Everyone in the room sensed the need to remain quiet as the pair stared coldly at each other, apparently sizing each other up.

Jade of course was surprised that her father would show up, but was also confused to why they were getting into a staring contest as she still didn't understand the apparent bad blood between the pair especially with her father's reaction of Freddie mentioning of the Colonel's name during last Thanksgiving.

Roy West was the first to break the silence, "Quite a surprise to see you; it's been… awhile."

"Yes well… service has its sacrifices, but…" Shay cracked a smile as he replied, "It is a little surprising to see you."

"I'm still on the emergency contact list… even if I'm not on the list that would let me check her out. Of course I'd be concerned about Jade's wellbeing when I was called."

The first Mrs. West slightly frowned at him pointing out that she designated that he couldn't check Jade out of school. The aborted custody fight during the divorce where Roy first wanted full custody of Jade still troubled her to this day. She could never shake the feeling that Roy would find an excuse to try to take custody of Jade, even if for the last several years he had took a hands off approach in being in his daughter's life. Due to that feeling, it caused her to take certain precautions such as not putting him on the list, but unbeknownst to most, Shay was on the list.

Shay answered in a tone that clearly indicated that he had his doubts, "Of course you were concerned… but you did make your choice years ago that led to the other part."

Roy slightly tightened his jaw then answered with a clearly strained voice, "_You_ really didn't leave me any other option."

Ruby slightly frowned at her ex-husband's comment. She had always suspected that Steven had somehow been involved with Roy unexpectedly dropping his pursuit of full custody of Jade, but never had any proof and never asked the Colonel if that was the case. Now she had at least from Roy's word that some words about the matter had been exchanged between the pair years ago and the Colonel's next words confirmed it.

Shay smirked as he countered, "It should have never got to that point. You made your choice, I made mine and I don't regret mine. Have you found the decency to regret yours?"

The pair started their staring contest again, but Ruby finally spoke up before the two really did get into an argument, "I appreciate you coming Roy."

The slightly taller man turned his attention to his ex-wife and gave her a slight nod and tight smile.

Jade had been a passive observer while being quite fascinated that someone would challenge her father, but her curiosity was peaked about how Colonel Shay was involved in her custody between her parents. She was hoping that another Shay hadn't janked her over. She wasn't going to worry about that at the moment as she agreed with her mother, "Yeah, thanks dad."

He turned his attention away from his ex-wife and asked with his usual aloft tone, "Are you alright?"

"Yes…" She cracked a forced smile as she finished, "I didn't have to use my scissors on anyone."

Mister West actually cracked a slight smile at her comment. He turned to look at Helen and Dickers and asked, "What exactly happened? Something about a fight from what I overheard?"

Shay answered for them, "An old enemy of Freddie's showed up with almost comedic Russian thugs. They wanted to know the whole story about why Freddie left Seattle from Jadelyn and they didn't want to take no for an answer. He's some kind of online critic and wanted an exclusive from Jadelyn's side. She said no and they didn't like that answer, so I took care of them and Freddie took care of Papperman."

Mister West let out an annoyed sigh and looked to Freddie. "You're living with my daughter and now you're putting her in danger?"

Jade frowned at the accusation and disapproval thrown at her boyfriend while Freddie looked like he could care less with what Mister West thought of him.

"Don't start Roy," Shay spoke with a sharp tone.

Roy frowned as he turned his attention back to Shay. "Steven, I do appreciate the fact of you protecting Jade… and have learned to tolerate your interference over the years, but his past is now endangering my daughter. I have a right to be concerned with her being with him if this is what I have to concern myself: more of his enemies popping up out of nowhere."

Mister West and the rest of them were quite surprised when Shay's annoyed expression shifted into a laughing reply, "Tolerate? You _tolerate_ me? Is that what you have to tell yourself?"

The slightly taller man looked like he was about to respond to the Colonel when Mrs. West spoke up with a sharp tone, "Enough."

Both turned to look at the pale beauty, Roy with clear irritation on his face and Shay trying to wipe the grin off of his face, as she spoke to her ex-husband with a determined expression. "Roy, I can understand that you would be concerned, but you don't have to be. There will not be anyone else that is going to be bothering them."

Roy wearily responded, "I have my doubts Ruby."

Ruby let in a slightly sharp tone slip into her voice as she responded, "Then you'll just have to have them, because you don't get a say in whom she dates. Freddie is not responsible for what others do. If anyone else from Freddie's past is foolish enough to bother Jade then they will be dealt with and will regret it."

Her ex-husband frowned and blew out a disapproving breath out of his nose as he looked to his ex-wife giving him a challenging expression.

Jade could see that her father wanted to argue with her mother, yet he looked hesitant in challenging her fierce looking mother especially with Colonel Shay standing there almost chopping at the bit for her father to give him an excuse to intervene. A part of the dark brunette (a very little part) wanted her father to continued, not because he was blaming Freddie or agreed with his opinion, but he appeared to be concerned about her or hope he was genuinely concerned about her and voicing that concern.

Her hoped was dashed when Roy blew out a defeated breath and replied, "If you say so."

Ruby gave a slight nod of her head then looked back to Helen. She stated in a tone that showed that she wasn't asking, but telling Helen what she wanted to do, "I think I'm going to take Jade home for the rest of the day."

Jade slightly nodded to her mother as she really didn't have an objection; all her thoughts would be on Freddie anyway until he talked to her, so it was pointless to go to class.

Helen cleared her throat and answered with a confident voice, "That's fine, perfectly understandable."

Mrs. West looked to Freddie with a questioning expression and he quickly answered, "I think I'll go too." He rolled his eyes and commented dryly, "It's not like I'll actually get anything done for the rest of the day."

Jade took the opportunity and laced her fingers with Freddie's fingers then gave him a soft smile when he turned to look at her with a guarded expression. She didn't dwell on his expression as she started on her way out of the office and softly pulling him along without a word of complaint from the former Seattleite.

Mister West wore a disapproving expression as he watched his daughter exit the office with the brown eyed teenager. His attention was quickly pulled away as he felt a soft hand rest on the side of his arm and saw Ruby giving him a sympathetic smile. She whispered out with a tired voice, "I'll give you a call later tonight, so we can talk."

Roy gave her a hesitant smile then an accepting nod.

The pale beauty turned to head out the door to catch up with her daughter with Shay falling in step behind her.

Shay was just out the door when Roy cleared his throat then called out, "Steven?"

The former flyer stopped then turned to look over his shoulder and called out with a guarded tone while meeting Roy 's eyes, "Yes?"

Roy took a breath and letting some of his façade slip then answered, "Thank you."

The Colonel gave him an acknowledging and respectful nod. He turned to catch back up with the first Mrs. West.

Dickers took a step beside Mister West and cautiously commented, "If you don't mind me saying, the Colonel seemed really concerned about your daughter."

"Yes," Roy answered dryly. "He's always been concerned… a little too concerned for another man's child."

Dickers raised an eyebrow.

* * *

The young couple continued down the hall just in time for the forth lunch period to start making their way to lunch by the main hallway and down the main stairwell. Several students caught sight of them then started whispering among themselves which in turn made others realize the couple was coming down the hallway until almost everyone had stopped and started staring at them either due to Carly's news or the rampant rumors that happened in the music room with cops showing up.

Freddie looked at the body of mingling students right back with a guarded expression, but didn't see any of his other friends from Sikowitz's class as this was their usual lunch. Jade laced fingers with his fingers gave him a supportive sign.

He took a deep breath then called out loud enough for them to hear him, "I found out what Carly said this morning. I know the look most of you are giving me this morning and they were the same ones people would give me at Ridgeway. I know what you may think of me now and it's true… I let Sam beat me like a dog because of her damn sex organs and I was under the delusion that she was my friend… the price we guys pay for being raised never to hit a girl and everyone of you know it, but no more. Any girl that wants to hit me like man better expect to take it like a man and you should know this: I did break Nora on New Years Eve and I just broke Nevel Papperman and he would be dead right now if it wasn't for Carly's dad here." Freddie thumbed to the Colonel standing off to the side with Mrs. West. "That's why the cops were here."

He looked over the crowd with a deep frown. He hissed out, "If there are any of you that think I'm an easy target now because of what Carly told you… go ahead and try." He opened and closed his right fist, drawing attention to the fact that there was still dry blood on his knuckles. "I think there's still an ambulance that hasn't left yet and I'm sure they can go ahead and give you ride with them."

The stunned students gave him a fearful expression and started whispering again among themselves which due to the number of students made up nearly a forth of the school was considerably loud and their voices carried quite far.

Jade may have hated where Freddie was emotionally for the moment, but a corner of her mouth lifted in realized that Freddie had just reestablished being on the top rung of the school's social ladder.

Apparently satisfied that they were going to heed his warning, he started again towards the exit with his gentle pull on her hand. She instantly kept pace with him as the crowd of students instinctively parted to allow the couple to pass. A slight smirk formed on her face while seeing some of the fearful expressions among the crowd as she realized that they entered the school this morning as Hollywood Art's Alpha Couple and they were leaving as the Alpha Couple.

West Residence  
Los Angeles, CA

Jade had focused her attention on the road as Freddie drove in silence on their way home with her mother following behind with Colonel Shay riding with her. Freddie wanted to remain quiet and she was going to respect that decision… well at least until they arrived home and could talk in private. They had always been able to talk to one another even before they got together as a couple and in her mind that was not going to change. She would not let the weight of New Years and today to crush him and shut him down. If all else failed, she'd convince him (drag him kicking and screaming if necessary) to go back to Lane for their weekly sessions so he could work out what he was feeling like he did during most of last semester after he moved to Los Angeles.

She was so caught up in her thoughts about how she could get him to talk or what she would say to him that she didn't realize that he was already pulling his Charger into the garage, followed shortly by Mrs. West pulling up in her vehicle along side. The cars quickly killed their respective ignitions once they were parked and the pairs exited their respective vehicles with Freddie particularly eager to exit.

The former Seattleite pulled his book bag out of the backseat and quickly spoke to excuse himself as he glanced between Jade and Mrs. West and commented dryly, "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get started on catching up with work from last week."

"Sounds like a good idea," Jade commented with a forced smile that gently reminded him that he couldn't ditch her.

He apparently caught the look in her eyes and gave a half hearted smile before he started on his way towards the door to the kitchen with Jade right on his heels.

Ruby wore a concerned expression as she remained standing beside her car until Shay whispered, "He's got to work it out in his head… he just needs a little bit of time. It's been a rough day for him."

She closed her eyes and whispered out with a regretful tone, "I hate that you're speaking from personal experience."

* * *

Freddie had nearly dashed up the stairs as soon as they stepped into the kitchen. Jade was momentarily stunned waiting at the bottom of the staircase in the kitchen. She took a soft breath then slowly started up the stairs with her left palm sliding across the railing. A few moments later she reached his open bedroom door down the hall.

Jade dropped her Gears-of-War bag just to the inside of his room just to the left of the door then wrapped her arms around herself as she saw him already hunched over a textbook and a notebook out on his computer desk and working on some assignment. The pale actress whispered out, "Are you alright?"

He quickly looked up from work and responded with a deliberate tone, "I'm fine, are you okay? Really?"

She slightly frowned and gave him a curious expression. "I'm… I'm fine."

He shrugged his right shoulder and casually replied, "Then there's nothing else to talk about." He looked back to his textbook and started back on his writing.

She snorted out with her irritation slipping into her voice, "Don't shut me out."

He blew out a breath and laid his pencil down on the notebook then swiveled in his seat to look at her. He responded with a tired voice, "I'm not shutting you out, I just don't what else there's left to say. I already said I wanted to kill him…" He blew out a disgusted breath and shook his head. "Dusty was right… you don't make peace with rabid dogs, you put them down and that's exactly what Nevel is: a rabid dog that won't learn any better." He cracked an ironic smile, "I seem to know a lot of people that won't learn, but the Colonel stopped me, so there's not left to say on my part."

He turned his attention back to Jade to ask, "What about you? Are you really alright? If you're not then you're the one shutting me out."

She closed her eyes and bowed her head slightly for a moment. She wanted to snap at him about his obvious attempt to turn her concern around and avoid talking about what he was feeling as Beck had done several times during their relationship. Intentional or not, it was still irritating, however, she took a calming breath then started again as she looked up at him, "It's not just about Nevel; it's about Carly."

He leaned back in his chair with his right hand bracing against the arm rest then answered with an almost flippant tone, "What do you want me to say? I should be furious with Carly humiliating me to the world with telling them what happened? To tell the world how pathetic I was for letting Sam do that to me for all those years? I should just lash out?"

She took a step forward and snapped, "It would be better than you just bottling it up inside since you got back from Seattle!"

He slightly frowned as he replied with a cool tone, "I'm not bottling; there's just nothing to really left to say. I hate that backstabbing gank and told her to go to Hell the last time I spoke with her, remember? It sums up all my feelings of her and her 'confession' isn't going to change anything. I don't see how I can hate her more short of her targeting you." He shook his head and commented with a bit of disbelief, "Should I have dwelled on it when we were on our trip instead of enjoying every moment with you?" He slightly frowned then snapped back with a hint of his own annoyance, "That was for us, not them. They've tried to spoil enough of our relationship and I wasn't going to give them one more second that I could give to you."

Jade wrapped her arms tighter around herself and deeply frowned as her brow furled. Her expression would terrify most of the students at Hollywood Arts, but she wasn't directing her look at him, but more abstractly at what he told her again: he hated Carly. He wasn't supposed to hate her. Dislike her, of course, be furious at her even before her confession, who wouldn't? However, he wasn't supposed to hate her. He couldn't hate Carly… not his first love… it would just poison how he saw love and his heart. The way he saw love gave him strength when the rest of his world collapsed on his head (and heart), but she felt deep into her very soul that hating her could destroy him before he even realized he was fundamentally changed for the worst.

However, before she could make any sort of reply, the Galaxy War theme started playing from the tech-producer's front right jean pocket. He blew out a sigh then reached into his pocket and pulled out his PearPhone. He quickly saw the caller ID then blew out another tired breath as he commented, "It's Tori." He took a quick glance at the time. "It's lunch time for us and I guess they found out what happened and want to check on us."

She wanted to growl out at Tori for inadvertently interrupting them, but held back and commented with only mild irritation, "You better answer her or she'll probably freak out and come over with the rest of them." She slipped her arms away from her sides and into crossing them under her chest while muttering, "Speaking of lunch, I might as well do something useful and go downstairs to fix something for us."

She started on her way, but stopped in mid-stride as she approached the doorway when she heard him call out her name in a sweet tone, "Jade?"

She turned and gave him a barely patient expression, "Yeah?"

He cracked a warm smile and whispered out, "I love you… whatever chizz we go through, that's the truth."

A relieved expression formed on her face, however temporary, as those words beat back the conflicting emotions churning in her chest. She walked over and cupped his left cheek to bring his lips to hers for a deep kiss. Freddie eagerly return the kiss that lasted several more rings of his phone then she slowly pulled away and whispered as she looked directly into his eyes, "I love you too."

He returned with a smile as he pressed the answer button on his phone and brought it to his right ear. He looked her directly in the eyes as he greeted the other girl on the end of the line, "Hey Tori… yes we're fine, Nevel on the other hand…"

The pale dark brunette stood up straight as she gave him a teasing look with her eyes then headed of the room to head downstairs to fix them some lunch.

* * *

Shay paused as he remained standing in the garage and glanced around. "It's just been awhile since I've been here," he whispered with evident regret in his voice.

Ruby slightly bowed her head and whispered in return, "Too long."

He raised an eyebrow as he gave her a curious expression.

She slightly shook her head. "It's not a judgment… just an observation."

He snorted out and a corner of his mouth lifted to respond with sardonic tone, "Maybe I need some judging?"

Ruby wrapped her arms around herself and let her left hand hold her elbow as she put on a disapproving frown. Apparently the Colonel didn't catch it as he turned his attention Freddie's car. He walked over and let his finger graciously slide over the left fender of the Charger until he reached the driver's side door. "Wow Ruby, she's a beauty. You really got him this?"

She let out a soft breath at realizing he was dodging so she couldn't disagree with him. She answered to humor him for the moment, "Yes…"

He opened the door and glanced inside to look in the interior. "It looks just like Glenn's old Charger then again you can make any car look like another."

Ruby let out a soft laugh, "It is Glenn's."

Shay turned his head from looking in the interior and gave her disbelieving expression. "You're kidding? This can't be Glenn's."

The pale beauty let out a soft laugh and shook her head. "No, I'm not. It turns out when I did a check on it, it was Glenn's. He sold in the early eighties and it passed through several owners 'til it winded up in a salvage yard."

He pushed off the black vehicle to turn to face her and asked, "This is _the_ Charger? Did you know that before you bought it?"

She wore a smug look and nodded her head. "Yes to both of our questions."

He let out a soft laugh as he walked to the front of the car and had a seat on the end of it as he remembered doing nearly thirty two years ago, but this time the raven beauty walked around the front and had a seat next to him after he took his seat. The only thing missing were some old glass bottles in their hands.

He laughed out and shook his head, "Then why on Earth did you buy it then?"

She softly smirked while answering with a playful tone, "I had a feeling that maybe it should have a more worthy owner then let it end up rusting away somewhere in some bone yard."

The former flyer softly nudged his shoulder with her shoulder and softly challenged, "You don't think this is awkward at all? Having Jadelyn ride in a car that years ago you rode in with Glenn?"

"Only if I tell them… it wasn't the car's fault."

"Yeah, but you and Glenn had to at least makeout in it while you were together and—" He thumbed over his shoulder as he finished, "You have no idea what he did with that redhead when he—"

She held up a hand to stop him. She put on an impassive expression then answered with a calm and deliberate tone, "I had the interior completely cleaned before giving it to Freddie then had it completely redone before New Years." She snorted out and let a soft smile slip on her face, "Besides, thirty years is a long time… especially sitting in a salvage yard. There are plenty of other things that could have gotten in there over the years."

"Whatever could have gotten in it wasn't as bad as his little skank."

Ruby's eyes brightened up and she let out a genuine laugh, "Oh? Someone's a little bitter."

He pushed his tongue against the inside of his bottom lip and shook his head as the grin formed on his face. He tilted his head towards her as he answered, "She nearly tore some of my hair out. I have a right to be a little bitter."

The pale beauty softly rolled her eyes and retorted playfully, "That's what you get for wearing your hair like a girl's."

"You were just jealous of how long and voluptuous it was back then," he answered completely assured of his position and subconsciously flicking his head as if he needed to fling some hair that would fall in his face. He hadn't had long hair since the day Spencer was born, but the almost nervous tick remained.

She softly bit her bottom lip as she grinned then retorted, "Is that what you have to tell yourself?"

He smirked confidently as he retorted, "It's the truth."

Ruby blew out a breath and turned her attention to look out of the open garage. It was an argument more than thirty years old and they still no closer to resolving which one of them was correct.

The pair sat in comfortable silence as they looked onto the street to see the occasional car pass down the road.

Shay was the first one to break the silence with a shake his head and a regretful whisper, "This is a nightmare Ruby… our children are at each other's throats."

Ruby looked down at the garage floor and frowned as the end of her fingers played with one another. "I doubt Carly wants to go for Jade's throat."

He turned his head and gave her a questioning expression as he asked, "No… she's too heart broken and guilt ridden to hate anyone but herself."

The dark haired beauty blew out a breath and was forced to admit, "I doubt Jade would believe that for a second."

He nodded along. "That's understandable, but Carlotta is not that good of an actress… she takes after Taylor, not me and if she suddenly developed the ability to lie so well that she can fool me… then I need to get her a job at the CIA after college."

Ruby let a soft smirk form on her face as she remembered Taylor couldn't be deceptive to save her life; she was just too honest and open. She softly asked, "So New Years wasn't planned?"

The former flyer shook his head. "No, she really was afraid of Nora, but when the judge showed her a bit of mercy in releasing her because her life was so pathetic and that Gibby kid was ready to forgive her… so Carly had to go all 'second chance' and try to forgive her. Maybe she was trying to pass along what Freddie had done for her."

"Then everything went to Hell?"

Shay took a deep breath then slowly let it out. "You know Dorfmans… always thinking more with their hearts than their heads… except for Colonel Dorfman."

She gave him a coy smile. "Is that your way of reminding me you don't think Shays forgive?"

He whispered out sadly, "We don't forgive."

They remained silent for a few moments until he continued, "What about Jadelyn? You can't tell me she isn't furious at Carly."

The pale beauty shut her mouth tightly for a few seconds, but eventually had to admit, "No I can't… Jade hates her… for Freddie's life in Seattle, for taking Sam's side over Freddie's and for what happened on New Years. After that, she thinks all those attempts by Carly to make it right were just a scheme to get him back to Seattle."

The Colonel slightly shook his head then whispered out in a mordant tone, "Back to square one."

"It's not even that for her. She's not going to dare give Carly another chance… too much like you."

He could only frown at her comment as she continued with a softly challenging voice, "If you were in her position, would you?"

He had to bite his tongue for a moment then gritted out, "No, I wouldn't, but…"

"But?"

He pushed off the Charger to stand up and start pacing in front of her. He crossed his arms over his chest as he slightly shook his head. He finally stopped after a few passes and turned to stand right in front of her look her directly in the eyes. There was a bit of desperation in his voice as he whispered, "It can't end this way… after _everything_ we have been through just for our children to be bitter enemies. I can't accept that as our legacy… I can't accept this is how _our story ends_."

Ruby met his look and reached up with her right hand to palm his left cheek. She whispered with a tender voice, "You've never done helpless well."

He bit his tongue for a moment as he looked at her closed eyes. He whispered in return with a bitter voice, "We aren't helpless."

She slightly bowed her head and whispered, "They have to make their own choices Stevie; we can't do it for them."

"Doesn't mean we can't make a difference."

She dropped her hand from his cheek and stated confidently, "You have to have some faith that it will all work out."

He blinked and eyes widened as if she had grown a second head. "You are seriously asking _me_ to have faith? Really?"

She shrugged a shoulder and let out a relieving laugh, "Dad re-grew his nose and can walk without a cane. Little Caterina's brother recovered from supposedly permanent head trauma and another one of Jade's friend's grandmother recovered from dementia. I hear that Sam's scar from her cheek is gone. I think He's taken an interest in seeing that things work out for them."

He leaned forward and gave her a cold stare. His resentment and anger dripped off of his voice, "Yet He couldn't spare a moment to save Taylor from the leukemia that killed her while He let Marissa abuse Freddie since he was a baby and Pamela is too busy spreading her legs for every Tom, Dick and Harry that comes along to actually raise Samantha? I don't see the point in having faith when He's decided to take a 'hands off approach' to His Creation. If Taylor was here then wouldn't be here in the first place."

She slightly frowned as she could feel the stinging sensation behind her eyes as the pain and lost she felt for Taylor rose to the surface. She cleared her throat and commented, "I don't have all the answers Stevie."

Shay slightly shook his head then retook his seat next to her. Ruby wrapped her right arm around his shoulders then gave him a soft kiss on his left cheek. She whispered, "It's going to be okay."

The life long friends then looked out of the open garage and sat together in peace.

Unbeknownst to either of them, the door from the kitchen into the garage was partially open with Jade leaning against the right side doorframe and wearing an apprehensive expression as she overheard almost their entire conversation.

* * *

The afternoon ticked away with Jade and Freddie in his room enjoying the peace of being in each other's company while they worked to catch up with the last three days of class work while Mrs. West and Colonel Shay caught up face to face, since the last time they saw each other was early August of last year, until it was time for the Colonel to head out. Duty called and all…

Mrs. West went to the kitchen to grab her hanging keys off the key hanger by the door and called up the stairs. "We're heading out. I'm taking Steven to…" She turned to him and gave him a curious expression as she asked, "Where exactly am I taking you?"

"Los Angeles Air Force Base. I'm taking a transport from there to… where I need to go," he finished with a smirk.

"Probably to another planet," she laughed out.

He rolled his eyes playfully as he quipped, "If you only knew."

Surprisingly as the pair chatted, the teenage couple came downstairs to perhaps bid them farewell. Freddie was ahead of Jade and walked a pace or two from the bottom of the stairs into the kitchen to allow her to slip beside him. The tech-producer looked to the Colonel and he looked back as they stood across from one another. Unlike the stance he had to put on for Mister West, Shay put on a small smile and spoke with a friendly tone, "Mister Benson."

Freddie hesitated, but eventually cracked a smile of his own and replied, "Colonel Shay."

Shay let out a soft chuckle, "I guess there isn't much more to say?" He looked to Jade with a genuine smile.

The pale dark brunette gave him an awkward smile and started, "Colonel—"

He surprised her with a gentle hug then started whispering in her ear, "You look after your mother and you look after him. I have a feeling he's going to need you."

She raised her arms to rest her hands on his back then nodded out of instinct, but remained silent with her brow furling with a mixture of emotions: resentment because of Carly, confusion over the conflict he had with her father and sympathy for living through the pain of having to live without the love of your life. How do you hold the sins of the child against a father that wouldn't hesitate to protect you?

He gave her a soft kiss on the cheek then whispered before pulling back and warmly smiling to her, "And don't forget to take care of yourself."

A small smile formed on her face as she replied with the only words she could trust herself in saying, "Stay safe Colonel Shay."

"I will." He looked to the lovely West Matriarch and asked, "Are you ready?"

Ruby smiled and answered with a slight nod, "Yes." She looked to Jade and Freddie as she continued, "I'm not sure how long I'll be gone, so don't wait for me for dinner."

Freddie quickly answered, "Okay, I'll fix you something when you get back… take your time."

"Thank you Freddie," she answered with a grateful smile. The old friends then turned and headed out the kitchen door into the garage.

Jade wore a somber expression as she couldn't guess what was going through the tech-producer's mind as he stood silent looking at the closing door. He finally looked away from the door towards Jade and idly commented with a playful smile, "I'm going to head back upstairs to finish that science homework then I was hoping we could get in some Gears-of-War before dinner?"

She distractedly looked at him and answered, "Okay, I'll be up in a minute."

He nodded his head as he looked to her with a concerned expression, but refrained from commenting. The brown eyed teenager gave her a quick peck on the cheek with his lips then turned and headed back up the stairs while Jade remained standing watching the closed door.

One thought crossed her mind as she stood silent. _What a day… what will tomorrow bring?  
_

* * *

Author's note: I hope you liked this chapter. It's one of those laying the foundation for the rest of the story chapters. Remember, this story will take place concurrently with the season, so the next chapter is 'The Gorilla Club' being integrated into the overall story. I hope you all like that interpretation of the episode. See you next Friday.


	3. Chapter 3: The Gorilla Club

Hello my dear readers, I hope you had a nice week. I have another chapter for you this week. Let me cover some reviews and on with the story.

Twilight Warrior 627: Thanks, I hope you like this chapter too.

FanFicReaderandCritic: I appreciate the support and glad it was a nice follow up to the first one. I was actually concerned about it in the initial draft of the chapter.

Agent-M-0167: As the end of iPity Nevel showed, he never really changed and I continued that characterization in 'Jade Likes Nice Guys' that he didn't want the world to see that he had changed and felt genuine shame for his action, but his true motivation (as the in universe fans clearly saw) was his obsessive need to be back on top. I wasn't surprised at all by Nevel's actions in iHalfoween, but I thought his motivations were pretty weak at _that point_. If he was truly that angry and felt they were to blame, I don't see him waiting a year and eight months for his first attempt at vengeance as iPN took place sometime in September 2010 and iHalfoween is suppose to take place at the end of April 2012. It was just some way for Dan to shoehorn in Nevel into an episode with no real accomplishment, but quite the opposite of reopening a storyline (that he'll never readdress before the show is done) that he already wrapped up with iPity Nevel. He had pulled a thread he had already wrapped up.

Freddie's speech to the students is a marked change in him, but is it for the better? Really to what Freddie is to his core? You'll just have to keep reading to find out. Also, to Freddie, he's not closing off, but being brutally honest with Jade on how he truly feels; she just doesn't like the answer.

PD31: Is it a wrap up of the New Years fall out and Carly confession? Or is it the first step in a plot? I'm not telling. Surprisingly, to comment on how Dusty feels is actually major spoilers and will have a significant part to play in his character. I will point out however that in the last story, Freddie trusted him to protect Jade from Nevel yet he wasn't there when Nevel showed up. How do you think Dusty would feel from looking at it from that point of view? How do you think his 'honor' would feel about it? Just something to think on in the future.

BushwellFanNYC: Steven and Ruby are the Carly and Sam of their generation, so they are _particularly_ close. I've always wrote Steven as a loving father, flawed, but a father that absolutely loves his children and wants what is best for them and seeing his and his best friend's child as enemies is not a good thing… children with similar pale skin tone, can have a temper and born only two days apart.

Your point about Freddie is quite valid and you are not the only one that sees it; saying anymore goes into spoilers, sorry.

As the canon episode of iStill Psycho showed, as a reader, not author, I wouldn't bet _against_ Carly's stupidity. She unfortunately has her share of being given the 'Idiot Ball' when Dan needs to get a plot moving.

One final note, this chapter will have heavy spoilers to 'The Gorilla Club' (Obviously without the parts with Freddie in them); just wanted to warn my non-US readers in case you haven't seen the episode.

* * *

Chapter 3: 'The Gorilla Club'

Rating: K+

Vega Residence  
Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Hollywood Arts gang was sitting around the Vega card table getting ready to play their usual game of Texas' Hold'em. Tori was seated with her back to the kitchen island with Cat to her right followed by André and Jade. On the brunette's left side were Beck, Robbie and Freddie rounding off the end so the Los Angelino/Seattleite couple was nearly looking across the table from one another. Each teenager had his or hers individual small pile of candy consisting of M&Ms and Skittles along with whatever drink he or she chose ranging from some red fruit drink Tori had prepared earlier to bottle waters.

A nice candy betting poker game was just the thing needed to relieve the stress of all the 'drama' of the previous day for the couple and allowed everyone to really catch up with each other from the previous week.

Freddie started recounting some of the things that the couple had done during their week long road trip as they played a few hands, but Beck was quick to interrupt with a question about one of the first things that occurred during the trip with clear surprise in his voice, "So you met the real Megan Parker while in San Diego? The real one they based the character on from the show?"

Jade nodded and answered with a hint of a smirk, "Yes… she's pretty cool, but it was kind of weird."

Robbie asked inquisitively, "Weird? How?"

Freddie answered with a slight shake of his head, "It was how she looked."

Tori raised an eyebrow as she asked with obvious curiosity lacing her voice, "And that is?"

Jade blew out a breath as she crossed her arms in front of her and rested them on the cushioned black padding the trimmed the table. She answered in a tone as if she had tasted something bad in her mouth, "She looks identical to Carly."

Freddie slightly frowned as he glanced at his cards and commented, "Whoever cast Miranda Cosgrove as Megan did a good job on the visual aspect because they really do look alike. Carly's been mistaken for Miranda a few times."

André laughed out, "Maybe Megan and Carly are long lost twins? You just can't get away from her can you?"

Jade and Freddie looked to him with disapproving expressions.

The songsmith embarrassingly laughed out, "I'm guessing the Carly subject is still sensitive?"

Jade looked to her left to stare harshly at the songsmith and sarcastically answered, "You think?"

He slightly frowned with a hint of fear in his eyes and looked back down at his cards.

Freddie gave his friend a bit of a sympathetic look then continued, "It was weird, but Jade's right. She was a nice person to meet even if the appearance dragged up some…" He glanced around the table to meet each of his friends' eyes then finished, "…unpleasant feelings I was trying to deal with, but I'm glad we got to meet her."

Freddie missed the apprehensive expression on Beck's face as the tech producer finished his comment.

Tori asked excitedly hoping to turn the conversation away from Carly and the Seattle baggage despite how much she wanted to hear how the real Megan Parker was like instead of what was portrayed on screen, "Did you get to meet the Mythbusters like you wanted?"

The question instantly brightened his mood as he answered with a grin, "Oh? Yeah, we actually did. It turns out that they're fans of mine… especially Adam and we got to go on a mini-tour into the shops. They _don't_ let the public go in there…" He glanced over to Jade and smirked as he commented, "Jade was bored out of her mind and Kari's dogs kept trying to jump on her."

Jade slightly frowned as she tilted her head to look at her boyfriend.

He put on a big grin as he finished, "But she was a great sport about it and I'm really grateful. It was fun."

The pale brunette cracked a smile and casually remarked while looking directly at Freddie, "Watching the sunset in San Francisco together was what was nice, so that kind of made up for the fact of the irritating dogs."

Freddie returned the smile as he thought about when they sat together by the San Francisco Bay to watch the setting sun.

Beck took a sip from his drink to hide the frown forming on his face.

They played another hand or two then Tori dealt another hand and started talking about the most interesting thing to happen last week to the group, "Our weekend was kind of blown. We had to spend our Saturday in detention."

Freddie blinked and asked with a disbelief tone, "For what?"

André motioned over to Robbie and explained, "We were late getting back to class from lunch trying to help Robbie not choke on a pretzel."

Freddie blinked and looked to them to see if they were serious and with the expressions on their respective faces, it looked to him that they were quite serious. He licked his bottom lip then cautiously asked, "Why did any of you show up? None of you thought it was kind of ridiculous to go to detention for helping Robbie?"

The musician shrugged his shoulder as his fingers idly gripped his water bottle sitting on the table. "Yeah, but what'cha going to do?"

Freddie tilted his head slightly to the side and answered with a soft laugh, "Ah, not show up?"

Beck rolled his eyes and blew out a somewhat impatient breath. "We would have gotten into more trouble if we didn't."

The tech-producer just shook his head and sarcastically replied, "Yeah, I can really see Helen punishing _you_."

Beck slightly frowned at the snippy remark, but really couldn't disagree with the point. Helen did have a fondness for him.

Freddie took a quick sip from his drink then continued, "I'm just saying that if we had been at school last week, we wouldn't have showed up. I'm not missing work over that; I'm not taking punishment for helping Robbie or wasting my gas to drive to school. Our muscle cars are great, but not the best in gas mileage."

The actor nodded his head in agreement on that point but pointed out, "Yeah, but you would have had to deal with Dickers."

Freddie flippantly remarked, "I dealt with him yesterday. He doesn't intimidate me. I'm just tired of being pushed around by teachers just because they're teachers and you've seen I don't put up with it anymore…" He nodded his head side to side and put on a dismissive expression as he finished, "Like with Sikowitz and the whole Christmas yodeling thing. I find the whole thing ridiculous. What did they want you to do? Let Robbie choke to death."

André commented, "You're not the only one; Dusty apparently found it ridiculous we went too."

Jade raised an eyebrow as she asked with mild interest, "Oh?"

Cat smiled as she explained, "He picked me up."

Freddie looked to Tori for an explanation and she was quick to answer, "He showed up about half an hour after we got there and Cat left with him."

Jade snorted out a laugh as she asked, "How? Dickers just let it go with her sneaking out?"

Cat was quick to correct what happened, "I didn't sneak out. Soapy picked me up."

The younger Vega sister continued, "Dustin and Dickers looked like they got into some shouting match outside the library then Dickers came back and told Cat to go with Dustin."

They looked to Cat in the hopes that she could fill them in on what happened. She was eager to explain, "We went out for breakfast then played baby golf then to the movies. It was fun."

Robbie looked a little displeased from that news as he fiddled with his cards.

Freddie patiently asked, "No, what did he say to Dickers?"

"Oh? I didn't ask."

The rest of the members of the group shook their respective heads or rolling their eyes.

Beck let out a soft breath and continued playing the hand by calling out, "Check."

His call spurred the rest to turn their attention back to the game and Robbie followed up, "Check."

Beck took a swig from his drink as Jade put her cards down on the table and answered, "I'll check." She looked up and caught Freddie's eyes as he attempted to read her.

A moment later Freddie followed, "I'll check too."

André lifted his cards just enough to take a peak at his hand then picked up a few pieces of candy and answered as he dropped them in the pot, "I bet five reds."

Cat answered his raising, "I call your five reds and raise you two yellows," then popped the two yellow Skittles in her mouth with a smile.

André pointed to the center of the table and commented, "You got to put them in the pot."

"Okay," Cat smile and spat the pieces of candy in her mouth into her hand then dropped them into the pile of candy.

Tori hold her cards up and put on a look of disgust while Beck did the same.

Robbie grinned as he asked, "So when do you audition for the movie?"

Tori glanced at the ceiling and regretfully answered as she let her left arm get comfortable on the padded armrest that ringed the circular table, "Tuesday."

The tech-producer asked genuinely surprised and curious, "Movie? What movie?"

Tori grin and excitedly explained, "Oh, I forgot to tell you. I found out about a role late last week. It's about a girl whose parents send her to a school for troubled girls and I'm going to audition for it."

"Oh?" Freddie laughed nervously as he was having a hard time picturing Tori for such a role, but wasn't going to dare say such a thing. He quickly realized that it was probably a good idea for her to try something outside of what was expected of her to avoid typecasting just as he voice his concern to Jade when he thought her that playing a sweet nice girl during the summer in film workshop may help prevent people from thinking she could only play dark or sinister roles.

André gave a slight nod and asked, "You ready?"

The brunette looked to André and answered, "I thought I was until Sikowitz said my audition stinks because I don't take risks—" She held up her cards to look at her hand again and finished with a voice filled with disbelief, "Do you guys believe that?"

The others voiced their agreement with Jade the loudest in answering, "Yes, you're boring."

Tori answered with an offended and outraged tone, "I take risks." She pointed around the table and stated, "Like yesterday, there was a line to the girls' bathroom, so I just walked right into the _boy's_ bathroom. Oh, yep."

Robbie asked with mild shock, "You used the boys' bathroom?"

Tori desperately asked, "No, it was distrusting in there; what is wrong with you guys?"

Beck's brow furled and frowned at the insult.

Jade asked with an annoyed tone, "We're playing cards; are you in or out?"

Beck picked up some of the pieces of candy without paying attention if they were the correct pieces and dropped them in the pile, "She's in."

Trina started down the stairs and started desperately asking, "Tori, Tori, did a package come for me?"

The younger Vega turned in her seat to look at her sister making her way into the living room and passing the piano and answered, "No."

Trina whined in disappointment.

Robbie asked curiously with a smile, "What'cha getting?"

Trina immediately brightened up as she made her way through the living room and to the threshold that separated the living room and kitchen as she answered, "I'm getting these delicious new Fazzini shoes with ten inch heels!"

Jade turned in her seat and rested her forearm on the top of the backrest of her chair and asked curiously, "Who can walk in ten inch heels?

Trina sarcastically answered, "Awesome people like _me_."

The dark brunette turned and crossed her arms to rest on the cushioned rim of the card table with a mildly distasteful look because as much as Trina irritated her with the reply, she had no interest in arguing with the girl.

The older Vega sister walked behind Jade and André and desperately asked Tori, "Where's my package?"

She suggested with a shrug of her shoulders, "I don't know; why don't you call the shipping company?"

Trina clapped her hands together and snapped back in irritation, "Why don't you call my butt?"

André slightly shook his head and asked, "Whose turn is it?" while Trina started dialing a number on her PearPhone.

Beck answered, "Me; I'm in," and Robbie immediately answered, "Call."

As Beck picked up a few pieces of his candy as Trina started to whine, "Ah, it is an automated help line, listen." She pulled her phone away from her ear then tapped the button on her phone to set it to speaker mode and the automated system at the other end started speaking, "To track a package, say or speak your tracking number."

Trina responded with a frustrated voice, "Ahggg, now I have to find my tracking number?"

The system on the other end responded, "Yes."

Jade turned in her seat and demanded, "Turn off your speaker phone."

The standing teenager snapped back, "Why don't you turn off your butt?" She stormed off to walk around Jade and André and further into the kitchen.

André asked curiously as he thumbed over his shoulder, "What is with her and butts?"

Tori rolled her eyes as she had no idea.

Robbie motioned with a hand and instructed the dark brunette, "Jade, go."

The pale actress took a quick peak of her cards as she lifted the top of them then picked up a few pieces of candy. "I bet five reds, three yellows…" Jade pushed her candy to the center of the pile and smirked as she raised, "And I raise fourteen blues."

Tori dropped her cards flat on the table and responded, "I'm out."

Cat threw her cards down as well and answered with a whine, "Too much candy."

"Fortissimo," Beck joined and dropped his hand down in front of him.

Trina walked back into the kitchen and held up her orange PearPhone to her ear after retrieving her ordering information. She started, "Here it is, tracking number… A-K-Three-Five-H-J-One-Four-Seven-Seven-H-Y-Seven…" then ducked through the hallway door leading to the garage, "L-Four…"

Jade closed her eyes for a moment in irritation because of Trina, but then leaned back in her chair with her right forearm under her chest and confidently asked while looking back and forth between Robbie and Freddie, "Fourteen blues Robbie… Freddie… either one of you in?"

Freddie smirked in response as he took a quick peak of his cards then back up to his lovely girlfriend. The couple stared each other in the eyes for a few seconds almost to the point of having eye sex then Freddie whispered, "You're not bluffing, but…"

She raised her pierced eyebrow and asked playfully, "But?"

"But I'm willing to bet that I have better cards than you, so… I'm in," he finished with a grin. He didn't have enough blues, but he did have enough equivalent pieces of colored candy to push into the pot.

She laughed for a moment then looked to the ventriloquist. "Robbie?"

Robbie looked at his hand and muttered annoyed as he fiddled with some of the candy in his pile, "Well, I have good cards, but I don't have fourteen blues."

André raised a hand as he answered in a defeated tone, "Me neither."

The dark brunette smirked as she suggested, "Then let's make this interesting."

Cat cheerfully suggested, "Yeah, let's dress up as pirates."

They all looked to each other with a mixture of disbelief while Tori focused her disbelief directly at Cat.

Cat sighed in defeat.

Jade blew out a tired breath with a quick raise and lowering of her brow from the patience of listening to Cat then sat up and rested her folded arms on the cushion rim again to offer and motioned to the pile with her right hand, "If one of you guys wins, you get the pile…" She put on a playful smirk and continued with a temptress voice, "…but if I win, you get hammer time."

Robbie asked curious, "Hammer time?"

André joined in his curiosity, "What's that about?"

Jade glanced between the pair and answered, "For one week any time I see you and say hammer time, you have to do the hammer dance."

Robbie took a quick glance at his cards followed by André taking a look at his own respective cards. The songsmith was the first to answer, "Okay, it's a bet."

The ventriloquist joined in confidently, "I will also bet."

"Good…" She flipped her cards and finished confidently, "I got three queens."

"Oh man, I had three nines," André answered as he flipped his cards while Jade leaned back in her chair with a smirk.

Robbie cheerful slammed his cards face up and shouted, "Canasta!" He started collecting the candy, but Beck figuratively burst his bubble by stating the obvious, "We are not playing canasta."

The curly haired teenager looked up at Jade and started dropping the candy back on the table and stated embarrassingly, "Oh, then I lost bad."

She looked to Freddie to flip his cards, but he just casually responded with a hint of a smile, "You win."

"Whew who!" she shouted and started collecting the candy. She looked to Robbie then to André as she finished, "You better get your dancing shoes ready boys."

Freddie grinned as he reached across the table and gently grabbed Jade's wrist. He playfully chided, "No, no, no… the candy was not part of the bet."

Jade frowned at her boyfriend in a way that indicated that she wanted an explanation.

He softly laughed as he explained, "The bet was if any of us win, we get the candy, but if you win they get hammer time; it didn't include you getting the candy."

She frowned for a moment as she realized that he was right about her missing that little point. She glanced at the candy for a moment then a thought occurred to her. She looked back up to her handsome boyfriend with a smile. She suggested with a completely serious tone, "I split it with you."

He lifted his other hand and snapped his fingers while answering, "Deal."

Jade laughed as he let go of her wrist and started collecting the candy as the tech-producer sat back down in his seat.

André and Robbie both blew out irritating breaths as they wanted to argue Freddie's valid point he had raised to Jade, but they knew that they weren't going to out argue Jade if they didn't have Freddie on their side.

Trina walked out of the garage hallway and through the back of the kitchen with her phone still to her ear and reading out her tracking number, "Six-Q-L-Four-K-Three-Two-A-S-T-Y—"

Cat, Tori and Beck eyes followed the passing Vega sister with curious expressions on their respective faces.

Tori looked to Beck and shrugged her shoulders while holding her glass in her right hand while she stood up, "Anyway, why do you have to take risks to be a good actor?"

Beck answered as the brunette turned to the kitchen island and refilling her drink, "Because acting is about stepping outside your comfort zone, about pushing your emotions to new places."

Freddie spoke up in support while meeting the brunette's eyes, "And in doing so you can make whatever part you play more believable whether you're drawing from your own emotions in method acting or not. Sometimes you don't know what really works until you try and sometimes fail."

Cat asked curiously as she braced her palms against the rim of the table, "I don't see why we can't pretend to be pirates."

Robbie shrugged his right shoulder and offered, "I'll play pirates with you."

The redhead was quick to answer, "No, I don't like how _you_ play pirates," then stood up to refill her drink at the kitchen island.

Jade raised her eyebrows up and down quickly to nonverbally respond to Cat's answer. Freddie slightly shook his head as he gave a quick silent prayer that Dusty would not find out how quick Cat turned Robbie down because she didn't like how he 'played pirates' as he knew the Southern teenager would assume the worst of Robbie then it could get… messy for Robbie.

Robbie slinked down in his chair slightly embarrassed.

Tori pushed off leaning against the kitchen island and asked, "What do I do?" while Cat poured herself more red soda and pulled down the back of her over shirt that road up on her.

The brunette retook her seat as Beck answered, "Well—"

Jade eagerly interrupted with a smirk, "Why don't you take her to the Gorilla Club?"

André was quick to answer as he raised his hands just above the cushioned rim of the table as he screwed the cap of his water bottle close, "Huh un, Tori Vega is not ready for the Gorilla Club."

Tori challenged rabidly spitting out her words and pointed to the center of her chest with both of her hands, "I'm not? Yes I am, why aren't I, I love animals, Gorilla Club, what's that?"

Jade waved at her as she answered with a false innocent tone, "It's just a fun place with a lot of cool things to do."

André snorted out, "Yeah a lot of cool things that will jank you up."

Tori pointed at Jade and André with a sweeping motion of her hand and confidently answered, "Oh, I am not afraid of a janking."

Beck spoke up while munching on a few Skittles, "Tori, trust me the Gorilla Club is a dangerous place."

Freddie curiously asked Jade with a raised eyebrow and playful tone, "Why haven't you ever suggested taking me to the Gorilla Club? Do you think I can't handle it? I'd get 'janked up'?"

The dark brunette cleared her throat and glanced away for a moment before answering, "You're built like a tank. There's nothing there that could hurt you, but…"

Freddie raised a questioning eyebrow in the hopes that she would continue.

She looked down at her sizable pile of candy and idly started playing with it with her fingertips of her right hand then shrugged a shoulder as she answered, "I just never thought it would be someplace you'd be interesting in going."

Freddie raised a corner of his mouth and narrowed his gaze on her letting her know that they would continue this conversation when they got home.

Trina started walking back down the stairs as she continued to speak her tracking number, "A-L-Five-Four-Nine-B-D-Six—"

Jade blew out a tired breath, but was grateful for the momentary distraction as she turned in her seat and shouted in frustration, "Will you stop that!"

She snapped back at the green streaked haired teenager, "Shush, they're about to tell me where my package is." She pressed the button on her phone to turn her speaker back on and the system answered, "You package was delivered at eight twenty-one P.M."

Trina curiously asked the group, "Eight twenty-one?"

Robbie took a moment to look at his wrist watch then answered, "It's eight twenty-one right now."

She cheerfully answered and rushed to the front door, "Oh." She quickly opened the door and stepped outside as she started, "I don't see the—" She didn't get to finished as the large box hit her right in the face and she dropped to the ground.

Tori shouted, "Your package is here!"

Freddie sucked in a breath through is teeth then commented dryly, "I'm going to get her some ice."

In Route to West Residence  
Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Jade rested her left elbow against the top rim of the driver's door as she was behind the wheel of the Charger to drive them home since it was dark and she enjoyed driving at night with her, as Freddie described it in a complimentary way, 'wicked' night vision. She casually asked as she pulled up to a traffic light, "What cards did you have?"

He looked over to her and asked with a tone that showed that he had been caught off guard by her question, "What?"

She gave a soft smile as she asked, "You never showed me what cards you had; you just said that I won. I'm curious at what cards you had."

"Oh…" He put on a grin as he answered, "I had three kings."

Jade shook her head and smirked while asking, "Really? You're serious?"

He let out a soft chuckle as he replied, "Yes I am. You were just looking so forward to see them hammer dance, so I let you win."

As the car was stopped at the light, she switched hands on the steering wheel and reached into her candy bag sitting between them and pulled out a Skittle. She reached up and popped it into his mouth. He put on a smile as he sucked on the candy in his cheek as she softly laughed. He commented with a laugh, "I would have shared the candy with you anyway."

Hollywood Arts High School  
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

André was feeling good as he entered the performing arts high school. He had his eye on a lovely girl for about the last week and he had every intention of asking her out tonight. His chance was nearly handed to him on a silver platter as he caught sight of the lovely teenager in the navy blue dress and gold colored jacket as she walked down from the main stairwell and started her way down the hallway. He cautiously approached her and once he caught up to her, he called out, "Aleese, hey Aleese?"

She turned and smiled at the songsmith. She responded with a friendly tone and clasped her hands together, "Um, André right?"

He played off her question with a smile trying to project a relaxed attitude, "Yeah, so here's what's up: some friends of mine might be going to the Gorilla Club tonight and if you didn't have any plans, I thought me and you—"

Jade slipped up behind him with a smirk and stated, "Hammer time."

André turned with a patient expression and pointed to Aleese and stated, "Not now, I'm trying—"

Jade whispered, "Stop, hammer time." She held up her PearPhone and pressed a button then the song started playing.

André immediately started 'Hammer' dancing.

Aleese was shocked for a moment then turned and started down the hallway. André immediately started following her while dancing and calling out, "Wait, Aleese; don't walk away from a man while he's hammer dancing!"

Jade wore a big smile on her face as she followed him while he turned and gave her a frustrated look for sabotaging his chances of a date.

**Tori Vega: On my way into the Gorilla Club! Nervous but EXCITED! FEELING: Risky**

The Gorilla Club  
Los Angeles, CA  
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Beck sort of led the group of friends consisting of a nervous Tori, an excited Cat, a relaxed looking André and a curious Freddie down the metal stairs and stopped at one of the stair landings.

Tori looked across the club seeing all the various activities of swinging metal balls that people were trying to dodge along with an assortment of unsavory looking characters. The brunette shrugged her shoulders and nervously laughed out, "Okay, not so bad. This place looks kind of fun."

The next moment they saw a teenager being hit by a giant swinging metal ball and being knocked off a short platform. They grimaced at his fall while other teenagers cheered and high five one another at the end of the platform with some even throwing peanuts at him.

The Hollywood Arts students then turned their attention further inside the club to see someone ride a mechanical bull but decorated as a bunny with fire coming out of its nostrils. As they walked down the stairs to reach the bottom floor they saw another person wrestle with someone in a gorilla costume then the next moment being tossed over some guard rails several feet onto the padding for the mechanical bunny.

Tori looked over her shoulder and Beck and asked, "People leave here alive, right?"

Beck was picking out some nuts from his left palm and answered casually, "Sometimes."

André lifted his foot and glanced at the bottom of his shoe. "I think I just stepped into some blood."

A large bald fellow with a full dark beard approached the teenagers with several clipboards in his hands and started handing them out as he instructed, "Sign these."

The brunette looked up at the taller man and nervously asked, "Why do we have to sign these?"

Beck was quick to answer with a motion of his right hand as he held a pen, "It just says if you try any of the challenges here you won't sue the place if you get… dead." He quickly signed his form and handed it back to the club employee.

Tori looked up to ask with an apprehensive tone, "Do people get hurt here a lot?"

"A lot?" he asked for clarification.

"Yeah."

"Yeah," he responded with a bit of snide in his voice as he took André, Cat and Freddie's clipboards.

She quickly signed her form then handed the clipboard back to him.

Further down the club at the mechanical bunny, the rider was tossed off and Cat quickly caught sight of him being tossed. She grabbed André's right arm and eagerly pointed out, "Ew, the bunny is available."

He raised his left hand and attempted to persuade the redhead to stop, "I don't know if we want—"

Cat ignored him as she shouted and pulled him along with her, "Bunny!"

Tori took a step as Beck brushed away under his mouth and walked with Freddie to follow her. The brunette turned to the actor who was familiar with the place and eagerly asked, "So, which of these games should I try?"

He motioned with his right hand and answered, "Yeah, I don't think you should try any of these games."

She nearly jumped in place while balling her fists in front of her as she retorted, "But, I want to take a risk!"

He comply responded, "Just being here is a risk."

"But—"

Beck raised his right hand in a subconscious way to calm her as he answered, "Trust me, the games here are not for nice sweet girls."

Freddie blinked and whispered out to Beck loud enough for Tori to hear him as well, "Wow… could you sound any more condescending?"

Beck turned his head and looked with a frown while Freddie stared right back at him.

Tori immediately pursed her lips and eyes shot open wide.

However, before Beck could retort, Cat's shouts of enjoyment caught their attention to look at her riding the bunny like she was a profession bull rider and shouting with joy, "I'm riding a giant bunny!"

Tori turned to look at Beck and he raised his hands and closed his eyes for a moment as he didn't know what to say about the sight. She turned her sights to the swinging metal balls set up then spoke up before the boys could exchange any further words, "I'm going to try the 'Balls of Pain'."

Beck looked away from the Freddie and stated, "No way, if you get hit by one of those things it hurts."

She attempted to turn to walk to the challenge, but Beck was able to gently grab her right elbow and spoke, "No, no, no way—" He pointed to it with his right finger at the challenge then to her as he continued, "You get hit by one of those things and it hurts… bad."

"I'm not scared," she answered then motioned with both her hands up to his face wiggling her fingers to finish, "I'm a risk taker."

Beck asked with disbelief as he followed her when she nearly tripped over one of the sandbags used to cordon off the pit for the challenge, "A risk taker?"

Freddie called out in agreement of Beck, "That's not a risk!"

Further down in the club, Cat continued to shout for joy as she rode the bunny.

The same large employee that handed them the clipboards to sign pointed to Cat for a moment then shouted with frustration at André, "She's not suppose be laughing on the bunny!"

André snapped around and challenged while throwing up his hands, "Well, what do you want me to do?"

Cat was too thrilled to pay them any attention as she held on with her right hand and threw her left hand out as the bunny kept going and blowing fire out its nostrils.

Tori, Beck and Freddie were at the end of the platform for the gauntlet of the Balls of Pain with several other teenagers waiting to see her make it or the carnage. The announcer started to explain the game through the microphone, "Alright, when you hear the buzzer you run to this side grab a ring and run it back over there. Your goal is to get three rings on the peg in thirty seconds."

With a false since of confidence she shouted, "Easy!" She clapped then finished, "Let's go!"

Beck motioned with his left hand back and forth and commented, "You realize those big forty pound balls are going to be swinging back and forth right?"

"Risk, it's all about risk," she answered confidently and balled her fists.

"That's not risk," Freddie pointed out in a futile attempt to get his friend to change her mind.

She passed him a glance letting him know she wasn't going to change her mind as the announcer called out and threw the switch in front of him, "Five seconds."

"Four, three, two, one—" the buzzer sounded starting the challenge.

"Okay, I got this…" She stepped out past the first ball, but stopped in front of the second ball. "Yeah—no I don't—here I go—" but was cut off as she more slipped off the platform than actually being hit by the ball.

The announcer shouted, "LOSER!"

Beck and Freddie quickly walked down the steps to check on their fallen friend.

Tori pulled herself up into a sitting position with Beck stopping at her right and Freddie on her left helping her steady herself. Beck asked with concern, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, but that game is impossible," the brunette whined out in a defeated tone.

Beck casually pulled peanut shells out of her brown locks while giving her a sympathetic expression.

Over their shoulders they heard Cat joyfully called out, "Ew, rings." They turned and watched Cat breeze past the first two balls and stop in the center for a moment to let the third ball past her face then quickly leapt the rest of the way. She grabbed two rings then turned to make her way back. She breezed again through the first two balls, paused in the middle then leapt her way past the last two balls. Once she reached the end, she twirled in place while almost all the patrons clapped at her accomplishment then she placed the rings on the pegs and laughed up a storm.

Tori looked back to Beck as he shrugged his shoulders then slapped him on the shoulder and looked between her friends with a determined tone and expression, "I'm going again." She stood up and walked to the steps as Cat slapped the hands of some of the other teenagers standing at the end of the platform.

Freddie looked to Beck to if he had any other ideas to talk her out of trying again, but he looked just as lost he. They both shook their heads at the same time and followed her up the platform knowing that they couldn't talk her out of trying again.

Sikowitz's Advance Acting I  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Thursday, January 12, 2012

Tori stood on the stage and shouted while she looked down at Sikowitz sitting on a large circular tub filled with ice and Freddie, André and Robbie (while holding Rex) were standing behind the sitting acting teacher, "If you ask me one more question, I'll rip that pencil out of your hand and stick it right in your neck!"

Sikowitz shrugged a shoulder and tossed the few pages of script in the seat of the blue colored chair. "Good job Tori."

The brunette eagerly asked, "You liked it?"

"Nope," he answered matter-of-factly.

Tori dropped her shoulders and looked at the ceiling in frustration as Sikowitz pointed at her and continued, "But you are getting less terrible."

"Wow, thanks," she responded sarcastically.

Sikowitz explained, "But you're still playing the scene too safely. You're not taking risks."

Tori retorted with a snap, "I am so risky now. Last night, I went to this crazy gorilla club." She pointed at him as she continued, "Oh and this morning, I ate yogurt two days past the 'eat by date'. I am like a maniac!" she finished by throwing her hands up in the air.

Sikowitz nodded his head as he cupped his coconut and answered, "Good, you're learning to be a risk taker that is why you are getting better."

The tech-producer had his arms crossed over his chest as he had watched Tori act out the scene for the first time. He wore a curious expression on his face as he asked, "I don't understand what you mean about her playing it too safely."

Sikowitz looked over his shoulder and was about to reply when Freddie continued by looking at Tori, "I just think you're… forcing the feeling of an emotion to the part that you're not really feeling and it comes out as overacting."

Tori frowned, "Gee thanks Freddie."

He snorted out and gave her a patient smile. "I'm not trying to be mean. You know that. I'm just telling how I'm seeing it. It's coming off as overacting."

The brunette snorted out a little irritation and challenged, "Why don't you come up here and try it without the emotion?"

The tech producer blew out a breath and bowed his head. "Okay, I'll try." He walked past Sikowitz and took the page of script the singer handed him.

Freddie stood in the center of the stage then glanced over at the page to reread the line a few times in his head. He took a deep breath and lowered the page down to his right thigh then looked to Sikowitz with a cold stare. He set his jaw tight then whispered out with a cold, but soft tone with an underlining menacing feeling to it instead of the overt rage that Tori had conveyed when she spoke the line, "If you ask me one more question… I'll rip that pencil out of your hand and stick it right in _your neck_!"

Tori blinked and swallowed as she was afraid that he just might do such a thing.

The others looked dumbfounded including Sikowitz at seeing his version of the line. However, Rex was a little more coherent and spoke up in shock, "Damn."

The puppet's swearing broke the others out of their stupor.

Sikowitz commented, "Wow… that was… fantastic Freddie."

The former Seattle shook his head and blew out a tired breath, "Sorry… I couldn't do it."

Tori blinked in confusion and asked, "Sorry? That was fantastic. You looked like you really were going to stab one of us in the neck."

He returned her question with a soft smile. "No, I mean I couldn't do it without putting my emotions in it. I drew on my own emotions to do it. The point was to show how to do it without relying on that."

Tori gave him a questioning expression with a hint of worry on her face.

He snorted out a laugh, but it wasn't one of jest. "I was feeling what I felt when I faced Nora and the same with Nevel… it was what I felt when I told Nora if she every came after me or the ones I loved I'd send her to Hell… I almost killed Nora on New Year's Eve and would have killed Nevel if it wasn't for the Colonel. I had my foot on her throat and all I had to do was push just a little harder and end her damn life. It's been almost two weeks and I think she's still in the neck brace."

Freddie blew out a breath through his nose and shook his head. He whispered out softly, "I would have beat Nevel to death, so…" He looked up to see their worried expression, but one of sympathy on Tori's face. "So I can understand what this character is feeling."

Surprisingly it was Sikowitz was the one that spoke up, "The emotions may feel the same and your reaction can be the same, but there's difference between the seething rage and hatred this character is feeling about her life and righteous indignation you felt in your circumstances."

The tech producer slightly frowned and furled his brow as retorted, "But I do hate them. I hate them for what the both tried to do to me and Jade and I have felt that anger and rage about my old life like this girl feels about her life. I thought I was finally at peace with it, but New Years dragged it all up again."

Tori had to bow her head because she couldn't look at the troubled look in her friend's eye.

Sikowitz sat his coconut on the same blue chair where he sat his copy of the script excerpt and let out a breath. He looked up to Freddie with an apprehensive expression. "I don't know how to comment on the hatred, but I doubt that was your driving motivation to do what you had to do. I don't think hate motivates your actions." He cracked a smile and commented, "I would guess it's another emotion when it comes to Jade."

Freddie turned his gaze from the acting teacher and looked to the floor with a slight nod of his head as he contemplated his teacher's words.

The rear door of the classroom opened grabbing everyone's attention to see Dusty walk in with a very annoyed look on his face. He called out with an impatient tone, "Do anyone of you know where Pretty Boy is?"

Tori gave him a curious expression and asked with a bewildered tone, "'Pretty boy?'"

Freddie spared a glance to the confused brunette to answer, "He means Beck." He looked to his friend and asked, "No, I haven't seen him. Why?"

He answered as he was spitting something disgusting out of his mouth, "I need a word with him."

"About what?"

He ran his hand across his mouth and over his chin then answered, "Apparently he took Cat to the Gorilla Club last night. You might not know what it i—"

The former Seattleite gave a muted smile and a nod of his head as he interrupted, "I know what it is. Tori and I found out about it on Tuesday."

André spoke up and motioned to the other teenagers, "Yeah, we all went."

Dusty turned his attention to the songsmith and asked incredulously, "Did you know what that place is like before you went? Did signing the liability waivers not give you a clue that it may not be the best place to go?"

"Yeah… me and Beck knew what the place is—"

He took a step closer to look André in the eyes and interrupted with an anger tone, "And you decided to take Cat with you? The two of you somehow thought that was a good idea?"

The songsmith actually took a step back from the look the former Carolinian was giving him.

The back door opened again with Jade walking in with a soft smirk on her face and wearing an eye catching black dress and matching leather jacket. She held on to a slender silver handle to a large boom box then sat it in a colored chair then looked to Robbie and André with a wicked smile and spoke, "Hammer time."

She pressed the play button and hip-hop music started playing.

The teenagers sighed and Robbie handed Rex to Sikowitz as André looked away from Dusty to give Jade an annoyed expression. The two students started dancing back and forth in the classic style of MC Hammer.

Dusty's brow furled as he looked at the pair as if they had both lost their minds. He took a step between the pair and raised his hands on either side causing them to immediately stop dancing. "Hey! We're not done." He looked to the dancing boys, but motioned over to Jade and the boom box and stated, "You can play her little circus monkeys later. We're still talking about this."

"Hey!" Jade called out, "We have a bet—"

Dusty snapped his head to meet the annoyed dark brunette and interrupted, "I don't care what you have between them. I was here first and I'm getting my answers as to why they thought taking Cat to the Gorilla Club was a good idea, so you can get in line behind me."

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and frowned at him snapping at her. She retorted with a clipped tone, "They went because Tori wants to learn to take risks to improve her acting so she can audition for a movie—"

"And she decides to go to the Gorilla Club?" he asked with disbelief. He turned to face Tori and asked, "Why don't you just run into traffic and dodge oncoming cars? It's just as stupid of a risk. That place is for adrenaline junkies, masochists and sadists who think getting hurt and watching others get hurt is an acceptable pastime." He started glance around and ask with a hint of laughter, "Whose bright idea was it to go?"

Jade cleared her throat and casually glanced around the room.

TheSlap's webmaster snorted out a breath and chuckled as he turned his attention back to the pale actress, "Figures." He shook his head then met her eyes to flippantly ask, "If you're going to figure out ways to hurt Vega, could you please leave Cat out of it?"

Jade turned slightly to her right and took a step back as the look in his eyes told her he was more upset than his tone let on and for some reason it bothered her.

Freddie stepped down from the classroom stage and commented with a reassuring tone, "Dusty, Cat was fine; she actually had the most fun."

André piped up, "She was laughing up a storm on the mechanical bunny."

Dusty frowned and glared at the songsmith as he retorted, "It's not a fun little ride, it's a mechanical bull dressed as a bunny. Did she not realize the difference? Was it her love of bunnies that made her think it was safe? Why didn't you stop her?"

"She's quick. I tried to talk her out of it, but she dragged me along."

The Southern teenager blinked and gave him a questioning expression. "She's like ninety pounds; you really think you couldn't have stopped her?"

The songsmith remained silent, out of embarrassment or for what other reason Dusty didn't care about. He snorted out in disgust as he stared André straight in the eyes and commented with cold voice, "I guess you and Pretty Boy are quite fortunate that she didn't get hurt… or we'd really have a problem."

Sikowitz turned in his container of ice and commented with calm voice, "Now Dusty, there's no need for comments like that."

The webmaster ignored the acting teacher and continued staring at the songsmith that in turn started meeting the stare. Dusty finally responded to the comment, but kept his stare at André, "They're supposed to be her friend and watch out for her… not take her somewhere she could get hurt then again I shouldn't really expect that consideration from Beck since we all know he doesn't respect women, but I was under the impression that you were a man… I guess I was wrong."

André clenched his jaw tight and took a sharp breath through his nose.

Jade blinked at the swipe Dusty made at Beck. It was still an odd thing to here someone (who wasn't Freddie) openly saying something against Beck.

Tori and Robbie were stunned by the remark towards their friends.

Freddie slightly frowned and cleared his throat. He countered softly, "Dusty."

The webmaster broke eye contact with the songwriter to look at the tech producer. The friends stared at one another for a few moments with a little nonverbal communication going on between the pair of Freddie letting him know that he had made his point and didn't need to go any further. Dusty looked back to André and commented, "You pull something like that again on her… and you _are_ going to answer to me and the same goes for Pretty Boy. You don't screw with her like that."

He didn't wait for a response from the songsmith as he turned to head out of the classroom and passed Jade.

André was left standing there trying to clear his throat several times then sniffed and thumbed the tip of his nose to try to act casual.

Tori spared a glance towards André then mumbled out, "Wow… I guess he really does still have a thing for Cat."

Jade turned slightly to look over her shoulder to the cleared doorway and whispered out softly, but loud enough for all of them to hear, "Yes, he does."

**Tori Vega: Going BACK to the Gorilla Club. Ready for REAL RISK. FEELING: Fierce**

The Gorilla Club  
Los Angeles, CA  
Thursday, January 12, 2012

Tori was loosing herself up by wiggling about her arms and body as she stood at the end of the platform of the Balls of Pain. Beck stood beside her and stated what he thought was the obvious, "You don't have to do this."

However, the brunette ignored him as she continued to shake her body to loosen herself up then answered, "I wanna do it 'cause I'm not scared of nothing!"

The same announcer from the previous night started explaining with his microphone, "Alright, when you hear the buzzer, run over to this side, grab a ring, run it bac—"

Tori roared out, "Yeah, yeah, I know! Come on, let's do this thing!"

He gave a slight nod of his head accepting her eagerness. "Five seconds," he called out and threw the lever.

Beck confidently reassured her while messaging her shoulders, "It's all you Tori, it's all you."

"It's all me!"

The balls started swinging and she dashed passed the first ball then paused for the second ball to swing past. She walked passed it then ducked under the third ball then the forth one to grab the opposite bar. She grabbed two red rings and held them up in triumph then quickly started back weaving and waving past the first two then ducked under the last two balls.

Beck eagerly pointed at Tori and started shouting his encouragement as she turned to start again. She stopped in front of the second ball then started again. She walked past after it swung by then ducked under the third ball then dashed past the spot where forth ball had swung out.

She grabbed the final ring and patted the announcer's shoulder. She turned and dashed through just ducking the balls. She reached the end and dropped the ring on the vertical pole. She threw her hands up in the air in celebration.

The crowed started cheering and the announcer called out, "Winner!"

"Yeah baby!" Tori shouted out while looking at Beck.

Beck pointed at her. "You did it."

"Yeah I did it."

He asked her with a playful challenge, "Who's the rock star?"

"Me!"

The pair raised their hands and high fived one another.

The actor called out, "You are definitely a real risk taker."

She threw her arms out and replied, "I know and to prove it even more you know what I'm going to do right now?" She softly poked his chest with her left pointer finger.

"What?"

"I'm going to use the bathroom here!" she shouted and threw her arms out again.

He gave her a disbelieve expression as he asked, "Sitting?"

"Sitting," she answered with a grin and started running off with a joyful squeak.

Beck's mouth covered his hand with his right hand and shocked she would do such a thing.

Vega Residence  
Thursday, January 12, 2012

Beck held the page in his hand and asked, "Answer me." He stood in the Vega's living with Freddie and Cat resting against the arm rest of the couch, as she wore an eye catching royal blue strapless dress, and Tori stood across from the actor in the kitchen.

She looked him straight in the eye and whispered out with a menacing tone, "You ask me one more question and I'll rip that pencil out of your hand and stick it right in your neck."

Beck started clapping and Cat join in the congratulations of how Tori performed the scene.

Tori's PearBook was sitting on the end of the counter separating the living room and kitchen and turned at an angle to face Tori; Sikowitz was on the screen video chatting and stated confidently, "Yes, you audition like that I guarantee you will get the part."

The brunette clapped excitedly at hearing that praise while Beck had a seat on the raised level of the living room floor that wrapped around the mid-section of the counter.

The acting teacher turned his head to listen to the voice off screen, _"Sikowitz, look at the sandwich I made you,"_ then back at Tori. He commented, "I've got to go," then pressed a button on his own laptop and the screen went blue with white righting displaying: Call Ended.

The quartet shared curious expressions then the younger Vega sister closed her PearBook just as Trina entered the house through the glass doors at the end of the kitchen. The older sibling stumbled inside as she was wearing her ten inch red boots that she had ordered. She groaned and her left cheek was scratched up.

Tori held her computer as she asked with mild surprise and confusion at seeing her sister in her rough state, "Where have you been?"

Trina snapped back as all her patience was gone, "Jogging."

Tori asked with mild disbelief in her voice, "On your face?"

"It's not funny," she whined in a pitiful voice and in near tears.

Cat asked curiously, "You went jogging in ten inch heels?"

She answered as she approached Cat, Freddie and Beck, "Yes and I stepped on a rock and fell down."

"Oh?" Beck casually asked as he held his water bottle.

"Two little Canadian boys laughed at me!"

Freddie pointed down to the kitchen table. "Sit down."

"Freddie—"

He cut her off, "Sit down so I can clean up your scratches. I don't want you to scar up."

The idea of her face scarring up caused her to cease any argument with the former Seattleite. He gave her a reassuring smile as he walked over and gently took her by the elbow. He started guiding her back to the kitchen and headed for one of the chairs as he commented, "My mother is a nurse; I did pick up a few things."

As he helped her sit down, the doorbell rang.

Trina shouted out over Freddie's shoulder to Cat and Beck, "Get the damn door!"

Freddie hissed out in annoyance as a good portion of her shout went into his left ear, the same ear that he nearly lost his hearing in when Sam threw him in front of a bike messenger and he hit his head on a fire hydrant. Fortunately, he didn't lose the hearing and Anna had healed him completely from his old injuries, but it was still a little irritating.

Cat laughed out, "I'll get it. I love doors." She cut through the living room and finished just as she reached the door, "They're like presents with hinges." She opened the door and commented happily, "Oh look, it's Jade," as the dark brunette quickly walked passed her and inside.

Jade looked to Freddie with a concerned expression and stated quickly, "I've been trying to call you for an hour. You missed dinner and didn't let us know where you were."

Freddie's brow furled as he looked at her with confusion and asked with surprise, "I missed dinner?" He reached into his pocket to pull out his phone and tapped the screen with his thumb to bring up the time and see that his phone had accidentally been set to vibrate instead of the normal ring-tone. He quickly assumed that it was switched when he stuck his phone in his pocket that last time and forgetting to lock it beforehand. "Oh?" he commented with surprise at seeing the time, "I missed dinner."

She crossed her arms under her chest and sarcastically laughed, "Yeah, you did… you were supposed to cook tonight."

"Oh?" He broke into a grin. He softly laughed out, "So you're upset that I didn't cook your favorite dish? Here I thought you were worried about me?"

She slightly frowned, but her eyes didn't match her irritation. "I was concerned…" She embarrassingly finished, "and… maybe I was looking forward to your cooking tonight."

He walked over to her and rested his hands on her black dress covered hips. He gave her a quick, chaste kiss on the lips then smiled as he answered, "Sorry, I got involved with helping with rehearsal and it looks like I lost track of time."

Her arms uncrossed and she rested her hands on his chest and allowed her brow to furl as she asked incredulously, "How many times can you rehearse the same scene before you realize she's not going to get it right? I know she's bad and you want to try to help, but at some point you have to realize it's a hopeless cause."

Tori frowned and tilted her head to the side while Beck didn't look too pleased either from the insult or maybe watching the casual affection between the couple.

Freddie snorted out a laugh then glanced over his left shoulder to look at Tori then back to his girlfriend to clarify, "We didn't. I would have been home an hour ago, but I didn't know Tori and Beck were going back to the Gorilla Club before we started helping with her rehearsal.

Tori smirked as she followed up, "Yep, I'm still learning to take risks."

Jade slipped out of Freddie's gentle grasp and walked passed him to cross her arms again and challenge, but not in her usual accusatory tone, but with a slight mocking tone with a raised eyebrow, "Oh?"

Cat commented happily, "It's true, she went back and she beat the balls of pain."

Tori cupped her mug and smugly commented, "That's right, I'm a supreme risk taker."

Jade smirked and asked with a hint of sarcasm, "So you got passed the gorilla?"

Her smile slightly faltered as she answered, but regained her confidence at the end of her statement, "No, but I used the bathroom there."

"Sitting down?"

Tori hesitatingly answered as she looked away from the darker haired teenager, "No, I might have hovered."

"Ha!"

Tori held her mug and retorted with a clearly forced tone, "I'm a risk taker."

Jade snorted out with a laugh, "Don't tell me; tell the gorilla."

Tori sarcastically retorted, "Why don't you tell my butt?"

Trina shouted in outrage from her seat at the kitchen table, "That's my thing!"

Freddie's eyes widened as his lips became a thin line as he realized that she was doing exactly what Dusty had suggested a few hours ago. He took a deep breath at how much that troubled him. He slid beside Jade and whispered into her left ear, "We need to talk right now."

She looked with him a confused expression as he walked away from her towards the door. She followed a moment later to meet him so they couldn't be overheard by the others.

Once she reached him, he walked around her so that his back would be facing the rest. He whispered out losing his entire friendly disposition in seeing her, "Look, you and I know that I have never gotten involved with the thing between you and Tori. _You know_ I appreciate your feelings on the matter on all of it; about making your own opportunities and the rest and all the other things I said to you during the summer and that I haven't agreed with how you've handled it at times... this is one of those times, but I have to say something about it."

She slightly frowned and pulled her arms tighter around herself under her chest. She rolled her eyes as she commented dryly, "Okay... first time for everything I guess." She shrugged a shoulder. "It was bound to happen at some point..." She flippantly asked assuming that he wanted her to apologize or just outright take back what she had said, "What do you want me to do?"

She looked into cooling brown eyes as he whispered out with a chilly tone, "I want you to walk over there and I want you to knock Tori out."

Jade's eyes shot open as she stared at his serious expression without any hint that he was joking with her. She mouthed syllables several times, but no sound would escape her throat and pass her lips. She finally uttered out, "What?!"

He took another step closer to her so their conversation would be harder to overhear. "I want you to ball your fist up and put her down. If you really want her to get hurt with that gorilla then you go over there and punch her in the face as hard as you can and get it over with. Fight it out and beat her down worst than you did Sam. Don't let someone else do the dirty work _for you_. If you really hate her that much then do it yourself and settle this thing between the two of you. _Here and now_," he finished out with a sharp hiss.

She sucked in a sharp breath. Since Freddie had arrived in Los Angeles for last summer's workshop, he had remained pretty neutral in her and Tori's 'conflict', for lack of a better term, but having his sympathies mostly lying with her and trusting her to deal with it how she saw fit unlike Beck's chiding of her at times. She finally responded with a slight challenge in her voice, "Have you?"

Freddie took in a soft breath and stood up straighter. He clenched his jaw tight for a moment then answered, "Yes. I have my hate, but I've settled it with all my enemies: Nora in a nut house and Nevel in juvie. Howard and Briggs have paid through his messy divorce with his ex taking him and Briggs for all their worth. Shame is killing everyone in Seattle that can feel it, Sam is _terrified_ of me after New Years and I've told Carly to go to Hell. I've _settled everything_ with my friends and enemies, one way or the other... maybe you should too. Which is it? Is she your enemy or your friend? Just pick one and start treating her appropriately: enemy or friend, not both… you can't blame momentum forever when you really don't see her as a threat anymore and I'm just like her in the ways you think irritate you." He blew out a tired breath and whispered out, "I'll back you either way."

Jade looked at him clearly shocked at his statement that could be interpreted as an ultimatum, but her gut and her heart was telling her from the look in his eyes that he was tired of shades of grey. He was tired of the two sides, friend and enemy, mixing in one person and she couldn't blame him with his Seattle history and the betrayal over New Years.

However, that wasn't the only thing that struck her: he said he would back her on either choice she would make in regards to Tori and she completely and absolutely trusted his word that he would do as he said to her, even to the point of risking losing Tori as his friend if she decided with straight up enemy.

He was also right: at some point the momentum had to stop that she had mentioned mouths ago to Tori after the play Trina had her accident and after they tricked Nevel into thinking Tori was Shelby and couldn't blame anymore.

Finally, his mention of his resentment of Carly brought her conflicting feelings of him thinking Carly in such a way and the conversation she overheard between her mother and the Colonel to the forefront of her mind again. One particular position was becoming louder and she felt that she may have to finally listen to it if she had any chance to really help Freddie.

Jade walked around Freddie and gave Tori a guarded expression. "I take it back. You are a risk taker. You don't have to face the gorilla to prove that."

Tori continued to cup her mug as she looked to the pale actress with a slight look of surprise.

"I mean…" She took a breath then continued, "You don't have to do anything else. You went to the club and beat the balls of pain, that's enough."

Tori glanced to Freddie with a confused expression, but he gave her guarded expression so that she wouldn't pick up any kind of hints of what he had said to Jade. After realizing that she wouldn't figure anything out, she looked back to Jade. "Okay, right, I'm a risk taker…" Tori broke into a grin and happily announced, "And I'm going to get that part on Tuesday."

Beck blinked and looked between Tori and Jade in complete shock that Jade would back down with her gulling of Tori. Freddie had talked to Jade about it for a few moments and she had stopped while when they were together he had to put her in time outs or have to threaten not to talk to her for the rest of the day and hassled him for 'taking Tori's side'.

He had held up pretty good in dealing with the fact that she and Freddie had been dating since the end of July or the fact that Freddie was living with her or spending the holidays with her and blowing off school and going on a week long road trip… even giving him her virginity and even the news that she was going to tell Freddie she loved him at New Years, but that she had respected Freddie's opinion over his just broke something in him. Jade had respected Freddie's opinion over his when he had attempted the same thing and he realized he really had been replaced. Freddie had replaced him in Jade's heart… maybe even more so.

However, he wouldn't let any of them see it, especially Freddie, so he put on an even expression then a smile in the hopes they were seeing he was still happy with Tori's performance.

Freddie cracked a smile and nodded his head. "Yes you are… now could you tell me where I could get some rubbing alcohol and some bandages and maybe some q-tips, so I can doctor Trina's face?"

West Residence  
Thursday, January 12, 2012

The time was approaching eleven that night as Mrs. West lay in bed with her back propped up by her pillows and the small lamp on her nightstand providing her the light she needed to try to finish a chapter of the book in her hands before trying to go to sleep.

She was pulled out of her reading with a soft knock on her partially opened bedroom door. She looked up to see Jade wearing a nervous looking expression on her pale face or as best the older West could tell as her lamp only partially lit her daughter's face.

The dark brunette cleared her throat and commented, "Hey."

Ruby sat her book down on her covered lap and answered, "Hey Sweetheart. I didn't know you were still up."

Jade slightly bowed her head and fiddled with the colorful friendship bracelet from her stepbrother around her left wrist. She mumbled out, "I couldn't sleep."

The West Matriarch cracked a soft smile. "And you didn't have anything to cut up?"

Jade slightly frowned and rolled her eyes while she shook her head.

Ruby cracked a soft smile as she tilted her head slightly to her right and asked with a concerned voice, "What's bothering you?"

Jade remained silent as she looked towards the floor.

"There must be something if you're here instead of talking to Freddie; we don't have a lot of these mother/daughter talks."

Jade wrapped her arms around herself and walked over to the other side of the bed than the side her mother was resting (she was resting on the right side of the bed). She crawled up on the bad to sit cross-legged cattycorner to her mother.

Jade looked down at the bed for a moment and softly bit her bottom lip. She whispered out, "Freddie finally called me out on my… whatever you want to call this thing between me and Tori. Freddie has always been neutral about everything… in telling me to stop or anything… unlike Beck… Freddie lets me handle everything. He told me during the summer, _before we got together_, that he doesn't agree with how I handle things with Tori, but he's never _condemned_ me either." She took another breath and laughed out morbidly, "I tried to gall Tori into going back to the Gorilla Club… wanted her to face this guy in a gorilla to prove she really was becoming a risk taker… and maybe get a little ruffed up by him. This time Freddie said something…"

Mrs. West cautiously asked even if she agreed with what she assumed Freddie had said to Jade, "He took Tori's side? That you were going too far."

Jade looked up and Mrs. West was mildly shocked to see moisture in her daughter's eyes. "No, he told me to knock Tori out… that I should beat her down worst than I did Sam and just finally settle it. If I wanted to see her hurt then I should do it myself."

Ruby's initial reaction was to laugh at that Freddie was able to out bluff her daughter, but the looked in her Jade's eyes told her that there was more to it and that it was deeply troubling her. She hesitantly pointed out hoping her daughter would agree with her point, "So he out bluffed you?"

The pale actress shook her head. "He wasn't bluffing. The look in his eyes… he was seriously telling me to do it if I really wanted to see Tori hurt… he said he'd support me if I did."

Mrs. West remained silent for a few moments to study her daughter. The teenager tried to put on an impassive expression to try to hide what she was feeling despite the fact that she was trying to talk about her feelings. "Jade, I've never been blind to what has gone on between you and the Vega girl such as when your performance was interrupted with her prom or getting passed over time and time again for her, but I thought you finally gotten over that."

"Old habits die hard, but I guess this time was just too much for Freddie, but what he told me…" She looked up to meet her mother's eyes and finished with a sniffle, "New Years really messed him up."

Ruby gave her daughter a patient smile and sympathetic expression, "You're surprised? The boy was on cloud nine then he had the rug yanked from under him at the last moment and he wasn't the only one affected."

Jade took a soft breath under the gaze of her mother as she understood who she meant.

"But I'm alright; he's… something changed inside him, like… his heart… his soul was poisoned. I thought our road trip would help and he was happy during it, he really was, but I could see that not all of him came back from Seattle; he lost something. On the outside he's great, but on the inside… I think he's worst than when we first met at the workshop and he really doesn't realize it. What happened with Nevel didn't help either."

Ruby bowed her head and took a soft breath as she thought on her daughter's concern. The mother and child remained silent for seconds that stretched into a minute. The older West finally broke the silence with the obvious question, "What are you going to do?"

Jade wrapped her arms around herself and looked down at the covers. "I'm not exactly sure yet, but whatever it is… there's only one person that can help me."

Mrs. West gave her an expression that displayed her feelings of confusion and curiosity. "And who would that be?"

Jade answered in a soft, but completely serious manner, "Carly Shay."

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed my interpretation of 'The Gorilla Club'. I bet you didn't see Freddie outright _agreeing_ with Jade in one of her incidents with Tori and it really being a wake up call for Jade. It sure is different than Beck trying to reel her in from her words and actions towards Tori. You all get a virtual cookie for raising the alarm about Freddie.

Also as you can see, the story just went into a greater butterfly effect in regards with Tori not going back to the Gorilla Club. It's not the _only_ reason, but I have a very good reason not for her to go and have her arms broken: unlike Dan, it wouldn't be believable in the story (even if it is acceptable in the show) that Tori could suddenly heal up the next week from injuries that would take her several weeks to recover from without throwing out the Anna or Mitch card; using either would in no way be appropriate at this moment in the story. I simply can't put the in-universe story on hold until she healed up.

See you next week with 'The Best Couple', take care.


	4. Chapter 4: Amends Part 1

Hello everyone. I hope everyone as a nice week.

Let me start off by saying that this is the first half of this week's update. I plan to post the second half on either Saturday or Sunday due to the overall length of this installment. Also, I was mistaken in thinking the chapter 'The Best Couple' was next. It will actually be posted hopefully on September 21, the day before the supposedly next new episode of Victorious.

Also as my dear readers have notice, since the last couple of chapters of Jade Likes Nice Guys, the chapters have grown to double the size of the majority of chapters since all the way back to iActually Like Mean Girls. For the foreseeable future due to the way I have the story planned out, each chapter will probably continue be around the 10,000 word mark instead of the original ~5,000 words. However, due to a number of factors including wanting to be able to work on my other stories, even with extensive planning during the summer, I simply can not keep up that sort of pace on a weekly basis. After the 'The Best Couple' chapter, I'm going to have to start updating every two weeks instead of every week. I hope you understand and will continue to enjoy and be eager for the next chapters.

Twilight Warrior 627: 'The Gorilla Clud' was an interesting and fun rewrite. Freddie's calling Jade out on her thing with Tori was intentionally a big neon sign to show that something was up with Freddie since back in iALMG, it has been a point that he has never really admonished her about it, just telling her that she didn't handle the past things right such as with Steamboat Suzy and the Prom. I'm going to refrain from commenting on the rest of your review other than to say the answer would contain _MAJOR_ spoilers for a few future chapter of the story.

ArtisticAngel6: Like I told Twilight, Freddie saying such a thing is a sign to let the reader know something is really up with Freddie if he's finally getting involved with the rivalry and telling Jade to do such a thing to a person that is his friend. However, that is still quite in character as his reaction to Carly and Sam back in 'iWill Date Freddie' where he called them out about him not being the bad guy for having the nerve to take his girlfriend side over Carly and Sam's side.

PD31: Yes, Beck's mask is slipping and it won't be long until his real feelings come out.

Agent-M-0167: Dusty's motivations in defending Cat aren't that complex: he obviously still cares about her a great deal. 1. The Saturday detention they mention is 'The Breakfast Bunch' episode, it just happened off camera in regards to the story with of course the mentioned alterations. 2. The Dark Side does have cookies and a Death Star; his tendency towards the Dark Side are quite evident to one particular girl and it is scaring the chizz out of her. Why do you think she's willing to ask for help from a girl that she hates? 3. Spoiler Alert!

Daytrigg: He is a good idea to use as a face for an OC, however, I don't have any in mind at the moment and I'm quite hesitant to use them unless absolutely necessary. Honestly at times, I'm not comfortable with how much I've had to use Dusty (and he's an OC stand-in by all accounts assuming you consider Slap mentions actually canon to the show) because there is always the chance of taking the spotlight away from the main characters from the show using them. Those are the characters you really want to read about not OCs.

Okay, on with the story.

* * *

Chapter 4: Amends Part 1

The early Saturday morning in the City of Angels was a crisp one and Jade West would have much preferred to remain snuggled in her warm bed than slowly driving down an unknown street in a residential neighborhood while trying to balance glancing to a miniature street map on her phone in her right hand, over to the row of houses numbers on the right side of the street and trying to watch the road all at the same. It was bad as texting while driving which she hated and in her mind, anyone stupid enough to do it. Fortunately (which really didn't make a difference in her momentary self-loathing) she wasn't on a high traffic street and any children were still inside watching their Saturday morning cartoons.

She traveled for another minute or so until she recognized a house that fit the description she was given then brought her car to a stop into the driveway of a modest size home. She put the vehicle in park and quickly turned off the ignition as she looked over the house through the front windshield as she remained in her seat. It was a relatively modest two story home with sky blue side paneling with white trim and a garage large enough for two vehicles.

She looked back down at the PearPhone in her hand to look at the address that Cat had texted her then up to the house number beside the front door. Once she saw that the numbers matched, she shoved the pear shaped phone into her pocket while opening her driver's side door with the other hand. She quickly stepped out and shut the door behind her then started towards the front porch and door while hitting the remote lock on her keychain. The car made the expecting locking noise and beep then she shoved her keys into one of her jean pockets.

The pale actress wore a guarded expression as stopped in front of the white door and tapped the button for the doorbell. She patiently waited for someone to answer as she casually glanced around examining the home.

A few moments later the door opened to reveal a handsome man in his late forties with short dark sandy hair and standing at about six feet tall. He wore an unbuttoned flannel pattern shirt over a T-shirt, dark blue jeans and work boots. He gave her charming smile as he assessed her for a moment, but cautiously asked, "Yes?"

Jade answered with a polite and friendly smile, "Hello, is Dusty home?"

He let out a soft laugh, "It depends. You are?"

The dark brunette put on a tight smile and answered, "I'm Jade; I go to Hollywood Arts with him. I'd like to talk to him."

The man slightly frowned as he spoke her name with a cautious tone, "Jade?" He instantly put on a smile as he seemed to recognize the name. He commented with a soft laugh, "Oh, so _you're_ Jade?"

She gave him an acknowledging nod of her head and cautious answered, "Yes, I'm Jade."

Each remained silent for a moment as Jade wasn't exactly what more to say as she didn't know how Dusty had described her to who she assumed was his father.

He cleared his throat as he realized he was being rude to her. "Sorry, it's just a little interesting to put a face to the girl my boy spent the night with on New Year's."

She pursed her lips in surprise with wide eyes.

He laughed out softly as he shook his head, "I'm sorry, that didn't come out right." He continued with an open and welcoming tone, "I've just been having a little fun messing with my boy over it. He takes more after his uncle than me at that age. He filled me in on what happened, well most of it… real proud of him for it; understands the importance of loyalty. I'm glad everything's worked out for you. Love is never an easy thing. Trust me on that one."

She gave him a nod. "Yeah, thank you sir. Dusty is… he's someone I found that we can count on. You can't say that for a lot of people."

He laughed out more ironically than out of humor and rolled his eyes as he answered, "Ain't that the truth." He took a step back and opened the door for her. He didn't specifically say she could step inside, but the gesture was obvious. She stepped inside past him and immediately started glancing around the typically decorated interior and surprisingly tidy appearance with only males living in the home (as sexist as that might have made her sound).

As she assessed the inside of the home with its open interior to be able to see the living room, dining room and kitchen, she failed to notice that Mister Hale gave her a guarded look as she walked past the doormat then shut the door behind them. He slid the tip of his boot to lift a corner of it to look at the floorboard.

Once he was satisfied with whatever he saw, he motioned with a hand towards the stairs and called out, "He's up in his room. You won't miss it."

She looked over her shoulder to him and answered with a grateful smile, "Thanks."

He gave her a slight nod of his head and a small smile as he answered, "You're welcome."

The pale actress walked out of the foyer and cut through the living room to head up the stairs. Once she reached the top of the stairs and the small landing, she was faced with a choice of three doors, one on either side of her and one in front of him. However, the one on her left was cracked open and she could hear an electric guitar playing a somber melody.

She softly knocked on the door and slightly pushed the door open. She didn't hear an answer at first and decided to open the door further to enter the room. She immediately noticed that Dusty was relaxing in his bed (having already dressed for the morning in a T-sheet and blue jeans) where the headboard was pressed on the far left wall as he played his electric guitar. He had his eyes closed and was so involved in his playing that he didn't realize she was standing at the door.

The dark brunette singer stepped further inside to call out to him, but her eyes were immediately captivated by examining his room. In her immediate line of sight at standing at the door on the other side of the room was a desk facing the door and seeing the back of a computer monitor with the room's window behind it. On the same wall and over the headboard of the bed, she noticed that there were several miniature movie posters on one wall of classic movies of the 1930s, 40s and 50s with all things being among them a poster of the original 1937 Dingo's animated Snow White. On the adjacent wall to her right was hanging a flat-screen television which would be directly in front of the end of the bed just like it was set up in Freddie's room.

She walked further into the room to look at the shelf cabinet pressed to the adjacent wall to the left of the door. There were some sports and old military memorabilia with some looking like they went back to the Civil War sitting on several shelves along with several pictures of who she assumed were family members and friends. There was a picture of Mister Hale looking about twenty years younger with a pale woman by his side with red hair of a similar, but not exact color to Cat's hair. There were several other pictures with various other adults and teenagers with one picture standing out by itself of Cat smiling towards the camera. She softly smiled at seeing that picture for some reason. She figured a little bit of sentimentalism had rubbed off on her from Freddie.

However what really caught her eye was two interesting pieces displayed in glass cases, one above the other on separate shelves at about her eye level.

She turned to get a closer look at the bottom one of what looked like a very old and intricate decorated revolver right out of the Old West, but maybe even older as it wasn't a classic Colt Peacemaker and to her uninformed opinion, looked a little more primitive. She noticed an engraving on the barrel and leaned over to try to read the inscription, but it was in a language she didn't recognize: _Non timebo mala_. As she looked closely at the antique piece, she noticed a small pentagram carved near the bottom of the wooden grip. She raised her pierced eyebrow at seeing that marking.

It was a curious piece to her eyes as she didn't necessarily take Dusty as a Western fan, but then again she realized that it was probably just another piece of military memorabilia that may have belonged to an ancestor who could have served in the Civil War if the other items were any indication. Her American History class didn't go that in-depth of the Civil War to determine whether the other items were from the Confederacy or Union.

She slightly shook her head then looked at the other protected piece on the next shelf. Another picture of the woman with Mister Hale was resting beside the display of a highly polished blade that she didn't know if it would be consider it a long knife or short sword that tapered from the hilt to a sharp point. The handle was silver as well, but it was wrapped with some dark material, most likely leather or similar synthetic material. It looked to Jade's eyes a pretty wicked weapon and not some reproductive knockoff one would buy off one of those late night/early morning infomercials.

"You know it's not polite just to enter someone's room without their permission? That's grounds for shooting you where I'm from," Dusty called out from behind her.

Jade sucked in a sharp breath and rested her right hand over her upper chest as snapped around to see that Dusty was sitting his guitar on the stand and swing his legs out to set his feet on the floor. Her attention was so caught up with examining the displays she didn't hear that the guitar had stopped playing. She let out her caught breath and embarrassingly smiled to him then motioned to the glass cases with her right pointer finger. "Sorry, I just… you were playing and… you have some fascinating pieces…"

He eyed her with a playful smirk as he took a moment to slip his feet into his sneakers and tie them. He stood up and walked over to stand beside her on her right. He motioned to the displays with a slight tilt of his head and explained, "Yes, they can be quite the conversational pieces when people see them."

Jade nodded and glanced back to the dagger. She commented with an admiring tone, "I bet; that's a wicked looking blade. Is it real? I mean not just a decorative piece?"

He smirked as he answered, "Oh it's quite real and quite deadly. It belonged to my mother. I know about your affinity for sharp objects; I mean, who doesn't? You don't exactly keep it a secret. If she was here, she could teach you a few moves with your scissors."

The singer gave a slight nod then asked, "She's the woman in the picture?"

He answered softly, "Yes… from years ago."

She gave him a respective nod, feeling that it wasn't a subject that she should linger on talking about looked to the Old Western pistol. "And the gun?"

He bowed his head slightly and let a secretive smile form on his face. "It's an old Colt Patterson from the late eighteen thirties personally made by Samuel Colt himself." He rolled his eyes as dismissively commented, "There's _a lot_ of old tall tales about it, but it's just a... old family heirloom."

She whistled then commented, "I guess it's worth some money."

"I would think so, but we've never had it appraised. It's not like I'd ever sell it."

"Did it belong to your great-great-grandfather or someone during the Civil War?"

He shrugged a shoulder with a half-smile. "I did have family fight in the Civil War, but I'm not sure if any of them carried it during the war."

She lifted a corner of her mouth and raised an eyebrow accepting his explanation. She gave him a soft smile and asked with an upbeat tone, "I assume the Confederacy?"

Dusty's smile faded as he answered with a somber voice, "Both sides actually. I had family on both sides… Abolitionists on one side and on the other side, those who didn't think Lincoln had a right to tell them what to do in their own state." He glanced back to the Patterson and continued with a whisper, "Yet, if God wills that the war continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said 'the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether'." He looked back to the actress and finished with a whisper, "Whatever sins any of my ancestors may have committed before the war, they were paid with our blood… not many can say that."

The lovely actress' brow slightly knotted and her mouth closed as she gave him a perplex expression showing her slight embarrassment of ignorance for something so profound she felt she should have known, but didn't know.

He gave her a soft smile and clarified, "Lincoln's second inaugural address."

Jade cleared her throat and nodded along to mentally take in his words or more accurately Lincoln's words. She kept her head slightly bowed as she motioned with a hand towards to the barrel with the inscribed letters. "The inscription?"

A small smile reformed on the Carolinian's face as he answered, "It's Latin: '_I shall fear _no_ evil_'… words to live by… words I live by."

She gave him a soft smile then turned to look at the rest of the room. She idly commented to switch to a more lighthearted mood, "The posters are interesting."

He stuck his hands in his jean pockets and followed her gaze to his walls. "I would think that someone like you that considers herself a serious actress would appreciate the classics. I guess going to Hollywood Arts for the last year and a half has rubbed off on me."

She stared walking across the room to look closer at some of the movie posters then pointed over to the opposite wall were the Snow White poster hung and laughed out, "Yeah, but Snow White?"

He snorted out a quick breath and let out a chuckle. "I'm being questioned by the girl that dressed up as her to make her own version of the story?"

She cracked a soft smile as she replied, "Point."

He grinned as he continued, "Well, to answer your question, it is the first full length animated film ever created. Along with a classic fairy tale story, it is a work that should be remembered and respected, especially when Dingo was a respected company instead of what it is now."

She softly nodded her head as she accepted his reasoning then a few moments later the pair fell into silence as they awkwardly eyed one another.

The Southern teenager motioned for her that she could have a seat on her bed. "Would you like to have a seat?"

She gave him a smile then walked over to have a seat on the edge of his bed. She crossed her legs and rested her hands in her jean covered knee as she watched him walked over and around his desk to get his rolling chair and pulled it around the desk, the end of the bed then situated it so he could sit across from her.

He smiled with a relaxed expression as he asked, "So, what do I owe the visit? I assume it's not about wanting to see my bedroom?"

Jade took in a soft breath then let it out slowly ignoring his playful joke. She figured it was about time to get to her point, so she spoke, "I'm going to go up to Seattle today and... I'd like you to come with me… I need you to come with me."

Dusty snorted out a laugh then chuckled softly. He lost his smile as he saw her timid expression turning into an impatient expression. He asked with a hint of disbelief in his voice, "You're not kidding?"

The blue streaked haired teenager shook her head. "No, I'm not."

Dusty blinked them glanced down at the floor with a concerned expression on his face. He took a deep breath then looked back at her with a chilly stare. "I am not going to help you get vengeance… that's not going to ease anything you're feeling."

Her brow slightly furled as she asked with a genuinely curious tone, "Why do you assume it's about vengeance?"

The slime teenager softly chuckled and shook his head. "You're Jade West, rightly or wrongly, you know you have a certain reputation and making people suffer for crossing you is part of that reputation… Carly has _crossed you_."

Jade snorted out the irritation that instantly rose in her chest then answered with a slight frown and cold tone, "Yes, I want her to pay for what she did to Freddie and me. I want her to feel humiliated and shamed when people look at her, not everyone making excuses for her or outright denying it happened in the first place."

Dusty slightly bowed his head and let a regretful smirk form on his face. He asked in barely above a whisper, "So you've been online to see what the fans are saying?"

Jade looked away for a moment as she softly bit the end of her tongue then answered with a bitter tone, "I went to see if Nevel was telling the truth that everyone was absolving her for what she had done… that's why he wanted the whole story from me: to try to make people realize that she's not the sweet angel people think she is." She took a soft breath then admitted through gritted teeth, "Anyway, that's not what I need your help for."

Dusty sat up straighter in his chair. "Then why do you want to go up there for?"

She cleared her throat and felt the slight hint of being sick even having to admit it, but… "I want to try to at least fix things enough between Freddie and Carly so that he won't be bitter with her… won't hate her—"

TheSlap webmaster slightly leaned forward and looked Jade directly in the eyes to interrupt with a somewhat disbelieving tone, "You want your boyfriend to reconcile with his ex?"

The dark brunette put on a slight frown as that was exactly her intentions. She whispered out as if she could taste the foulness of the word in her mouth, "To an extent."

He leaned back and laughed out, "Why? Why would any sane girl want their boyfriend to do such a thing with his ex, especially after everything that happened over New Years?"

Jade's brow furled and a deeper frown formed on her face. "I can't have Freddie hate her. It would… it would change him… it's already starting to change him."

Dusty casually shrugged his right shoulder. "People change… especially us teenagers, since you know we're growing up?"

She set her jaw tight and shook her head. She defiantly countered, "No, Freddie is a good guy… that's what he is deep down inside and I don't want him to turn into a hateful, bitter man because of it."

Dusty leaned forward further in his seat and rested is forearms on his knees and laced his fingers together. He spoke in a soft tone as he asked, "He didn't come back right did he?"

The dark brunette lowered her eyes and answered regretfully, "No… he didn't."

Dusty whispered out, "Explains him reading the riot act on everyone." He reached over with his right hand and softly palmed over the top of Jade's closed left hand.

She looked up to see him giving her a supportive smile. He gave her a soft squeeze then a nod of his head before pulling his hand away and lacing his fingers once more. "Okay… let's put aside for the moment of why you need; why not just take Freddie? Just go and ahead and let them hash it out."

"I know Freddie wouldn't go if I asked him. He doesn't want to have anything to do with her. He told her to go to Hell when he went up there."

"Ouch…" he responded with a sharp intake of breath. He shook his head and continued, "So you want to lay some groundwork down on Carly's side before you… 'rope him in' so to speak in getting him to talk to her?"

"I'm not sure what exactly what I'm going to do. I don't have a plan; I just know that I need her and that requires me to talk to her and I can't do this over the phone. Maybe between the two of us, we can figure out what to do."

Dusty nodded along then answered, "Okay, but nevertheless, why ask me to go with you? Why not Harris or even the younger Vega sister, especially Vega? They're your close friends. You may not like the girl, but she's been involved with the situation from the start and has a better handle of what's going on than I would. She strikes me in being just like Freddie… and is all forgiving and everything, so wouldn't she be your best bet to help you get the ball rolling. You've never struck me as the type to cut her nose off to spite her face."

She grudgingly admitted, "I'll admit Tori has her uses, but not this time." She blew out a quick breath through her nose then continued, "I can count on you to watch my back."

The Los Angeles immigrant slightly frowned as he asked with a near rhetorical tone, "You want me as your bodyguard? You're expecting trouble?"

She let out a soft laugh with a hint of mockery behind it, "I did beat the chizz out of Sam. She may still be holding a grudge—"

He smirked as he raised an eyebrow and questioned her, "Like I'm assuming you are of her?"

She quickly snapped back, "I have a right to; she's never shown one bit of remorse for what she's done to Freddie and…" She paused to take a breath and slowly let it out to calm her nerves. "Freddie would be furious with me if I went up there by myself knowing I'll have to run into Sam if I see Carly. He's afraid that Sam could hurt me and well… he's trusted you before to look out for me. I want to give him that piece of mind." She let a soft smile form on her face as she finished, "Even if it is benevolent sexism."

Dusty slightly turned his head away. He took a sharp breath through his nose and visibly clinched his jaw tight. "Yes he did… and I failed at that."

Jade squinted her gaze on him in confusion as to what he meant by the statement.

He pointed out as if it was enough to make his point, "Nevel? On Monday?"

She let out a mix of a laugh and a breath out of her mouth in her disbelief he would think such a thing and oddly try to comfort him, "How? You weren't there. No one was there; that's why I went to the music room in the first place: so I wouldn't have to deal with anyone. You couldn't have known that Nevel would have tried something. No one could have."

He snapped back, "That's not the point!"

The pale teenager was slightly taken aback by the outburst and remained quiet for a moment as she could sense that he wasn't finished and that she really shouldn't interrupt.

He leaned back in his chair and rested his right forearm of the armrest to support his weight as he nearly spat out with irritation filling his voice, "I should have put enough fear into the boy the day of the interview to deter him from trying something later. I warned him the first day he showed up that Freddie wasn't the same man that left Seattle and not cross him, but that was obviously not enough and the day of your interview he was more annoyed at me than really afraid. I confused the fear of force with the use of force… I wouldn't have made that mistake at Northridge… I've gotten too damn soft at Hollywood Arts."

Jade took a moment to just look at the teenager. She wasn't really sure how to feel or respond to the sentiment as she saw that he was troubled in his mind by letting it happened. She put on an awkward smile in her attempt to persuade him for his apparent guilt, "It wouldn't have mattered. He was too obsessed at getting back at Carly after the broadcast to really care about what anyone told him. He didn't stop to think about what Freddie would do or when we fooled him into thinking Tori was Shelby Marx; he just wanted vengeance."

Dusty relaxed in his chair and cracked a small smile and spoke with a low tone, "Careful you don't fall into the same trap."

She bit her tongue while looking him in the eyes. She continued a few moments later with a grudging comment, "That's the other reason I want you to come: I can count on you. That's... that's something I'm still getting use to having."

He nodded along with a somber expression then his brow furled as he asked, "Wait, does he know you're going up?"

She slightly shook her head. "No, he doesn't. He's at work and I want to go and come back before he gets off work today." She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone to look at the time. "I have about seven and a half hours before he's off work and it's about two hour flight there and two hours back, assuming it doesn't take forever to get through airport security and there's no weather delays."

He asked with a raise of his tone, "Why aren't you telling him?"

She tilted her head slightly to the side. She answered with a tired voice, "Because I don't want to argue with him and it would be pointless for us to get upset with each other for something I'm going to do anyway. I don't think he'd understand right now what I'm trying to do. He… he thinks he's at peace with it all and I'm not going to convince him otherwise without Carly. He'll have to listen to me if we're telling him the same thing."

"Or he'll think you're somehow betraying him?"

The dark brunette whispered out with a hint of fear, "It's a risk I have to take." She maintained eye contact with the Southern teenager as he looked like he was contemplating her request.

"Okay, I'll go with you…" He put back on a playful smile, "But if anyone asks, I'm saying that you seduced me to run off with you for the day."

Jade tilted her head to her right side and looked at him with a slightly annoyed expression.

* * *

Jade sat quietly on the beach of the San Francisco Bay as the wind blew through the end of her hair. She may have been sitting on a beach, but she was far from being in any form of expected beachwear with a dark beanie on top of her head and wearing her black leather jacket as the temperature was only in the high fifties and soon the temperature would be dropping as the sun was setting behind the horizon of the Pacific Ocean. The various hues of orange lit up the sky and off the dark water of the bay.

She whispered out to her companion, "I always thought those people that got up in the morning to watch the sunrise were stupid, but... this is beautiful."

Freddie gave a patient smile as his arms were wrapped around his girlfriend's waist and rested his chin on her left shoulder. He whispered with a somber tone, "Yes it is. It's..."

She slightly turned her head to give him a questioning expression. "It's what?"

He let out a tired breath, "It's peaceful."

She took a few moments to study his eyes. He stared out onto the bay as if he was taking the sight into his memory, but she could tell that something was wrong. She saw that he was being honest with his sentiment, but there was a hint of desperation in his eyes as if he was trying to force something, but she couldn't place it. A few more moments of looking at his troubled eyes made her realize that he was trying to process his feelings from New Years.

She let a smile form on her face and turned her gaze back onto the bay to see a passing sailing boat. She actually felt relief that the great day they shared had made him feel better and now he was trying to put his anger and resentment in the past so that they could start fresh when they got back home in a few days.

She also realized that as cheesy and tripe as it may have been, he being with her in this peaceful setting just might let him do it and that thrilled her.

She grinned widely and whispered, "It is peaceful and I'm glad we have each other to share it with."

He gave her a soft kiss on her left cheek then rested his chin back on her shoulder. "I am too..." He let out a soft breath then whispered, "I am too... I love you Jade..."

* * *

"...Jade? Jade? You still with me?"

The dark brunette took a sharp breath and lifted her head off her right palm as her arm had propped her head up from the passenger door. She looked over to driver's seat to see Dusty continuing to drive the rental vehicle from the airport through the streets of Seattle.

Dusty snorted out a soft laugh, "You kind of zoned out there for a few minutes."

She cleared her throat and tried to casually answer, "Yeah, I kind of did."

"Was it a good thing or bad thing to pull you out of it?"

Jade turned her head to look at him while she let the side of her head rest against her closed right fist. "It's okay... just thinking of a happier time. So, we there yet?"

He cracked a soft smile and motioned his head to the small display in the center of the dashboard. "Almost if this GPS is correct."

"Good."

"Figured out what you're going to say to her when you see Carly?"

"Nope."

He spared her the quickest of glances to ask, "So you're going on a wing and a prayer?"

"Basically. It's actually kind of worked for me so far and I don't exactly have a manual on how to fix this."

He let out a soft chuckle as he brought the car to a stop in front of a traffic light. "There are plenty of religious texts that would disagree with you."

She slightly frowned at him as the vehicle rolled to a stop.

The lean teenager was free to throw her a smirk while waiting at the traffic light to change to green. "I'm unapologetically Christian; what do you expect me to say?"

She rolled her eyes then focused her attention out the front windshield. She idly commented, "I heard about what happened last Saturday."

Dusty spared her another glance as he asked, "Oh? What exactly happened last Saturday?"

"You picked Cat up from detention and spent the day with her."

He asked with a dry tone, "Yeah, so? Your point?"

She gave him a playful smirk. "None really. I'm just repeating what I heard: You spent the day with Cat... you spent the day with your ex-girlfriend."

He let out a soft chuckle, "Yes I did." He continued with a casual voice as if they were discussing the weather, "She really didn't have breakfast when I showed up and Dickers didn't leave them any real food. Sounds like he wants to get fired to me... anyway, I took her out to get something to eat then we just took it from there and ended up playing miniature golf then going to the movies. It's just something friends would do on a Saturday."

She continued wearing her smile even if she wasn't buying his explanation for a second. "Oh? Okay... how did you convince Dickers to let her go with you?"

He shrugged his right shoulder and answered while easing the accelerator after the light turned green, "He's a marine and I played on his honor and it wouldn't allow him to support such a stupid punishment and a little on the fact that my grandfather was a marine. Going to detention for saving puppet boy's life? How stupid is that? He seemed to realize I had a point of it be so stupid and he might have given me a little consideration for calling Helen out on being an affirmative action hiree over him when he really couldn't say anything."

"Then why didn't he let the others go with you?"

"I didn't advocate for them and they apparently are too spineless to stand up for themselves at the nonsense some of those teachers and to him. I've already told you how I feel about people who refuse to stand up for themselves when they're capable of doing it and not pacifists."

"But you felt the need for Cat? Like when you chewed out André?"

She could tell he wanted to look at her while responding, but he kept his eyes on the road as he answered, "Cat is Cat. Quite frankly I'm not sure if she is capable or not, where her act stops and her true child like tendencies begin, so I'm just going to have to protect her when and where I can and if people don't like it, well... you fill in whatever derogatory word seems appropriate on what they can do."

Jade's brow furled in an instant as she asked truly curiously as to what he meant, "Act? What act?"

Dusty lifted his head as it looked like he was glancing up to see one of the high rise buildings as the GPS started signaling that they had arrived at their destination. "Another conversation for another time because it looks like we are here."

Jade slightly frowned, but he was right. She had far more important things to worry about at the moment than what strange ideas Dusty had about Cat.

Dusty idly commented as he glanced all around through the windshield and the side windows, "Now, where in the world do we park?"

* * *

Author's Note: Remember, this is only the first half. The second half should be on Saturday or Sunday so you don't have to wait until next Friday to see what happens. Thanks again for reading and don't be show with reviews.


	5. Chapter 5: Amends Part 2

Hello my dear readers. I hope you had a nice weekend. This second chapter was way longer than I expected and really should wait to post this as the Friday update, but what is the fun in that? I hope you enjoy this chapter. Also, did you see the Victorious and iCarly casts at the Creative Emmys on Saturday? Wow is all I have to say.

Twilight Warrior 627: I'm glad I know at least one person can tolerate Dusty as an OC-Stand In with a strange Audience Surrogate :D Oh, and the 'Colt' is just an old Colt. It has no real significant, nothing special about it, nothing at all. Honest, you'd believe me? Right? Right? There's no significance to that silver blade with the picture of a redhead.

Also, Dusty is recounting family history, which no pun intended, is colored by personal feelings instead of a lecture one would hear in a classroom.

Layla: I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Is that some kind of television show? :P I hope the rest of the chapter was entertaining for you!

Agent-M-0167: What is it with this 'Colt' everyone keeps going on about? It's just a gun with some tall tales attached to it. Really? Really? Won't you believe Dusty? Isn't the demon slaying knife, if such an item exists, have a serrated edge on one side with a wood or bone handle? That's a different description than the blade on Dusty's shelf.

About Jade, there is the old saying that 'The road to Hell is paved with good intentions'. You are right that more harm could be done than good, but she's obviously willing to risk it to save the boy she loves. I think we would all be lucky for someone to go to bat for us like that.

Daytrigg: Dusty gives another perspective from the other characters as is an outsider like the audience. About co-authoring on something, as much as I would like to try it, I'm sorry, I just don't have the time. I wish I did because it would sound fun.

ICVRFF: I hope you like this new chapter. You never know what to expect in this story. As the vast majority of this story is set in L.A. and in Victorious (why this is in this category instead of Crossover), doesn't mean things won't pop up from Seattle from time to time. With the confirmation of Sam and Cat, that just makes the system a little confusion as where is the line between everything now. On a slight tangent, is it now the first crossover spinoff? Oh, and thanks for favoriting like everything I wrote.

Okay, now on with the story with a language warning including some offensive terms.

Please remember, characters views and/or words do not necessarily reflect the views of this author and I'll trust you to use common sense to tell the difference.

Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 5: Amends Part 2

Shay Apartment  
Seattle, WA  
Saturday, January 14, 2012

Spencer Shay was hard at work on a new bottlebot sculpture, this time made of glass after one he was surprised to find out that his mother had made when she was a teenager, for a showing at the SAM (Seattle Art Museum). Since his father's visit near the end of the summer and his brief visit last week, a fire was lit under Spencer to start taking his art more seriously if he was going to commit to it as a profession. He was quite surprised that his father wasn't upset that he didn't go to law school and happened to have known he had dropped out years ago, but was furious over the fact that apparently he was 'half-assing it' at being an artist. His father told him in no uncertain terms that he become serious in being an artist like his mother, get a real job or move out after Carly started college regardless if she moved out or not. It was an easy choice for the Shay first-born.

As the artist was putting together the left hand of the sculpture, he heard Sam trot down from the stairs and make her way to the kitchen. The artist looked around his sculpture to see that Sam was getting started earlier on lunch by raiding the Shay refrigerator.

He joked, "You're starting this earlier?"

The dirty blonde turned away from looking out of the refrigerator as she supported her weight with her right hand resting on top of the refrigerator door and answered with a slight frown, "I'm trying to coax Carly into eating something. She barely ate any breakfast. She's just sitting on her bed holding that damn bunny costume."

Spencer furled his brow and gave her a puzzling expression.

Sam blew out a tired breath and asked, "You know what Monday is?"

"Other than it being Martin Luther King Junior Day?"

The blonde blinked and gave him an impatient expression. "You don't remember?"

Spencer still looked confused and shrugged his shoulders.

Sam closed the refrigerator door and walked around the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room to approach the artist. "Two years ago was when Freddie was hit by the taco truck and you know…" She motioned along with her hands in hoping he would follow along, "…what happened afterwards. It's hitting her hard after everything."

"Oh…" Spencer commented while bowing his head, somewhat embarrassed at not making the connection.

The pair stood hopelessly silent as the situation sunk in between them. However, a loud knock from the door broke the awkward silence. The artist turned and headed for the door somewhat thankful for the interruption. Once he opened the door, he quickly reevaluated that opinion as he was surprised at seeing the dark brunette along with a male teenager wearing a black leather jacket, a grey Penny-T with the words 'Cam Shipper' printed in yellow across the chest and blue jeans standing by her side on the other side of the threshold. The artist's mouth dropped open and closed several times before he was finally able to cautiously ask, "Jade?"

He heard Sam called out in surprise behind him, "Jade?"

Jade ignored the outburst behind the Shay son and gave him a soft nod with a small smile and soft, innocent tone, "Hi Spencer."

He returned with a hesitant smile, "Ah… hi."

Her eyes looked to him with a patient expression as she whispered, "I need to see Carly."

The statement snapped him out of his surprise and cautiously replied, "No."

Jade's smile left her face to be replaced with a simple closing of her mouth, neither smiling nor frowning. She expected to become angry at the eccentric artist for refusing her, but seemed strangely at peace in understanding that he assumed the worst in her intentions of seeing his sister and wanted to protect her. She had felt that same way in regards to Ian in only that last two months which she guessed would pale in comparison to Spencer's feelings over the last seventeen years including the last four practically raising Carly.

The dark brunette took a calm breath and softly responded, "I really need to talk to her. It's important."

The lanky artist put on a nervous smile. "Ah… I don't think that's such a good idea."

She blew out a tired breath. "I'm not debating this with you Spencer. I'm not here to cause her trouble or for any scheme of revenge. Is she here or not?"

The Shay son remained silent unsure if he should outright lie to her.

Jade took the decision out of his hands with her next question, "How do you think your father will react when I let him know that I came here to try to work things out with Carly and _you_ turned me away?"

Spencer's eyes shot open and took in a sharp breath then slowly let out a soft breath as he cautiously answered, "She's in her room." He stood aside to let the pair inside the apartment.

Dusty leaned over and whispered to Jade before they accepted the offer, "Playing the daddy card?"

She whispered out coldly, "I'm not letting anything get in my way."

He teased softly, "Careful Jade, people might start thinking you love Freddie."

She turned her head slightly to meet his eyes and gave him a slight frown.

He put on a big grin and softly laughed as he looked away.

Once they were just inside the doorway, Spencer looked to Dusty and asked with a guarded tone, "You are?"

Jade motioned to the Carolinian and answered, "This is mine and Freddie's friend, Dusty."

The webmaster looked Spencer up and down for a moment then commented with a little bit of a laugh, "Dude, how tall are you? Six foot?"

He gave the teenager a curious expression while answering, "Six-two actually."

Dusty let out a chuckle, "What did your momma feed you to get you that tall?"

The artist slightly frowned at the question.

Jade offered, "He gets it from his father. He's around the same height."

Dusty nodded to the explanation as he continued to eye the artist.

The dirty blonde remained standing in the living room with a guarded expression on her face, but did let slip through some of her resentment at seeing the pale actress. The web-hostess hissed out catching all of their attention, "Jade."

The dark brunette let a challenging smile form on her face as she greeted with a blatant sarcastic tone, "Hello Sam. It's nice to see you too."

Sam frowned then jeered out, "_Jank you_. Turn around and go home. Spencer might buy that bullchizz explanation to let you in, but I'm not going to let you anywhere near Carly."

The pale actress gave her a mocking smile. "I'm not here to hurt her; I'm really here just to talk to her. We have some things to discuss."

Sam crossed her arms under her chest and snapped off sarcastically, "Really? You just want to talk to her? You think I'm that stupid?"

The pale teenager softly shook her head. "No, you're many things, being a lazy bitch is one of them, but you're not stupid."

The dirty blonde frowned and took several steps forward to close the distance between them, but before Sam could get nose to nose with the Angeleno, Dusty took a half-step forward and to the side so at least his left shoulder was between the girls.

Sam looked to the Southern teenager and she flippantly asked, "Who are you?"

He gave the blonde a polite nod and introduced himself with a disarming smile, "Dustin Hale, original fan of the show. I've been one since the beginning."

Sam's nose wrinkled up as her frown deepened. She leaned forward so that her nose were just inches from his shoulder and crook on his neck to sniff once then twice while looking the teenager up and down. She made a frown as she looked up to meet his guarded eyes. She raised her hands wiggled her fingers at him as she commented with a flippant tone, "You smell all… clean and fruity... weird."

Dusty cracked a smile responded without missing a beat, "And I can smell the sulfur on you; I think _that's_ pretty weird."

The web-celebrity rolled her eyes then asked with barely constrained contempt, "So why are you here? You her bodyguard or something?"

Dusty smiled, but Sam could instantly tell that it was a devious expression. "I just wanted the chance to meet Carly in person and I've never been on an airplane before."

Sam's eyes opened wide and mouth dropped open for a moment. She let out a laugh, "Wow, you stink at lying."

The webmaster let out a soft laugh, "Or I was just trying to keep up pretenses in this verbal sparing match instead of it escalating into a physical confrontation? You either don't care to keep things to verbal spars and want to settle the score or you have no verbal diplomatic skills."

Sam frowned as she took his words as an insult.

Jade spoke up with a smirk, "Why don't you teach her some while I talk to Carly?"

He was about to answer, but Sam snapped, "You really think I'm going to let you anywhere near her?"

The actress cocked her head to the side and sarcastically retorted, "Sam, I'm talking to her whether you like it or not."

She tried to take another step to go around Dusty and started, "The Hell you—"

The Southern teenager took another side-step to stand directly between the girls.

Sam frowned as she looked Dusty directly in the eyes. She hissed out, "Move."

He matched her stare and responded with an equally challenging tone, "No."

The dirty blonde had zero patience with Dusty and grabbed him by the collar and was ready to simply toss him aside, but the Southern teenager was just as quick and wrapped his left hand over her left fist and started squeezing.

Sam's eyes shot open and mouth opened in shock from the pain of him squeezing her fingers tightly together, but she couldn't utter a sound initially as she tried to claw at his hand with her other hand to pry open his hand.

Jade blinked as she was slightly taken aback from seeing him able to apparently match the strength of the repeatedly labeled blonde-headed demon.

"Sam, let him go!" Carly's voice shouted from the top of the stairwell, grabbing everyone's attention except for Dusty's as he gave Sam a cold stare.

Sam desperately yelled out, "I would Carls if he wasn't breaking my hand!"

Carly blinked in surprise then softly started, "Dusty—"

Dusty loosened his grip that allowed Sam to instantly pull her hand away to hold against her upper chest and started rubbing it with her other hand to try to get the feeling back in it. She looked back in utter shock at Dusty while he stared back with an impassive expression. Sam gritted her teeth and contemplated for a moment if she should take a swing on him, but debated in her mind the possibility that if he had managed that much strength to squeeze her hand, how hard could he punch her back if she didn't put him down in the first punch?

He countered Sam's accusation with a somewhat dismissive tone, "Exaggerating much? I would have only broken your thumb and maybe your pointer finger. It doesn't take that much pressure on such a delicate joint to break it."

She frowned back at him while still rubbing her hand.

Carly paid no mind to Sam and Dusty staring at one another as she slowly walked down the stairs and cautiously asked, "Jade?"

Jade looked up at the teenager, surprised manner at the Seattleite's appearance. Carly looked even paler than she remembered with a hint of dark circles under her eyes and her hair was a mess as she hadn't bothered combing it. The singer felt a momentary bit of concern as the girl's small T-shirt and pajama pants hung on her lose as if the slim girl had lost some weight she couldn't afford to lose.

Jade intended to answer her with a tone to establish that she was going to be the dominate one in their conversation, but found herself answering with a hesitant tone, "Carly."

Carly just stared at the Angeleno for a moment then finished walking down the stairs and turned her attention to the Southern teenager and gave a soft greeting, "Hello Dusty."

He replaced his game face with a soft smile and gave a polite nod. He responded with a soft and inviting tone, "Miss Shay. How are you?"

She let out a soft snort and a half-hearted smile. "I've been better."

He quickly gave a sympathetic nod. "We've all been there. It does get better."

The brunette's smile seemed to get a little bigger for a moment then she spared a look to a still angry Sam then back to Dusty. "Thank you for not breaking her hand."

Dusty began to speak, but Jade commented with a dry tone, "Sam's fortunate you saved her again from her stupidity. I doubt Freddie's angel was going to heal her up a second time."

Carly, Sam and Spencer all gave her a curious expression with even Dusty a little intrigued about saying it was 'Freddie's Angel' as he assumed she was referring to the numerous healings over Christmas. He wasn't the only one to notice that Sam didn't have her scar during Carly's confession on iCarly after New Years, but he was the only fan that cold really make the connection as to how it could have happened.

Jade quickly answered their looks with a motion of her head to Sam, "I see the scar is gone and all your hair has grown back. You didn't notice that on Christmas morning?"

Sam snapped her hand up to her cheek to feel where once the visible line of damaged skin was across her cheek. She frowned while looking at her nemesis.

Jade smirked. "We had a few of those over Christmas in L.A. You're not the only one that got one, so don't feel like it was anything special."

The blonde rolled her eyes and dismissively commented, "Yeah… I might buy that it was a Christmas miracle, but it was from Freddie's angel? Really? Is that what you're telling yourself?"

Jade motioned a hand towards her boyfriend's ex as she answered, "Ask Carly about them. She apparently has one of her own that had some fun with everyone a few Christmases ago." Jade looked to Carly and raised her pierced eyebrow as she finished, "Mitch was it? Something about wanting Spencer to be normal?"

Carly's mouth dropped open and if possible became even whiter as she looked at Jade in abject shock. Spencer's brow furled up as he looked to his sister and recalled when his magnetic tree burned up their presents back in '08 and her shouting that in frustration at him.

Sam frowned and spat out in disbelief, "Oh stop it. Angels? What other nonsense are you going to say is real? The Tooth Fairy?"

Dusty laughed as he chimed in, "Actually Faes are quite real along with their leprechaun cousins and so are a lot of other things. Ghosts are real too. So are werewolves, vampires, changelings… evil clowns that _eat_ people."

Sam and Spencer looked at him as if he had lost his mind. Jade felt a hint of the same feeling, but remained quite as she was willing to go on a little faith after holding the pins that were once in Freddie's legs and seeing her grandfather with a nose and walking without a cane.

Dusty blew out a soft breath and commented with a shrugged of his shoulder, "If it makes you feel any better, Bigfoot really is a hoax."

"Bigfoot's real!" Carly snapped back defensively as apparently questioning the authenticity of Bigfoot was enough to snap her out of her shock.

His mouth quickly shut with surprise from her outburst. He glanced to Jade then back to Carly to cautiously comment, "Okay… I see you're still a believer." He let out a nervous laugh and commented, "I enjoyed that episode by the way." He looked to Spencer. "Did you ever find a beave-coon?"

Spencer was just about to answer when Jade interrupted with a curt tone, "You can answer him in a minute. Carly, we need to talk."

Carly took in a slow breath and gave her an acknowledging nod of her head. She motioned her to follow her up the stairs. However, Sam took a step to block Jade, but Dusty was quicker and slipped between the pair again. The dirty blonde growled at being thwarted again by the intruder.

Carly questioned with a disapproving tone, "Sam."

Sam didn't take her eyes off Dusty as she answered Carly, "I'm not letting her alone with you. You know she just doesn't want to talk. She wants some payback for all the things she _thinks_ you've done to her. If you're going to humor her and try to actually talk then I'm going to be there."

Dusty matched her cold stare and replied, "And if you're going to be there then I'm going to be there."

The pair of pale teenagers glanced to one another and apparently agreed without speaking a word. Carly was the first to answer, "Sam, Dusty, it's alright. Jade and I are just going to talk. Both of you can relax."

Her fellow web-hostess questioned in disbelief, "Carly?"

Carly nearly pleaded with her friend, "Please Sam. Don't fight me on this."

Sam growled out in annoyance then looked to Jade. "If you hurt her, I will kill you."

Dusty was quick to speak up with a sharp tone, "As much I'm one to appreciate such loyalty to a friend, I'll put you down faster than a rabid dog before that'll happen."

Sam snapped her head back to glare at the Carolinian. "Are you so sure about that?"

He responded with a soft smirk, "Only one way to find out."

Carly started, "Sam—"

The blonde didn't bother to listen to the rest as she growled out to him then turned away and headed back to the kitchen.

He looked over his shoulder to Jade and whispered with a cracked smile, "I guess she's not being use to being stood up to."

Jade answered loud enough for everyone in the apartment to hear, "No she's not. Everyone let the bitch run free too long and the Shays never house broke her when they decided to make her the family pet."

The Shay children frowned at the insult while Sam turned around and shot figurative daggers from her eyes at Jade.

Carly whispered out with a tired voice in the hopes to escape before a fight could break out, "Jade? You wanted to talk?"

"Right."

Carly motioned her head towards the stairs then started her way back up with Jade right behind her. The web-hostess called out over her shoulder to Sam, "Don't get into a fight!" The pair didn't wait to hear a response from the fellow iCarly web-hostess.

The darker brunette casually followed the Shay daughter into her room then Jade shut the door behind her. She glanced around to see the large room and felt a twinge of jealousy at the size of it. The sentiment was quickly brushed away at seeing the various cheerful colors including pink, yellow and a variety of other bright colors.

She wasn't against the color pink as most people assumed. The color had its uses. She used it when it was appropriate and wore a shade of pink in her hair when she kept her hair its natural shade of brown during her freshmen, sophomore, and majority of her junior year. It was the color yellow she hated and there was still plenty of yellow use in the decoration of the room. The thought briefly crossed her mind that if Steven Shay had been a greater part of her life that she wouldn't have a problem with yellow due to the concept of the yellow ribbon.

As she continued take in the sights of the room she saw a picture of Freddie by Carly's bed and as much as that would irritate her, the sight of a crumbled piece of pink article of clothing resting on the web-hostess' unmade bed caught her attention. She didn't get a good look to see what it was, but she could make out that there looked to be some dried blood stains on the white portions of the clothing.

Carly had stopped just behind her couch/loveseat and turned to look at her with an apprehensive expression while idly fiddling on her loss hanging pajama pants with her right index and middle finger. "How do you know about Mitch?"

Jade kept her eyes on the piece of clothing as she answered, "Freddie's angel told him about Mitch, about what your angel did to him." She turned to give Carly an accusing look as she continued with a cold tone, "Made some kind of world where Spencer was normal and Freddie wasn't in love with you anymore... the damn thing played with his soul to make it work _for you_, to teach you some stupid lesson."

Jade shook her head and laughed softly, "It sounds... insane and Freddie thought I would think he was crazy if he told me, but..." Her voice dropped into a softer tone, "I listened... I've held the pins and screws that were in Freddie's leg. He keeps them on his dresser drawer next to that damn chip his mother put in his head. He says that his leg and wrist is completely healed—"

Carly walked up to her and shouted, "Don't you dare joke about something like that to me!"

Jade blinked at seeing the fierceness in the other girl's eyes. It really wasn't something she saw too often, but wasn't intimidated as she finished, "I'm not joking. His angel healed him up as compensation for what _your angel_ did to him, but Freddie didn't even ask for it. You know what he asked for? My grandfather has his nose back he lost in the war and can now walk without a cane. André's grandmother doesn't have dementia anymore and Cat's brother isn't messed up in the head." She took a step forward to look Carly straight in the eyes and finish in a dismissive tone, "He even asked her to heal Sam. Can you believe that? Heal that bitch up after all she's done... all what you let her do to him."

The younger of the pale teenagers turned and took the few steps up to Carly's bed and picked up the bunny costume. "What's this?"

Carly remained silent for a few seconds, apparently stung from the barb. She eventually shook her head and glanced to the floor. "It's nothing."

The green streaked haired teenager examined it for a moment then looked to Carly with a look of accusation. "Is this blood?"

The web-hostess slightly bowed her head and whispered out, "Yes... it's Freddie's."

Jade immediately frowned and gave Carly a cold stare.

Carly seemed numb to the expression as she replied, "I was wearing that when Freddie was hit... threw himself in front of the taco truck to save me. I was holding him as we waited for the ambulance."

Jade clenched her jaw tight as she felt a momentary stab of pain at just imagining what Freddie looked like and the pain he must have went through while having to wait for an ambulance. She snorted out sharply to help push the pain down then asked, "Why are you looking at it now?"

"Because..." Carly slightly frowned in confusion as she looked up to the equally confused fellow brunette. Her brow furled as she asked, "You don't know when it happened?"

Jade gritted out as she hated to admit, "I just know it happened a few years ago. We never saw the need to go into detail about him nearly dying for someone who couldn't give enough of a damn to simply say stop to the girl who was making his life a living Hell."

Carly bowed her head and sucked in a deep breath. Instead of trying to make some verbal comeback and mitigate her guilt, she answered, "Monday will be two years ago. Two years ago that he saved my life and we..." She shook her head as she couldn't continue.

The Angeleno took a breath and put on a cold expression. The darker parts of her psyche continued with the intention of metaphorically twisting the knife, "You made your choice. You let him walk out. You didn't tell him he was wrong and you didn't have to love him right at that moment to make it work, but you let him fall on his sword _for you_ because he loved you... and you let him know you weren't interested in him by dating Steven."

She took a few calming breaths as she stared at the Seattleite, but was caught off guard as Carly cracked a soft smile. "You think saying out loud what has gone through my mind a thousand times is going to hurt me any more than I've hurt myself?"

Jade dropped the costume back on the bed and took a few steps down to meet Carly's eyes. "Well you should hurt, especially after your last broadcast to try to humiliate him."

Carly snapped back in outrage, "Humiliate? I was trying to apologize and let everyone know it was my fault and not to blame him. I want him to live in peace!" She bowed her head and let out a tired breath and finished, "Live in peace... without me."

Jade held her tongue for a moment instead of verbally cutting into her and let her know that the complete opposite happened. As much as she would have enjoyed hurting her, she did have after all a more important reason for making the trip to see the girl.

She was about to get started, but Carly was quicker as she pulled herself together enough to ask, "You wanted to talk?"

Jade looked her straight in the eye and spoke unequivocally, "Yes… I hate you."

Carly pursed her lips and briefly lowered her eyes to look at the floor. She looked back up and blew out a breath. She calmly retorted, "You came all this way so you could say that to me in person?"

The fellow pale teenager shook her head and crossed her arms under her chest. "No, but I thought we should start this conversation off with the truth."

Carly slightly turned her head and gave a quick nod.

Jade wanted to look Carly in the eyes as she spoke, but the web-hostess apparently didn't have the courage to give her that consideration as she kept her gaze in the general direction of the floor. She decided to continue anyway, "Most people irritate me or annoy me in some form or fashion… some outright inconvenience or sabotage me, so I don't like most of them—"

Carly let out a morbid laugh, "I guess that's something you share with Sam."

Jade deeply frowned at her for a moment before answering in a cold tone, "The only thing I share with Sam is that we both hate the word panties and if you dare compare me to that gank again I just may change my mind about beating the chizz out of you."

Carly quickly closed her mouth and remained silent for a few moments waiting for the fellow pale teenager to continue.

The actress took several calming breaths and looked away from the other girl as the mere sight of her could get her blood boiling if she wasn't careful. After a few moments, she looked back to Carly and continued, "I don't hate people. Don't like them, perhaps, but you… you're different from the rest, even from Tori… _I hate you_. You have no idea how much you hurt me... more than any other person in my life other than my fath—"

"I'm sorry."

Jade instantly frowned as she was caught off guard by the statement. She clenched her jaw tightly for a moment then snapped, "I don't want your damn apology."

Carly lowered her gaze and whispered out, "You have it anyway."

Jade clenched her jaw tight and shuffled from one foot to the other.

The Seattleite took a tired breath and looked up to meet Jade's eyes again. "Okay, since we got that out of the way, what do you really want to talk about?"

Jade pointed at her face and demanded, "You owe me and I'm collecting."

Carly took a sharp breath. "What can I possibly do to make it up to you for what I accidentally did?"

The other pale teenager raised an eyebrow and dismissively commented, "Accidentally?"

"YES!"

Jade actually took a step back being so caught off guard from the outburst.

The brunette started taking quick breaths as she continued with a desperation in her voice, "I didn't mean to sabotage your night! I didn't mean for Freddie to just drop everything he was doing to save us. I told Nora time and time again that she was wasting her time. I told her Freddie wasn't going to come, but just call the cops on her! He wasn't just going to leave you." She clenched her mouth shut for a moment and started blinking as the first tears started running down her cheeks. "But he did show up and saved us—" She clenched her eyes shut tight for a moment and bit her bottom lip so hard that Jade for a moment thought it would start bleeding. She blinked opening her eyes to look through her tears to meet Jade's eyes and hitch out a breath, "And he thinks I did it on purpose to hurt him. Now he hates me and wishes I would go to Hell!"

Carly covered her face with her hands and muffled her shout of frustration and pain. The older teenager by two days started weeping and sobbing into her hands for a few moments before her legs collapsed from under her and she dropped hard on her bottom on the carpeted floor.

Jade's jaw slacked and looked down at the girl stunned at the sight. Her first instinct was to think the girl was acting, but the sight triggering her own memory of nearly crying her soul out when Beck broke up with more than half a year ago made her realize that Carly couldn't fake that level of pain and her appearance before lent credence to that truth. She may not have been sure of exactly what Carly was regretting, but she finally believed for the first time that Carly truly felt sorry.

Jade knelt down next to Carly and cautiously wrapped her arms around the girl in another life could have been her stepsister. At first Carly ignored the contact, but soon leaned into the embrace and the pair slowly started rocking back and forth as Carly cried her heart out.

The Angeleno swallowed down her uncertainty as she didn't know what to do. "Shhh... it's... I don't know, but..." she trailed off as she didn't have the words. She decided the only thing she could do was hold her as Cat had held her on New Years.

Jade wasn't sure how long Carly cried, but at some point the older teenager finally stopped and rested her head on Jade's shoulder. They remained silent as the pair just sat in the center of the web-hostess' room for even longer until Carly finally whispered out, "Why are you here? Really? Are you here to punish me?"

Jade let out a tired breath. She didn't have all the details worked out before arriving in dealing with the girl, but sitting beside Carly Shay and holding her close as a mother would her child was not how she pictured confronting the Seattleite. She expected completely to dominate the conversation and outright bully the girl into helping her if necessary without considering Carly's feelings in the slightest.

The pale green streaked hair girl swallowed down nervously then whispered, "I... I need your help in saving Freddie."

Carly lifted her head and looked to Jade completely dumbfounded. Jade could see that her eyes were now completely bloodshot and the dark bags under her eyes were clearly visible.

"You're right, Freddie does hate you and it's... it's starting to affect him... in a very bad way and I need your help."

Carly sniffled and furled her brow with a confused expression.

"He's so... he has this underlining anger just eating away at him and he's pretending it isn't there. He thinks he's made peace with all the betrayal he feels from... you, but he's not and it's poisoning him. He didn't come back to me whole and New Years Day."

Jade clenched her jaw tight for a moment then hissed out as if saying the words physically hurt her, "He _has to forgive you_, not for your benefit, but for his if he's going to be Freddie again. We have to find a way for Freddie to let go of that hate and forgive you. You owe him that much."

Carly looked at Jade for a moment as if she had lost her mind. "What?"

The brunette swallowed down the bile she felt nearly came up from the pit of her stomach. "It's going to poison his soul. I won't let you do that to him. I will not let what you did, whether you meant it or not, twist the memory of you into something toxic and change him into someone he doesn't want to be."

The slightly older brunette looked down and whispered out, "What do you want me to do?"

Jade remained silent for a moment then admitted, "I don't know. I don't have all the details worked out. I just know you two have to talk at some point. _I need you_ when I figure out a way for him to even give you the time to speak. Will you help me?"

* * *

Sam and Dusty were sitting across from one another at the kitchen table. The web-hostess was sitting with her back to the back door of the apartment and was giving the web-master a cold stare as she ate her sandwich while he had his back to the separating counter of the kitchen and living room as he gave her an expression that best could be described as studying a specimen in biology class.

Spencer stood behind the kitchen island hoping that the pair wouldn't have a confrontation. Sam hurting Jade's tagalong friend wouldn't help the situation, but he had a feeling that it wouldn't be that clear cut as every other person Spencer had seen or heard Sam face since Sam screamed out she thought the young man was breaking her hand.

Dusty broke the silence by idly commenting, "You're prettier in person."

Sam stopped mid-bite of the turkey sandwich and gave him an incredulous expression. "You nearly break my hand; now you come on to me?"

Dusty shrugged a shoulder. "Mmm... take it anyway you want. I'm just commenting on my observation and for the record: you put your hands on me first." He leaned slightly forward and narrowed his gaze on her while whispering, "If you're ready to throw down with someone, don't start whining if they actually fight back. You can only bully so many people 'til you meet someone who's willing to give you a bloody nose."

She gave him a challenging smirk and sarcastically asked, "You think you're the one to do it?"

Dusty grinned and leaned back in the chair. "Wouldn't I be number three or four after Jade and Freddie and whoever messed your face up back in September or was it October?"

However before she could snap back a response, he slightly tilted his head to the side and narrowed his look to the blonde then asked, "Maybe I can't. Maybe you can beat the mess out of me with your super strength and I'm just all bluster or..." He relaxed back in his seat with a smirk and finished, "...maybe I can pound you into the ground just like all those jackasses I had to deal with at my old high school who thought," he shifted his tone to an exaggeration of his Southern accent, "oh country cracker boy is easy pickin's. It'll be fun making him our little bitch."

Sam frowned and snorted out her rebuilding irritation of the visitor.

He dropped back to his normal tone and snorted out, "You're just like them aren't you?" He flicked his brow up then continued, "I mean, from what I understand, you've been this bully who just likes hurting people because you get off on it and apparently everyone has let you get by with everything because you don't have a daddy or your mom doesn't love you or... you have a vagina instead of a penis, but... it's Carly that is having to suffer for what you've done, isn't it?"

Sam sat her sandwich down on her plate and gave him a dumbfounded expression.

Dusty's mouth formed a big grin and raised an eyebrow. "Nothing really bad has happened to you. Think about it. It's actually gotten better for you. Okay, you got a scar and banged up a little bit from Jade, but you're all better, especially after Christmas. You treated Freddie like he was a piece of shit you needed to scrap off the bottom of your shoe and now you don't have to put up with him at all. You're dating your camera boy for the last couple of months and now you got your looks back with that scar gone." He let out a soft laugh as he finished, "I'm betting you're still doing pretty much anything you want without anyone saying a word as long as Carly or Mister Shay here isn't catching you."

He shook his head and commented with a regretful tone, "She's having to pay for her and _your_ sins."

Sam jumped up from her chair to lean forward and shouted, "You don't know chizz about me or Carly!"

"I don't?" he asked with mock surprise as he leaned slightly leaned his head back to look up at her. "So I got it wrong? You haven't bullied people for all these years and treated them as your play things? You haven't gotten away with things time and time again that would have landed anyone else in juvie? Is all that one big lie? Did Jade make all that up?" He motioned his head back towards the stairs and continued, "Carly _isn't_ falling apart?"

Sam stood up straight and took a deep breath through her nose.

Dusty frowned and whispered out with a cold tone, "Look at her, girl's always been pale on the show and in pictures, but that's ridiculous. Does her sleepwear always hang on her like that?"

Spencer swallowed down as he glanced down at the kitchen island. He had thought it was just his imagination over the last week that Carly's clothing was a little looser on her than normal.

Sam answered with a hollowed whisper, "That's Freddie's fault for leaving."

The Southern teenager snorted out a breath through his nose and shook his head. "You can't see past your own blasted nose can you? You have not one bit of guilt for what you've done and while your friend is falling apart in front of your eyes, you do nothing but sit on your ass and blame anyone but yourself."

The blonde growled then reached across to the left side of the table with her right hand and jerked hard enough to toss the table completely over to its side, spilling her food on the Shays' kitchen floor and out of the way between her and Dusty. She took a step to ready to knock him out of his seat, but Dusty instantly stood up to meet her challenge.

She paused just long enough from Dusty's matching stare for Spencer to dash around the kitchen island and throw out his hands and shout, "Whoa! No fighting!"

Sam shouted while the pair was nearly nose to nose, "It's not going to be a fight Spencer; I'm just going to knock his head off."

"Go ahead and try. It still doesn't change the truth and that's what you are too afraid to face: your pride is stronger than your love for her."

She growled out then pulled back her right arm and closed her fist tight and was in mid-swing as Carly called out just as she and Jade had started making their way down the stairs, "Sam stop!"

The blonde ignored her and continued with her swing, but Dusty was simply able to back step and lean backwards enough so that she completely missed him.

The Southern teenager snorted out, "You just as good tweeted me before taking that swing."

His insult just infuriated the web-hostess and was about to take another swing, but Spencer immediately jumped in front of Sam.

Carly and Jade immediately ran to the kitchen with Carly taking a place by Sam's side while Jade took a place by Dusty's side.

Carly admonished Sam with a curt tone, "Stop." The blonde frowned, but heeded the brunette's instructions.

The actress rested a hand on Dusty's arm and asked with genuine concern, "Are you okay?"

He softly smirked as he casually answered, "I'm fine—"

Sam snapped out, "You're just lucky Carly called out when she did or you would be eating the floor."

Dusty rolled his eyes and dismissively commented, "That's experience, not luck; there's a difference. You might have some if someone had taught you how to fight or you actually been in some real ones instead of hitting people that won't hit you back or relying solely on your super strength to power through. You were too slow in pulling back and shifting your weight. You should have just thrown a quick jab then followed up with the right hook to drive me back into the counter."

Sam bit her tongue as Spencer step away from standing between the pair. She apparently decided to drop it as she looked Carly up and down as if examining her to make sure that Jade didn't hurt her. "She didn't hurt you did she?"

Carly spared the briefest of glances to Jade then answered, "No, we had a... we had a nice talk."

Dusty looked to Jade for confirmation and the pale teenager gave him a slight nod. "Yes we did."

He gave back a curious expression as he slowly asked, "So... are you done? Are we going now?"

The pale Hollywood Arts student took a breath then replied softly, "No." Jade gave Spencer a hesitant look then asked, "Spencer, could I talk to you for a minute... in private?"

The artist looked a little hesitant and confused with the request. He looked to Carly almost as if asking her permission. She looked just as confused and no real help to the older Shay. He looked back to Jade and laughed out nervously, "Okay, sure why not?"

Dusty clapped his hands together and excitedly looked to Carly. "You know, I would love that tour of the iCarly studios."

Carly slightly frowned and furled her brow in confusion as she commented, "I don't remembering ever offering one."

He continued with a joyful laugh, "Let's pretend you did so we can give them a perfectly justifiable reason to talk alone so it isn't awkward for us not to be here?"

Carly answered by shaping her mouth into an 'O', "Oh." She started her way back to the stairs, but paused as she realized that he wasn't following her. She looked back to see that he and Sam were staring at one another again.

The Southern teenager glanced to the dirty blonde and answered with an even tone and expression, "You first."

She shook her head and lifted her hands. "You know what? I'm going to see what Brad's doing and I'll just come back after they leave." She looked to Dusty and glared hard as she finished, "No point in staying if you won't let beat the fudge out of them." She headed past him to the freight elevator then took out her frustration by repeatedly pressing the button for the elevator. They all remained silent as the elevator door opened a few seconds later and she stepped inside.

Carly let out a tired breath and shook her head. She looked back to Dusty and asked, "Ready for that tour?"

He put on a bright smile and answered with a charming tone, "I would love to my lady."

She slipped on a bashful smile.

Jade called out, "Take your time, we'll need a few minutes."

Dusty nodded then followed Carly up the stairs.

Jade looked back to Spencer as he was pulling the table back up on its legs and surprising herself, helped by grabbing the other end. Once the table was back on its feet, Spencer nervously asked, "So, what do you want to talk about?"

Jade glanced to the floor for a moment and took a deep breath then looked back up at Spencer. "You know your dad visited L.A. after his last visit with you... just in time for the whole Nevel thing and I saw the ah... friction between your dad and mine, so do you know why your dad has a problem with mine? I figured you probably know something; you were old enough to understand what was going on during the divorce. I think your dad had something to do with the custody fight with me."

Spencer put on a slight frown. He cleared his throat and cautiously answered, "I was nearly twenty-one at the time that your mom and dad divorced and... yeah, so I'm aware of _some_ stuff."

"Would you tell me? Please? Can we just..." She motioned a hand toward the stairs as she finished, "...keep it separate from everything else that's going on?"

Spencer hesitated for a moment as he studied the pale teenager. "I... yes, I'll tell you what I know. I don't think I'm betraying any confidences so... do you know how long our parents have been friends?"

"I know that they've known each other since high school."

He let a slight smirk form on his face. "It's been longer than that... I think since they were seven. They've known each other practically their whole lives. It kind of _sets the stage _for everything else if you know what I mean... you have to look at everything... _that way_."

Jade nodded along and waited for him to continue even as she felt the slight twinge of feeling conflicted over the idea that someone loving her mom, possibly more than maybe her father once did with her mother.

"So... Mister West _broke_ your mother's heart. That alone made dad... furious, but then he tried to take you away from her during the divorce. He wanted _full custody of you_. He wanted to raise you without any input from your mom. It's not hard to imagine that my dad would be quite upset over the matter. Mom had just died the year before, he was bouncing between being trained to be a Special Operator and Afghanistan then that happened: Mister West decided that he wanted out of his marriage and wanting to take you with him. I don't know the exact details, but I know dad talked to your dad and afterwards, he dropped the custody fight and agreed to basically everything your mother wanted."

Jade took a slow breath as she looked to him with a guarded expression. She quietly asked, "Are you saying your father threatened my father?"

"I'm saying it wouldn't be out of my dad's character to do such a thing. Do you know the story of Glenn? My dad loves your mom and I think he would do anything for her and you, but my father is not a forgiving man... so... making sure your mom made off like a bandit in the divorce was not only the right thing in my dad's mind, but a little payback for the hurt Mister West caused your mom."

The pale girl slightly bowed her head as she contemplated what he said and it was fitting perfectly about Colonel Shay from what she overheard when he and her mother spoke on Monday. She looked back up to him with a bashful expression and softly asked, "Why would he care about me so much?"

Spencer smiled at what he saw was her naïveté. "You're Ruby's daughter."

She knotted her eyebrows and pursed her lips as she eyed him. She responded with evident disbelief in her voice, "That's it?"

He softly laughed and shrugged his shoulders, "What more is there? You're the daughter of the woman he's loved since he was seven."

She responded with a challenging tone as his words set off something in her heart that railed against his words in disbelief, "If he loves her so much why didn't _he_ marry my mother? Why did he stop caring about me after the divorce? Why hasn't he really been a part of my life if he cares about me and just started back after Freddie left Seattle? Hell, he hasn't even been a part of Carly's life for the last couple of years and you've seen how that's turned out..."

Spencer frowned and surprised Jade by giving her such a cold stare that she couldn't finish her sentence. It was similar enough to his father's stare that she saw give Nevel that she felt a slight twinge down her spine. He whispered out coldly, "I've asked myself why he didn't marry your mom many times after mom died and your mom's divorce, but he didn't stop loving you or Carly. You go bury Freddie, go fight in World War Three a month later while trying to explain to your seven year old daughter why her daddy is in Heaven when he's the last person that should have left this Earth and you come back and tell me how well you handled it better."

Jade actually blushed in embarrassment and bowed her head for a moment.

He took a step towards her as he wasn't apparently finished, but she couldn't look up to meet his eyes, "He may not have been here since you know, he's been busy in Afghanistan, Iraq, a dozen other places he'll probably never be able to tell us about... Yerba, you know he went to Yerba, but he's done his best. He trusted me enough to look after Carly when I wanted the job instead of having her live with Uncle Barry... and that's my failure. We've never went lacking for anything and had enough for our 'family pet' as you called Sam and you're living in your nice house because he made sure Mister West moved out, not you and your mother and I'm betting he's never been late with one child support or alimony check."

Jade felt the heat on her cheeks from her blush deepening and further feelings of embarrassment. She finally looked up at his eyes as he finished, "You'll judge Carly for what she's done and I can't persuade you otherwise, but don't you judge my father... not after what he's done for you... what he was willing to do for you on Monday, because he would have killed them and Nevel without a second thought if he had to do that to protect you."

She had to look down again and swallow down her churning feelings. She cleared her throat and tried to casually nod along, "Thanks Spencer... for being honest with me. I'm glad... you could clear that up for me."

The artist took a breath and felt the need to clear his own throat as he suddenly felt uncomfortable. He was able to choke out, "Yeah, sure... not a problem."

The pair stood as the awkward silence fell between them and looked anywhere but at each other. The moments dragged on until they both looked up and started at the same time, "Jade—Spencer—"

They both let out a tired laugh in relieving the awkwardness.

Jade blew out a tired breath and looked up with a cautious expression. "Spencer, my father... my father hates me and doesn't understand me. He doesn't get creative people—"

Spencer whistled and glanced away for a moment as he answered, "Oh I know that."

She raised her pierced eyebrow.

He smirked as he explained, "I remember from my early teenage years that he couldn't stand being in the same room with my mom... her being an artist and all."

Jade nodded in agreement with a slightly relieved smile. "Right... he... loves my 'new' stepbrother more than me. Maybe I was hoping that there was another reason after seeing what I saw Monday that he... maybe... the reason why he isn't really in my life..."

"You could absolve him for not being there? Not be mad at him because it wasn't his fault?"

She regretfully answered, "I guess so."

"I... I'm sorry Jade, but the only one that stopped Mister West from being a part of your life was him. The only thing my dad did was stopping him from taking you from your mom and I know she didn't forbid him from being involved."

"She's always hoped that he would be more involved... how does Carly do it? For your dad not being here all the time? I don't get the feeling she resents him."

He gave her a sympathetic look and answered, "You'll have to ask her."

The pale teenager blew out a breath as she knew she did not want to be asking for anything more from Carly. "How do you deal with it?"

He smiled even if it may not have been sensitive. "I'm an adult... most of the time. He was here most of the time besides the first Gulf War and Kosovo, so I didn't miss out on a lot of things you and Carly did."

The singer slightly shook her head and wore a tired smile. She looked back up to him with a grateful smile. "Thank you Spencer."

"You're welcome." He shrugged his shoulders then asked, "Did you and Carly work things out?"

She blew out a breath and answered, "No, but... we're on the same page about something."

He raised an eyebrow as he was completely confused as to what she could mean.

She smiled and playfully commented, "You'll have to ask her."

Spencer broke into a soft laughter and shook his head.

Again, the pair stood in silence, but not an uncomfortable one.

"I guess I should be going, but... I'm curious about one last thing,"

"Oh?"

She lifted a corner of her mouth asked in a relaxed tone, "I know I hadn't seen you since I was a child, but why didn't you recognize me when we met up at the hot tub when all of you came down the first time to bust Steven?"

He let out a soft laugh and put on a big grin. "Your teacher had just nearly given me a heart attack popping out of the water. He did the same thing to you and scared you half to death. I couldn't even answer you with complete words when you and Beck walked up. I hadn't seen you since you were eight I think and I just didn't recognize you all grown up." He laughed out awkwardly, "I didn't make the connection between the little girl and well... you in that bikini."

A small smile formed on her face and she glanced away as she whispered out, "Yeah I did grow, _especially_ in eighth grade."

He furled his brow and asked, "What?"

She gave him a sympathetic expression at him being so clueless that she wouldn't usually had months ago, but things had somewhat changed on how she looked at people. "Never mind. So, I'll head up and get Dusty. We need to get going."

She started her way up the stairs, but Spencer called out, "Jade?"

She stopped at the middle landing and looked over her shoulder, "Yeah?"

He paused and she could see that he wanted to say something, something to have them leave off better than when she got here, but didn't know exactly what to say until he blew out a defeated breath and asked, "Say hi to your mom for me?"

She gave him a quick nod of her head with a reassuring smile then went up the stairs.

* * *

Carly opened the door and allowed Dusty to enter the studio. The L.A. immigrant slowly walked into the loft like floor and whistled out as he looked across the room he had only seen on-line over the last four years. He let out a soft laugh and a big smile formed on his face as he whispered, "Okay, this is a little surreal."

She closed the door behind them then walked up behind him with soft sound of her sock covered feet pitter-pattering across the hardwood floor. She whispered out, "It's not much to really look at."

He shrugged a shoulder as he casually walked around the room. "It's not that, it's just being here." He took a moment to stop at the car prop and patted his fingertips across the flame painted hood. "Like I told you before Christmas, I've been watching the show from the start. I never thought I'd actually be here one day."

"Glad to make one fan happy."

He turned slightly to look at her with a smile as he continued walking. "At least I'm not Mandy right?"

She let out a soft laugh. "No, I guess not."

"She probably had different reasons for being a fan than me."

She tilted her head slightly to the side and curiously asked, "Oh, why did you start watching?"

He turned to face her with a bashful smile. "This cute little brunette caught my eye. I guess she was my first celebrity crush at fourteen. I'm not saying the comedy wasn't great, but... I wasn't watching just for the comedy."

Carly let out a genuine laugh as she looked away with a little blush forming on her unusually paler cheeks. He let out a soft chuckle as he watched her.

She looked back at him and playfully asked, "I guess if you were in Seattle, you would have showed up in wanting to take me to my school dance—"

He raised an eyebrow and answered, "After Sam handcuffed you to a chair a few years ago? Yeah, I would have showed up." He winked and finished, "And you would have chose me."

"Oh? You're so sure?"

He grinned as he confidently replied, "You couldn't have resisted my Southern charm."

Carly looked away as she let out a laugh and Dusty started walking around the perimeter of the studio. He stopped in front of the hammer imbedded into the wall from one of Spencer's sculptures back in late '07. "This is the hammer?"

"Yep that's the hammer."

He looked over his shoulder and blew out a breath. "That almost cracked your skull open. You have some quick reflexes."

"Yeah... my granddad was furious. He wanted me to live with him after that. He didn't think Spencer was responsible enough to look after me, but he changed his mind at the last minute."

"I bet your father wasn't too happy when he found out that your grandpa tried to pull that,"

Carly looked at him with a curious expression. "Oh? Why do you think that?"

He completely turned to face the web-hostess and casually laughed off, "If your dad wanted you to live with your grandpa, you would have lived with him from the start. It sounds kind of underhanded thing to pull by him."

She took a few steps toward him and explained with a hint of offence, "No, it's just that if something ever happened where Spencer couldn't look after me, I'd live with my granddad."

He slightly frowned and asked curiously, "And your dad gave the final decision of who decides whether your brother is fit or not to your grandpa? Would your dad really relinquish that kind of decision? 'I want her to live with my son, but if you ever think he's not good enough, you can take her without talking to me'. Does that pass the smell test for you?"

The brunette slightly frowned then answered quickly, but Dusty could hear the doubt in her voice, "Granddad talked to my dad... he had to give permission even if I thought it was a little crazy because he had been on the submarine for too long."

Dusty blinked several times and let his mouth dropped open to comment, "Ah... Carly, your dad is in the _Air Force_ not the Navy; why would he be on a sub? And exactly when could your granddad have talked to him when they are out of communication for weeks at a time underwater? You can't e-mail them at sea. You can't pick up a phone and call."

Carly blinked as her face fell with apparently processing the question he asked and not liking the conclusions she was drawing with her grandfather.

Dusty looked down somewhat embarrassed for leading the girl down that train of thought. "Sorry, it just a little odd to see how other families operate."

She softly shook her head and tried to reassure him, "No, it's alright. I just... never gave it much thought... that my granddad could have lied to me. How does it work in your family?"

He gave a bashful smile. "We have a few simple rules: blood is thicker than water, you are your brother's keeper and... Cain and Abel can go fuck themselves with the betrayal... if you'll pardon my language."

She nodded bashfully then kept her eyes of the floor for a few moments while he remained silent to let her process whatever she was thinking. She finally looked up and pointed at his shirt, "I like your Penny-T, but I'm not sure of the meaning."

He looked down at his shirt and realized what she was doing, but played along, "Oh? It's ah... supporting you and Sam."

Carly slightly frowned with confusion.

He grinned and explained, "Carly plus Sam equals Cam, like Creddie and Seddie."

"Oh... wait, that's for couples; Sam and I aren't—"

"Some of us just think your friendship on the show is cute and well... sometimes you two just make some wonder if it's something more. I'm surprised you didn't get some of those questions at the WebiCon; everyone sure was interested about who was dating Freddie."

Her eyes shot open in shock as if it was the first time she was hearing such a thing about her and Sam.

He shrugged a shoulder. "People ship who they ship."

Carly remained silent contemplating what he had spoken while he casually made his way to the two steps near the back of the studio that led to the slightly raised level to the window and behind the stage. He had a seat on the top step and smiled to the troubled web-hostess. He patted to his right and asked, "Just stop and take a moment. I'm taking the moment. I've never taken the moment."

She raised an eyebrow and gave him a curious expression. She walked over and had a seat next to him with her feet resting on the next step so her knees were high enough to use as a pillow if necessary then asked bracing her right elbow on her right knee so she could rest her right cheek in her palm, "What do you mean?"

He rested his forearms on his knees as his feet rested flat on the floor. He tilted his head slightly to look at her while he answered, "I'm sitting in the iCarly Studio with Carly Shay, nearly got into a fist fight with Sam and I'm friends with Freddie." He blew out a breath and shook his head. Dusty let a soft smile play on his face. "It's kind of weird to be friends with someone you've watched for years as a sort of celebrity and I've never really took the moment to process that."

"I don't think about it that way that much. It was a big shock actually seeing at least some of our fans at WebiCon. We just see it as having fun and entertaining our fans not as us as really celebrities."

"It's a healthy attitude. We have plenty of prima donnas at Hollywood Arts... and I'm not going to name any you might know."

Carly giggled then commented, "The girls swamped Freddie."

"Well he is pretty good looking."

Carly lifted her head and looked to him with a curious expression.

"Stare all you want; I'm quite secure in my heterosexuality. It's the ones that are still struggling to figure it out that should have our sympathies."

She shook her head and put on another smile. She realized she hadn't smiled this much since before the New Year. "Sam had to rescue him."

He dismissively commented, "Well I guess that super strength of hers finally was put to some good use instead of well..."

She brought her legs up to rest the bottom of her feet on the floor and rested her forearms over her knees. She rested her right cheek over one of her folded arms and commented with a regretful tone, "Sam could have really hurt you."

He snorted out and a laughed, "It takes more than super strength to win a fight..." He calmed his breath the finish, "...it doesn't save all those things that go bump in the night from being sent back to Purgatory or Hell. I would have given her an unpleasant surprise."

She curiously asked, "So you've been in a lot of fights?"

Dusty gave her a charming smile as he replied, "We country boys know how to scuffle anyway, but... dad didn't raise any pushover and the high school I originally attended when we first got to L.A. wasn't exactly the friendliest of places. I had no intention of being someone's little bitch if you'll pardon the expression. You put a few on the ground and it causes the rest to have second thoughts about wanting to pick a fight or try to push you around. They don't find it all that fun when having to doctor a bloody nose and bruises for their troubles. You still had to watch your back in case someone wants to shank you in the back, but peace through strength worked. It would be nice if it was peace through understanding, but you'll find out that a lot of people don't care one bit to understand."

She nodded along to his explanation that let some of her hair fall across her left cheek, but not cover her eyes yet then asked, "You don't have that problem at Hollywood Arts I assume?"

He let out a soft chuckle as he looked away for a moment. "It's ah... it's a more subtle form of warfare."

"Oh?"

"Yes... it's still high school and there is a hierarchy. You just navigate it differently there."

She let out a soft chuckle which caused the rest of the strands of hair on her cheek to fall in her face. Dusty reached over instinctively to brush the hair out of her face and behind her left ear with his right handed fingers.

Once the hairs were out of her face, she gave him a smile from the gesture and he pulled his hand back, but was immediately shocked that he had pulled strands of her hair away between his fingers. "Oh my God," he whispered in shock as he looked at the hairs between his fingers.

She frowned and looked away from his concerned expression.

He rested his right forearm on his right knee as he stretch out his legs then whispered out with a sad tone, "Oh Carly... you are a mess."

She swallowed audibly and answered softly without looking at him, "That's an understatement."

He asked without a second thought, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

She cracked a tired smile as she finally met his eyes. "Can you turn back time so I can do it all over again?"

His shoulders slumped as he gave her a sympathetic expression. He scooted over and wrapped his right around her upper back and shoulders. She instinctively leaned over and just let him hold her. He cleared his throat then whispered, "Time travel is usually more trouble than it's worth from what I hear."

She blew out a tired breath through her nose. The room seemed to become eerily quiet as she asked just barely breaking the silence, "Then I don't know what else you could do."

"An ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on and a voice to speak for you... that's what I can offer you."

She lifted her head off his shoulder and gave him a surprised expression then whispered, "Thank you."

He slightly nodded his head. "You're welcome Miss Shay."

The red trim glass door open with a knock and Jade hesitantly stepped inside the studio. She gave the pair a hesitant expression then looked to Dusty to ask, "You ready to go?"

He gave Carly a quick smile then looked back to Jade. "I guess I am." He pulled his arm away from around her shoulders and stuffed the stray hairs into his pocket as he had no real idea what to do with it then patted his knees and stood up. He offered a hand to Carly which she accepted to stand up.

Dusty gave a nod to the Seattleite and bid farewell, "Nice to meet you in person Miss Shay." He gently took her right hand then kissed her knuckles. He looked up and smiled to her as he held her hand. "Take care of yourself Miss Shay."

She gave him a bashful smile. "It was nice to meet you too Dusty." She looked over to Jade and the fellow pale teenager commented, "I'll be in touch."

She acknowledged her with a nod of her head.

Jade walked around the small divider on the side of the elevator and reached for the button to the call for the elevator. As the elevator opened, Jade called out to Carly with a strange mix of annoyance and concern, "You might want to eat something."

Carly rolled her eyes and sarcastically replied, "Gee thanks."

The pair stepped into the elevator and Dusty lifted a hand to give her a small wave.

The web-hostess waved back as the door dropped down in front of them.

Jade gave him a sideways glance and asked, "Flirting with her a little bit back there?"

He let out a soft chuckle, "What? And cheat on the girl that's seduced me into going away with her for a day trip?" Jade shook her head and looked up at the ceiling of the elevator and he let out a soft laugh. "That's just Southern Charm. I kind of pity you that you didn't get the chance to experience some before getting with Freddie."

She sarcastically answered, but not too harshly, "I guess I'll have to file that away as one of those life regrets."

Dusty glanced over to the floor display and curiously asked as they had passed the first floor of the apartment, "You're not going to stop by and speak with Freddie's mom?"

The smile left the pale actress' face as she answered with a bitter tone, "No, I don't want to be called a whore to my face."

Dusty took a sharp breath.

The silence hung between them as they passed another floor indicated by the display.

She wrapped her arms around herself as she continued with a soft tone as she could feel his eyes on her, "Freddie and I have had sex and his mother is against pre-marital sex... Freddie's never been too thrilled with it either, but when she found out she called me a whore to Carly and the rest."

Dusty turned his focus to the elevator door where Jade was keeping her eyes. He whispered out with a sympathetic tone, "You're not a whore. I may subscribe to the same policy, but what you and Freddie consensually do among yourselves is your own business... but I reserve the right to call Ryder Daniels a manwhore and anyone like him one... such as my father use to be."

She turned her head and gave him a small smile. "Thanks."

As the elevator was nearly to the main floor, Jade asked with a curious tone while still looking at the elevator door, "Your dad said you took after your uncle at his age... was your dad really a 'manwhore'?"

He laughed out, "Yep, that is why I'm a bastard."

Her smile dropped from her face as she gave him a shocked expression. "I... I didn't think you had that kind of opinion about yourself."

He rolled his eyes and softly laughed out, "No, I mean literally as in my parents weren't married when I was conceived or born, but after her, he stopped. He's been trying to find that again ever since." His tone dropped to one of reflection as he finished, "I think that's what my dad was always looking for... someone to love and be loved."

The pale actress whispered out as the elevator stopped, "Isn't everyone?"

The Southern teenager cracked a smile and answered, "I guess you're right."

As the pair exited the elevator, Dusty asked, "So, back to the airport?"

She shook her head. "No, we have another stop to make before we head home... actually two."

Mount Pleasant Cemetery  
700 West Raye Street  
Seattle, WA

Jade knelt down and laid a white rose in front of the headstone then, perhaps out of instinct to show her respects, gently placed her hand on top of the headstone.

_Taylor Faye Shay_

_Teacher, Friend, Sister, Daughter, Mother, Wife_

_The World is a Little Less Joyful without You_

_January 1963 – August 2001_

The singer stood up and continued looking at the polished headstone as the chilly air of the mid-day blew through her dark hair. Dusty stood beside her with an impassive expression with his hood on his head and hands stuffed in his pockets.

She gave a sideward glance to the taller teenager and whispered, "My mother made me promise that I would stop and leave a flower."

He leaned over and whispered into her ear, "Take your time."

She gave him a questioning expression as he pulled back to meet her eyes.

"You may want to take the opportunity to talk to her... I know she'll be listening." Dusty turned and headed back to the rental car.

Jade watched him for a few seconds as he made his way back to the car then knelt back down then took a seat cattycorner to the headstone. She blew out a soft breath then started, "Hi Mrs. Shay... I'm Jade West... Ruby's daughter, but I guess you already knew that. It's been a long time since you've seen... it's been a long time for us I guess. I'm sorry that I don't remember much of you, but... if you could take a little time from Heaven, I would appreciate the ear..."

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm going to try my best to get the next chapter to celebrate the Season Premiere of Victorious this Saturday.

I hope you liked some insight into Jade and the rest of the characters with the use of me possibly 'massaging' some of the canon or my interpretations of some events to make some points. Also, I created Mrs. Shay's name from Taylor being Carly's middle name (and Miranda Cosgrove's) and Faye being Carly's Dorfman cousin who I'm assuming is Mrs. Shay's brother's daughter and was named after her.

Finally, I know some of you might pick up some quotes from Dusty... and I'm saying right now that I have no idea what you are talking about ;)


	6. Chapter 6: The Best Couple Part 1

Author's Note: Hello my dear readers. I hope you had a great week.

This chapter is meant to celebrate the Season Premiere of Victorious… that I missed due to my cable going out just hours before it came on then came back on an hour later. I'm annoyed, but I will get to see it tomorrow and I did take advantage of the time to further work on this story. As you can tell, this is Part 1 of 'The Best Couple'. During the course of writing, I realized that I needed to split it into two chapters because of so much that goes on in them. However, don't worry, I plan to release the next chapter tomorrow so you don't have to wait until Friday.

Also, I love the fact that the new iPhone came out this weekend and Tori wanting to the new PearPhone in this episode.

PD31: More insight into Carly, yet you just don't know do you? About how Jade could react? Maybe this chapter will give you better insight into her about facing such a possibility. Dusty could do nothing less in regards to Sam given his revealed background so far and in regards to her refusing to take any responsibility for her actions? That's just an ingrained character treat that really hasn't been challenged in this story. Dusty has a point in that she's never had to deal with any long lasting consequences from her actions as the other characters in these three stories. For the most part, she has been untouched (figuratively speaking).

Twilight Warrior 627: What was fun about Dusty matching Sam was that he was doing it on her turf: intimidation, the threat of force instead of the use of force. A drawn out verbal match between Carly and Jade would have been entertaining, but would have undermine a point of the story that should become clearer in this chapter.

Agent-M-0167: References? What references? Supernatuwhat? Doctor What? You're not supposed to like Dusty. You're suppose to hate and despise him from taking valuable screen time away from the main characters as he as an OC with a semi-canon name and hope he suffers a horrible and gruesome end for such crimes even if I just using him as a prop to actually further the stories of the main characters. :P

Jade is putting Freddie before her pride and anger. The character has always understand love, so it's natural that she would chose it over hate especially with the life lessons she has learned in the last two stories.

I think Dusty was trying to do a little bit of both in regards to Sam and well, there is extensive planning for this story.

darck ben: I think that Nicholas would be a fine choice for Cat's dad. About Dusty possibly being in 'iWould Have Pounded Him Silly', I'm not sure how he would fit into the story thematically. He exists because of Cat's Slap page entry, but that was near when school started for them which is months away from where the story current time.

Layla: Quotes? What quotes? :D I was just pointing out since Dan introduced functional magic with Magic Malika and Judeo-Christian Angels (and creepy clowns that probably do eat people in Car, Rain and Fire) that other creatures might exist in his universe and that someone realized it.

Dean Winchester being Dusty's father? What possible evidence could you have from the last two stories that such a thing is even remotely possible? Everyone knows that attempting to create children for well established fictional characters is next to impossible bordering on a foolish endeavor and to do so while in another fictional universe (especially of how protective those fans are of their pairings, they make the war between the Creddies and Seddies look civilized)? I would be absolutely insane to do such a thing. Do I sound insane to you? Oww, pretty butterfly!

In regards to Jade, love conquerors hate; it will conquer a lot of things including Death itself.

BushwellFanNYC: Thanks, so you must think it was preternaturally good if it didn't reach supernaturally good.

Jeremy Shane: Well here is more.

Now without further ado, the story.

* * *

Chapter 6: The Best Couple Part 1

Sikowitz's Advance Acting Class I  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Jade sighed out in frustration as she stepped away from the back entrance of the classroom, "Why is Sikowitz always late to class?"

The rest of the class had already arrived and had been waiting for the last ten minutes for the eccentric acting teacher to arrive with Jade being the only one visibly irritated that Sikowitz hadn't arrived to class.

The pale singer retook her seat between Freddie on her right and Beck on her left as Robbie casually suggested from his seat in the front row, "Maybe we can try out an acting scene on our own?"

Cat cheerfully suggested from her seat in front of the couple and ex-boyfriend, "What if we acted out the final scene from Titanic… when the boat sank?" She glanced around to Robbie, Tori and André as she realized something and whispered, "Oh my God, I just gave away the ending." Cat raised her arms and shouted, "Spoiler alert!"

They looked to each other with patient expressions at her apparent oddness.

André relaxed back in his chair behind Tori with his arms crossed over his chest. He slightly shook his head and commented idly, "You know whenever she starts talking, I think to myself, maybe this time it will make sense; I'm always wrong."

Freddie leaned forward to be able to look past Jade and Beck and snapped at the songsmith, "André, that's not funny."

However, before the songwriter could respond, Tori's PearPhone started making a high pitched sound causing the surrounding students winch in pain and try to cover their ears.

Tori groaned in frustration as she vainly pressed the touch screen of the phone, "Come on man. Why won't it—"

Jade shouted over the high pitch whine of the phone, "Your phone's making noise!"

Beck plugged his left ear with a finger as he commented, "I think she knows that."

"You don't know what she knows. I'm trying to be helpful."

Beck flippantly snapped back, "I know you're being obnoxious."

The dark brunette retorted in surprise at the insult, "Oh?"

Freddie narrowed his eyes on the actor and was a little a taken back by the foul mood the actor had been displaying since arriving to class.

In frustration, Tori shook her phone in her hands and whined, "Why does it keep—Robbie? Will you unplug that cord, count to three then plug it back in?"

"Surely girly," Robbie answered with a cheerful tone. He walked over to beside the stage then unplugged the extension cord from the industrial outlet. He kissed the end of the cord as he counted, "One, I love grandma… two I love grandma—"

Jade shouted, "Plug it in!"

The ventriloquist immediately complied with plugging the extension cord into the outlet.

"Thanks," Tori called out.

André asked curiously, "Why is your phone all jank?

Tori turned in her chair to look at her friend and answered, "You tell me. It should work fine."

André asked with a playful tone poking at his friend, "How many times have you dropped it in the toilet?"

"Only three," she answered desperately and leaned over the back of her chair.

André made a quick face and the brunette turned back in her chair and pulled up white charging cord and attached extension cord as she explained, "Anyway, now it won't stay charged and now I have to keep it plugged in all the time."

"Just get a new phone," Beck suggested with a tired voice.

André motioned towards the brunette as he suggested, "Yeah, you really should just get a new PearPhone."

Tori responded with an eager voice and pointed around to her friends, "If I buy a new PearPhone now, I have to get another GX, but people say the new PearPhone XT might come out next month."

André curiously asked, "They announced it?

"No, but they are suppose to tell us this week when they are going to make the announcement." She looked over to Freddie with a hopeful look.

Freddie sighed then rolled her head back and looked at the ceiling. "Tori… I've told you five, six, seventeen times, I don't know when the next phone is coming out. They haven't told us." He turned his head to look at the brunette and finished, "Even if I did, I wouldn't be allowed to tell you."

Tori slightly slumped in her chair and put on a small pout on her face.

Rex spoke up, "So since Freddie won't give you the inside information from working at the Pear Store and knowing the big wigs on a first name basis, you're waiting for the announcement of the announcement?"

Tori nodded her head as she perked up with a smile.

Rex shook his head and retorted, "Girl, you're better than that."

Cat suggested, "Just buy another GX."

The brunette sighed out in frustration, "No, if I buy the GX, the XT will come out the next day and then I'll be stuck with the stupid GX while everyone else has the cool XT."

Jade spoke up with an annoyed tone, "Hey if we are going to keep talking about Tori's phone and having her pester Freddie with questions that she knows he can't answer, could someone take me to a car door so I can slam my face in it?"

Beck sarcastically commented, "I have a car."

Jade was about to respond with one of her trademark 'Oh's', but Freddie spoke up with a sharp tone, "And I have a fist for your face if you want to try such a thing."

Beck snapped his head to met Freddie's cold stare. He matched the stare with a deep frown.

The dark brunette literally caught in the middle, blinked and looked between her boyfriend and ex-boyfriend with a concerned expression.

Everyone in the classroom felt as if the temperature drop with what was the first time either one of the teenagers had openly challenged the other in public as every other time had been in private and away from prying eyes with the details left to wild speculation to those not part of the inner circle of friends.

Before either teenager could go further, Sinjin entered the room from the door beside the stage, "Hey, I have an announcement to make."

Tori eagerly asked as she stood up, "Is it about the new PearPhone XT?"

He looked to her with a dismissive glance and answered with an equally dismissive tone, "No, sit down."

A disappointing frown formed on the Latino/Caucasian teenager and she retook her seat.

Sinjin happily continued, "You know that game show I invented? Queries for Couples?"

Rex asked with disbelief, "Queries?"

André motioned with his right hand towards the tall teenager while asking, "What about your game show?"

Sinjin gripped his clipboard in his hand and answered, "Well I met with the people from GameGoober dot com and told them about the idea and they want to do it."

Jade responded with a careless voice, "Great, bye."

The teenager suddenly felt a shift from getting kicked just under the seat. She turned and rested her left forearm on top of the backrest to give the person behind her a cold stare and demand an answer for the nerve of doing such a thing, but stopped when she saw the annoyed expression of Ava, Sinjin's girlfriend of the last six months, gave her. Jade blew out a breath through her nose and rolled her eyes as she turned back in her seat without saying a word since she wasn't going to argue with her.

The curly haired teenager continued, "Wait I... I'm doing a rehearsal of the show tomorrow night for the guy that runs GameGoober."

André asked in surprise, "Harvey Goobensteen?"

Sinjin smiled as he answered, "Yep, I want all you guys to come… even Robbie."

Robbie clenched his fist and whispered out, "Yes."

The rest seemed positive about the invitation and looked to one another with agreeable nods.

Sinjin smiled as he continued, "I'll text everyone the deets." He started singing, "Lala, la, la…" He patted Tori on the head as he skipped out of the back entrance of the room.

Tori's phone started making another high pitch screeching noise

Jade spoke up, "Okay, I can't take that phone anymore."

Rex shouted with annoyance in 'his' voice, "Will you fix that chizz?"

The rest started complaining with Jade's voice cutting through the noise, "Turn it off!"

"Okay, fine I'll just unplug it," Tori admitted in defeat. She gave a good yank to the extension cord, but unfortunately it had wrapped itself around on of the legs of Robbie's chair and pulled it out from under him and sending the ventriloquist onto the floor with a loud thump.

Tori asked in concern, "Oh my God, are you okay?"

Robbie groaned out, "Yeah."

Tori looked down at her phone then back at Robbie, "Would you plug it back in?"

Robbie groaned as he lay on the ground.

SBI Studios  
Hollywood, CA  
Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Freddie waited patiently on a hallway bench outside the room where Tori was auditioning for her part of the troubled teenage girl. They had rehearsed one last time before he drove her to the audition and all that was left was for her to audition and he to wait and _he hated the waiting_. He had Tori's PearPad in his lap to play a few games, but none seemed to keep his interest as he worried over whether or not she was going to get the part. She had worked so hard to get the character and he didn't want to see the disappointment in her eyes if she didn't get the role.

The only thing that would temporarily take his mind off worry was how irritable Beck was during class and lunch, especially towards Jade and him. Threatening to punch out Beck was not how he wanted to started his week. He found it interesting that the actor was having one of his rare moments of showing some real emotion contrary to that nonsense he put out on being transparent, but was more curious as to why. He wasn't sure if Beck was having a delayed reaction at possibly being offended by the offhand comment about being condescending at the Gorilla Club, but that wouldn't explain the taller student from becoming snippy at Jade. He wasn't aware of any disagreement that had crept up between the pair over the last few days.

He wondered if something had happened over the three day weekend and Beck was just passive-aggressively letting it out on anyone that got in his way. He'd made a mental note to ask André about it tomorrow during their afternoon guitar lesson or a free moment during the poker game at Tori's house planned for the following afternoon as André was his closest friend and it wasn't like he and the actor were the best of buds.

Regardless of how Freddie speculated on Beck's weekend, Freddie's weekend had been great without any real complaints. He had buried himself in work on Saturday and even took a little overtime to try to distract himself from what was coming up in the next few days, or more accurately, the anniversary of what happened and the accompanying fallout. The lack of any phantom pains in his knee and wrist along with the excitement on news of a possible the release of a new PearPhone surprisingly kept his mind off the approaching date for the day.

The only thing odd that stuck out in his memory of the weekend was that when he arrived home, Jade had been oddly evasive on what she did on Saturday while he was at work. She would usually work on homework, write on her screenplay (which she had fallen behind in writing over the last few weeks), veg out on some video games (he hadn't quite hooked her yet on World of Warlords) or just go out, usually with Cat, but she had just shrugged her shoulders and told him, 'You know… I did… stuff' and left it at that and he accepted it as an answer. He didn't have the energy or the inclination to inquire further on her activities for the day.

They took Monday to really do nothing but hang together in her room enjoying the day with movie watching, playing video games and snuggle together in her bed as really with their schedules, they never really got to do together...

The door flew open to pull Freddie out of his musings and looked up from his seat to see an excited looking Tori with her arms flung out wide. She shouted for joy, "I got the part! I got the part!"

He sat her PearPad off to his side then stood up with a bright smile just in time for her to nearly tackle him and wrap her arms around the back of his neck. She held on to him tight with her excitement as grabbed her to stop her forward momentum and not for her to fall back and take him down with her.

She pulled back to look at the tech-producer with their noses almost touching and started laughing almost hysterically, "I got the part."

He asked rhetorically as he sat her down on her feet, "You got the part?"

She pulled away from him and started pacing back and forth in front of him to let out her giddy energy. "I got the part!"

The tech-producer let out a soft chuckle. "What can I say other than congratulations?"

She stopped in her tracks and turned back to him to pull him into another hug. She whispered, "I can thank you enough for helping me."

Freddie pulled back slightly as she continued to hold on to him and raised his right pointer and thumb close together as he retorted, "I think Beck might be due a little more credit than me with the whole 'taking risks thing'."

The younger Vega sister let him go and took a step back as she gave him a lopsided smile and titled her head slightly. "Okay Mister Modesty, have it your way."

He let out a playful snort then reached over to pick up her PearPad. "So, you want to grab something to eat to celebrate?"

She gave a quick nod of her head and answered, "Yep... my treat and don't you argue."

Freddie gave her slight frown even if his eyes gave her a playful expression to let her know that he wasn't entirely happy with her decision.

Taco Guapo  
Los Angeles, CA

Tori Vega may have been excited beyond belief at getting her first real movie gig, but a nagging feeling of worry reasserted itself as she sat across from the handsome tech-producer in the booth as he took a bite out of his wrap. She had a taco in front of her, but hadn't touched it yet. She took a quick sip from her drink in a vain attempt to ease her worry before asking with a cautious tone, "Freddie?"

He looked up in mid-chew at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Can I ask you something?"

He took a moment to finish the bit of food in his mouth then answered casually, "Sure."

"Are you okay?"

Freddie gave her a confused frown and eyed her curiously. "Ah, yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

She had trouble keeping casual expression as she commented, "I'm kind of worried… about you."

"About me?"

Tori looked down at the table and poked at her taco with her fingertips as she "Yeah… about everything that's happened over the last two weeks... your reaction to practicing the scene with me."

Freddie took a deep breath and sat up straighter in his seat. He tried to answer with a reassuring voice, "I fine... I've dealt with it… I'm dealing."

"Are you sure?"

He sat his wrap down and answered with a patient tone, "I'm sure. I'm fine."

"Yeah, but you were pretty upset and you have a right to be, but… have you thought about talking to Lane again? Help you kind of really deal with everything that's happened?"

Freddie slightly frowned and leaned back in his seat. He answered with a bit of disgust, "I'm not interested in dragging up my feelings and working out how I feel about Carly, Sam, Nora or Nevel. I know what I feel and that's that."

"And that is?"

"I hate them, plain and simple. There's nothing there to... psychobabble or tease out any other conflicting feelings to get me to understand and forgive them and that is exactly what Lane would want me to do..." He sarcastically commented, "..._for my benefit of course_..." He dropped is voice to display his annoyance at the whole conversation, "I did that all the first time around and all it got me was another knife in my gut and heart."

"But—"

He leaned forward and stared Tori straight into her eyes as he snapped back, "There is no 'but'. I reached out and I made the effort. He wasn't right that I couldn't just hate her for the rest of my life and I forgave Carly, but as soon as I did she tried to put a wedge between me and Jade and hopefully force me to go back to Seattle..." He took a deep breath and spoke with absolute certainty to Tori's ears, "I can hate her now and _it doesn't bother me_."

Tori swallowed down her nervousness at seeing the anger in his eyes.

He leaned away to sit back up in his seat and dryly commented, "I don't see you falling over yourself to be forgiving and understanding with Ryder Daniels or Steven, You want to take back what you said in 'Beggin' on Your Knees'? And who was that really to anyway? Ryder or Steven?"

The Angeleno looked away with an embarrassed expression on her face. "That's different."

"How?" he asked with a borderline accusatory tone.

She looked up to him with an equally challenging expression. "You loved Carly... she was your friend for years—"

"You loved Steven... granted from what I heard it sounded like the same reaction Carly was having in regards to marrying the guy except I don't remember even them being silly enough to discuss having children—"

"Hey!"

"Don't get mad at me for what you said. You were still sixteen at the time and you thought you were going to have kids with him at some point."

She made an irritated face at him and retorted with a huff, "Oh and you never thought you weren't going to have children with Carly? You've never discussed even the possibility of children with Jade?"

"You knew Steven for _a hundred days_ and you weren't even with him for most of the time; I was _thirteen_ when I had such thoughts, not _sixteen_ and I had been in love with Carly for _years_ and was willing to die for her. _Die for her_, don't you dare confuse your and Carly's little boy-crush on that loser to what I felt for Carly."

She lifted a corner of her mouth in a triumph manner catching the brown eyed teenager off-guard.

He frowned deeply and snorted out a harsh breath through his nose. "What?"

She softly laughed out, "You just made my point for me."

He bit his bottom lip and hissed out in annoyance.

Tori looked down at the table and bashfully whispered, "You forgave me."

Freddie leaned back in the cushioned booth. He tilted his head slightly to the side as he answered, "You're different."

"How?"

"You've never pretended to be anything other that what you are to me. You didn't try to sabotage my relationship with Jade or try to humiliate me to the world. You're my friend."

"Are you sure Carly did that?"

He snorted out in disgust, "I don't care enough to find out."

Tori looked back down at her untouched taco and casually picked at it again. "How does Jade feel about this?"

Freddie took a few calming breaths then took a sip from his Peppy Cola. He looked back to her and casually answered, "I told her I was fine last Thursday at your house when she was trying to get you to go back to the Gorilla Club."

"She just accepted that?"

"She hasn't brought it up since, so yes, I guess so."

Tori let out a soft breath as she felt disappointed that Jade wouldn't have a problem with Freddie feeling such a way. She expected Jade to feel that way about Carly and if she was honest with herself, she'd probably feel the same way if in the same position of hurting her boyfriend so deeply, but seeing her sweet friend filled with such anger and admitted hatred was disconcerting to say the least. She picked up her taco and finally took a bite out of it as she really didn't have a real response.

After taking a few more bites and Freddie joining her as he started back on his wrap, she asked, "How did that come up? Telling Jade how you felt at my house."

"It was when I told her to knock you out—"

She spat out in complete shock, "_What?_"

A playful smirk formed on Freddie's face as he answered, "I think it shocked her enough to make a final decision in regards to your relationship."

Her surprised quickly turned into confusion from his question, "Why? Why would you tell her to do that? Tell her to hurt me."

He tilted his head slightly to the side and gave her a look as if she was the one that had lost her senses for a moment. "Of course I didn't want to see you get hurt, but…" He took a tired breath. "What goes on between you and Jade is between you two. I don't really try or want to get involved. You two can make your own decisions, but... I guessed I was just tired of the indecision about the whole thing of whether you're friends or enemies after everything I had been through. I told her to just pick one and get it over with and make peace with you one way or the other: friend or enemy, not both. She challenged me if I had done such a thing and I told her yes. I knew who my friends are and I know who my enemies are and I'm a peace with it... am I still mad about it? Yeah, but at least I'm not fooling myself with saying one thing is the other and maybe I don't think Jade should be doing the same thing. It's still her decision, but that doesn't stop me from asking her that maybe it was time to finally make it. I guess she finally picked one that night."

Tori looked Freddie straight in the eyes in disbelief and took in a deep breath at trying to digest the various significant things that she didn't realize that happened that night other than Jade saying she was good enough.

"What if she had decided to hit me? Just really wanted to be my enemy?"

He took a deep breath then calmly answered, "I... I told her I would back any decision she made... and I meant it."

Tori frowned and Freddie saw the hurt in her eyes. He whispered back with a sympathetic tone and a one that hinted at his own self-loathing, "It wouldn't be the best situation... heck, it's a pretty janked up situation because you are my friend... one that came up to Seattle to save me if necessary... but I am not the bad guy for picking my girlfriend's side in a fight. I'm not obligated to be referee and be neutral between the two of you and have her think I'm taking your side. It's not wrong to say that she does mean more to me than you just as André probably means more to you than me."

Silence fell between the pair as they looked back to their respective meals and started back on them. They continued to sit in silence for a few minutes until Tori spoke back up, "Couldn't Carly say the same thing for not stepping in with Sam?"

Freddie was quick to respond, "No she can't. I was supposed to be her equal friend with Sam and she chose Sam's side by default in doing _nothing_ and the thing between you and Jade isn't anywhere near comparable for what Sam did to me for the last four years. Jade does not spend every moment possible making your life miserable or finding someway to torment you. Sam hates me just because; Jade does not irrationally hate you, but thinks—"

She was quick to interrupt, "So you think she has a point in not liking me?"

"Other than the whole Prom fiasco, I think—"

Tori raised her voice an octave, "She tried to sabotage the prom."

Freddie bit his tongue then started again determined not to be interrupted a third time, "And you didn't care one bit that her performance was canceled for it... actually you didn't think she had a right to be upset about it at all. I don't agree with how she handled it by trying to sabotage the prom and _I told her that I didn't agree with it_, but don't act like you were some innocent victim in the whole affair."

Tori looked back down on the table top somewhat embarrassed from his admonishment of her.

"And as I was saying before you interrupted me _twice_, I think—I know that she is misdirecting her quite justifiable anger and resentment at you instead of the people she should be directing it at."

Tori sat up straighter and asked him genuinely curious, "And what justifies her ganky attitude?"

Freddie laughed out in disbelief and the lovely brunette instantly frowned from the bewilderment caused from his laughter.

Her eyes shot open and asked with a high pitched voice, "What?"

The former Seattleite took several calming breaths then answered, "I'm not saying a justification of how she reacts, but her feelings: you can't be blind to the blatant favoritism that _all the teachers_ give you. The prom is a blatant example. She already had it planned and ready to go, but Sikowitz canceled it for you. She hasn't gotten the lead in one thing since you got to Hollywood Arts. I'm the one that suggested during the summer that she start doing her own thing if they were just going to shut her out of everything because of you." He shook his head and took another deep breath before continuing, "And you can't be blind to how Beck never took her concerns seriously about how girls flirt with him and him not saying a thing especially when you and Beck do get along so well—"

Tori was about to speak, but Freddie raised his hand to cut her off, "I am not accusing you or ever thought you would have pursued Beck while they were still dating if you were interested in him. You helped put them back together the first time, remember? Maybe if Jade would have put a little more stock in that, she wouldn't have been upset over that matter and I am not saying that you are responsible for how the teachers are treating you differently than Jade when it comes to casting, but that is why she has such a problem with you regardless of how unfair it is."

"But... she's not with Beck, so I can't steal him and you're doing short films with her now. More people see her on SplashFace in a day than all the people that watch the plays at school."

"I know that and she knows that, but..."

"But what?"

"Momentum—"

"Momentum?" she interrupted with a curious tone.

"Yeah, Jade has had her problems with you for so long and treated you that way that it's become habit, but she's trying to break it... it's taking her a very long time and I guess it was another reason to maybe force her to make a decision... help her break it once and for all."

Tori snapped her fingers as she recalled something. "That's what she meant."

It was Freddie's turn to be confused as he asked, "What?"

"When she said she didn't have anymore reasons to be mean to me anymore when we were going to see Helen after the Trina's accident during our play, I guess those were the reasons."

"Yeah, they were."

Tori looked down at her partially eaten taco while Freddie looked back down to his half eaten wrap. Silence once again fell between the pair until Freddie softly started to chuckle.

The brunette looked up and gave him a confused expression while asking, "What?"

He gave her an embarrassed expression while answering, "This wasn't exactly what I was picturing in a celebratory meal for you getting the part. We're supposed to be so happy that... that we're suppose to make _Cat_ look like a wet blanket."

A grin broke on Tori's face then let out a warm laugh as Freddie joined her with a hearty laugh. Their laughter was loud enough to catch the attention to some of the other patrons, but neither cared.

Once they calmed down in their laughter, Tori commented, "It wasn't what I thought either, but I was concerned about you... and I think it was a good talk. It gave me a better insight to Jade too."

Freddie nodded along in agreement. "Yeah it was... thanks for the concern, but..." He shrugged his right shoulder as he finished with a soft voice, "I'm fine... really."

Tori nodded along then answered even if deep down her doubts had not been diminished, "Okay."

He gave her a boyish smile then suggested, "Why don't we finish up here and head over to Freezie Queen and get the most outrageous dessert we can find?"

She returned with a soft smile, "Sounds like a great idea."

West Residence  
Tuesday, January 17, 2012

The time was approaching seven thirty as the tech-producer with a smile on his face made his way up the stairs of the West home and heading towards his room. Once he reached the second floor and started towards his room at the end of the hallway, he saw the door to Jade's room opened and decided to poked his head around the door frame for a moment and inform Jade of the good news.

He cracked a soft smile as he saw her sitting in her burgundy chair with her laptop sitting on a small table in front of her. He heard a faint voice coming from Jade's laptop and assumed she was watching some video.

"Hey?"

Jade took in a sharp breath and looked up from her laptop to see Freddie at the threshold of her room obviously caught off guard from his appearance.

"Sorry," he apologized with a bashful tone.

She slowly let out a breath and returned with a soft smile. "No, it's alright. So, where have you been? Tori's audition must have been over hours ago." She paused and gave him a coy look before continuing, "Did she bomb it? You've had to comfort her the entire time haven't you?"

Freddie poked the tip of his tongue into the inside of his bottom lip and slightly tilted his head away at the irony of Jade poking Tori with the conversation he just had with the brunette. He smiled to his pale girlfriend and answered, "No, she didn't bomb her audition; she got the part and we went out to grab a bite to eat."

"She did?" Jade answered with a tone that showed her evident surprise on the matter. "Well... she has you and Beck to thank or she wouldn't have had a chance."

He thought about making a joke that Tori agreed with her near tackle of him after being told she got the part, but then realized that would be going into Beck territory of joking instead of a gentle reminder that she was the only one he had his eyes on. He opted for the safe question and asked, "So what have you been up to?"

Jade smiled and motioned her head for him to walk over and look over her shoulder. "I'm just video chatting with someone. Why don't you say hi?"

He raised his eyebrow in curiosity then walked over to lean over her shoulder. He gave her a quick kiss on her right cheek then turned his attention to the screen.

His face fell in shock in a heartbeat as she saw the Carly's apprehensive expression on the screen then her cautiously whispering, "Hi Freddie."

Freddie snapped backwards as if he had just touched a hot iron then looked to Jade as if she had lost her mind. He cautiously stepped back and around to stand in front of Jade. He whispered out in complete and utter shock, "What in the Hell is going on?"

She gave her boyfriend a patient expression the looked to the computer screen and asked, "Excuse me for a moment?"

Carly barely had the moment to nod her head before the fellow pale teenager had gotten up from her seat and out of view of the web camera.

Jade stood directly in front of Freddie and looked him straight in the eyes then answered, "I'm talking to Carly."

He gave her a deep frown and glared at her. He hissed out in disgust, "I can see that, _why_?"

She calmly answered, "Because... I need for _you_ to talk to her."

He asked with a tone of complete disbelief of her words as he was unsure if he had heard her correctly, "You need me to talk to her? Why on Earth do you need me to talk to her? I already said I wanted to or needed to say to that _bitch_."

Jade took a calming breath through her nose and ignored the irony that she was being the voice of reason when it was coming to interpersonal relationships. "The fact that you think she's a bitch is one of many reasons why you need to talk to her. You hate her; Freddie Benson is hating Carly Shay. You're filled with anger and hatred, _you of all people_. You're the one that told me that you didn't want to hate anyone. You even had Anna heal Sam of all people because of it."

He snapped back and around her arm towards the back of her PearBook. "Well that changed when she tried to sabotage us!"

Her lips formed a thin line as she looked back to him in silence.

He shook his head and continued to look at her as if she had been replaced with a pod-person. A thought occurred to him then quickly answered, "Is this why Tori brought up her 'concern for me'? Did you put her up to that knowing it was just going to be the two of us this afternoon? Try to get a feel about me?"

Jade's brow instantly furled and her lips partially parted with the slacking of her jaw. She asked incredulously, "Tori? I put her up to what?"

"She asked me if I was okay. She even suggested that I should see Lane again to deal with everything. She wasn't thrilled that I was hating on everybody either."

Jade blinked at that news that Tori not only somehow saw the change in Freddie, but that she would openly voice it to him. She took a breath and retorted, strengthened by the fact that not only Dusty saw it, but Tori saw the change, "I didn't put Tori up to anything. If I realized she saw the same thing I have, I _would have asked her to help_ because she obviously seeing the same thing I'm seeing and it's not just her either. This isn't healthy or right for you. You can't hate them; it's not a part of you that make you... well you."

He challenged with a cold tone, "Who else is seeing it?"

She shrugged a shoulder and casually answered, "Dusty. He sees it and he is willing to help me and has."

His brow knotted as he asked, "Help you do what?"

She softly bit her bottom lip as she realized she gave away a little more than she wanted to at the moment. The look in his eyes told her that he wouldn't let it go until he got an answer whether it took him seven seconds or seven days. She snorted out and looked away for a moment before looking back and answering, "I went up to Seattle on Saturday to get Carly to help me. She's part of the problem... and she has to be part of the solution."

His mouth dropped open and looked at her completely dumbfounded. He had to take a few moments to finally respond, "You went to Seattle to see Carly? You? By yourself to face her and Sam? I doubt Sam wouldn't have taken a shot at you."

She answered in a tone that would hopefully ease his fears and reassure him, "I had Dusty. You trust him to look out for me, _which you didn't tell me from the start_. I just asked him to do it again for your sake. He could have taken Sam if she really wanted to try anything. Heck, he almost broke her hand when she grabbed him when she wanted to start something with me."

The tech-producer took several calming breaths before replying, "So you went up to Seattle with Dusty to get Carly to help you... fix me?"

"In a manner of speaking."

He growled out his frustration then hissed out, "Something's wrong with me if I hate them for what they did to me and us, but it's alright for you to hate?"

"Wrong? No. Broken? Yes, absolutely. I won't let them break you and turn you into something you're not or really wanted to be. I won't let them make you damn yourself for who you're not. Wasn't that the point of your lesson with Anna? And I don't hate... I just don't like people that irritate me. There is a difference and it's already a part of me that you've accepted a long time ago."

"But me hating her and Sam and the rest is something that you can't accept about me?"

She frowned at him. She reached up and placed her hand over his heart and asked, "Is it really something you can accept about yourself?"

He looked down and to his side and let out a frustrated breath. He shook his head and refused to meet her eyes while whispering, "I'm not talking to her,"

Jade glanced down and dropped her hand from his chest. She replied with an equally quite voice, "Okay… that's your choice, but…"

He looked up to meet her eyes with a curious expression, "But what?"

She whispered back to him tenderly, "I'm going to go talk to her."

Jade confidently strolled back to her seat and plopped down to turn her attention to the PearBook. Jade felt as if she was going to choke on her next words, but spoke them anyway with a force pleasantry behind them, "Okay Carly, it looks like he's not in the mood to talk right now. So, what's been happening at Ridgeway?"

Freddie shook his head and walked out of the room to head for his own room.

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Wednesday, January 18, 2012

As Freddie walked down the hallway during the end of forth lunch, the occasional student in the hallway would avoid him as they could sense his foul mood as if he was radiating it off his skin. He would readily admit that he had been in such a mood for most of the day starting with waking up this morning. He was distant, emotionally speaking, with Jade during breakfast, the ride to school and Sikowitz's class in regards to how upset he was with her over going to Seattle to... conspire was too strong a word even for him, but talk to Carly to try to 'help him' in his mind, some misguided attempt to 'fix him'.

He was also just short of being passively aggressive with her during those times (as he wasn't snippy with her as Beck had been the previous day) as she would ignore his mood and smiled at him and carried on as if their conversation didn't happen. She would smile and snuggle up to him while listening to Sikowitz's lecture while he tried his best to ignore her completely and focus entirely on the lesson. Of course it was Jade resting her head on his shoulder, so he wasn't entirely successful in ignoring the comfort her presence could bring to him.

His walk was just as short as he expected from the Asphalt Café to the door of TheSlap's computer room. He opened the door and nonchalantly walked inside hoping the individual he was looking for was in the room. Fortunately, he saw that Dusty was at one of the stool computer workstations with only about three to four other students in the room.

The group of underclassmen quickly noticed the tech-producer's presence then glanced to one another and apparently reached the same conclusion. They quickly wrapped up what they were doing at their individual computers and made their way out of the room by way of the exit on the other side of the room.

Dusty glanced away from his screen and looked to the more muscular teenager. He laughed out softly, "Hey, what brings you to my neck of the woods?"

Freddie lazily walked over then leaned against the table of the sitting computer station as he idly answered, "Oh I just wanted to talk to you about something."

The Southern teenager looked back to his monitor and asked with a jovial tone, "What's that?"

Freddie glanced around for a moment then idly commented, "Jade went to Seattle on Saturday while I was at work…"

Dusty relaxed and rested his right arm on the high rise station table. "Oh she did? Did she get to see the Space Needle?"

Freddie leaned against the edge of the table and crossed his arms over his chest. He kept his voice in a steady, laidback conversational tone, "I didn't ask, but I guess you would know... since you went with her."

He blew out a tired breath and lazily answered, "Yeah I did… she seduced me to go off with her for a day trip. I was able to pester her enough for us to go see the Space Needle before we came back and it gave her the excuse to pick something up for her brother. I didn't know she had a brother."

Freddie frowned at him with annoyance clearly shown on his face. "Stepbrother," he found himself clarifying for the other teenager.

Dusty shrugged his shoulders and let out a soft chuckle, "What do you want me to say? She's worried about you and wanted to do something about it." He gave him a soft smile as he continued, "So we flew up to talk to Carly face to face so that she had at least a chance to get the two of you to at least make peace with one another."

He softly shook his head as he commented with a laugh, "I should have suggested that we tie you up with duck tape, throw you in the trunk of my dad's Impala and made it a weekend road trip up there and have you and Carly hash it out." He raised his hands and shrugged his shoulders. "Hindsight is twenty-twenty."

Freddie had to bite his tongue for a moment then answered with a cool tone, "So you just went along with it? You thought it was a good idea?"

He raised an eyebrow as he challenged, "Yes I did, because something has to be done."

Freddie pushed off the table and took a step towards the still sitting teenager. He hissed out, "I'm not something that needs _fixing_. I told Tori that, I told Jade that and I'm telling you that."

Dusty gave a disarming smile and calmly replied, "And you think you're whole right now? Honestly?"

"_I am fine_. I have a right to be angry—"

"I'm not saying you don't, but it's not passing; it's just eating away at you and Jade can see it and I can see it."

"So you thought you two could do something about it by going behind my back?"

"Back, in front, it doesn't matter; I thought it was a little nuts for her wanting you and Carly to reconcile, but she has a point; Jade was going to go up there to talk to Carly. She'd had already made up her mind and there wasn't anything anyone was going to do to change it." He blew out a breath and asked with a grin, "What would you have done if she told you?"

Freddie was about to answer, but Dusty continued to talk to answer what turned out to be a rhetorical question, "You would have told her no and tried to talk her out of it then it would quickly break down into a fight between you for no reason because she would have still went up anyway. You're not Beck; you're not going to threaten her or guilt trip her or any other nonsense I sure he pulled during their relationship." He shrugged his shoulders again and finished, "Look at it this way: she did what she was going to do anyway and you two were spared a fight."

Freddie glared at him obviously unconvinced by his reasoning.

Dusty blew out a breath and rolled his eyes to look up at the ceiling for a moment. "Fine." He looked back to Freddie and started again, "Look at it this way: okay, you don't agree with what she is trying to do, but you have to appreciate what she trying to do and _what_ she is having to do. She's talking to a girl that she hates in the hopes of helping you… she told me in no uncertain terms that she hates Carly, but she is putting that aside for you."

"You two still went behind my bac—"

He got up from his seat and interrupted, "To help you. Are you complaining that your friends are showing concern about your wellbeing?"

Freddie frowned at his remark.

Dusty took a step forward and tilted his head forward and to the side to finish with a hint of impatience in his voice, "Let me put some things in perspective for you: Vega has apparently asked you how you are doing when I think I would be right to assume that her mind's been on that part she's desperate to get her for the last little while, your girlfriend is swallowing her hatred and anger she feels towards Carly and flies up to Seattle on just _the chance_ of helping you because _she loves you_ and I'm willing to go toe to toe with a poor man's slayer who has the strength to do some real damage… and Carly's hair is starting to fall out over it."

The Carolinian smirked as he finished, "I think you might want to take a moment or two to consider that fact that some of your friends are conspiring _for you_ even if you don't agree with Jade or think you need that kind of help… that you and _Carly_ need help."

He took a step back then retook his seat at the stool computer station.

Freddie looked down and shook his head while closing his eyes. He finally looked up a few moments later to see that Dusty was focusing his attention back on the monitor. "That's Carly's problem, not mine. It's time she started having to pay for her sins against me and I don't need fixing, but…"

The other teenager looked back to Freddie and asked with a guarded tone, "Yes?"

He answered reluctantly, "I can appreciate what Jade is trying to do for me and I'm glad that I do have friends that are looking out for me—"

"You're welcome."

Freddie smirked as he retorted, "I wasn't exactly thanking you. You didn't try to talk her out of it when you knew she could have run into Sam. Maybe I should go off like you went off on André for taking Cat to the Gorilla Club—"

Dusty interrupted with a chuckle, "Jade knew the risks of going; risks she took for you, hammering my point. She's not a child… or playing one. She asked me to go with her to reassure you. You trusted me to watch out for her in regards to Nevel and she figured you do the same in this case. Plus she wanted someone to kind of ground her emotionally."

Freddie's smirk faded and was replaced with a concerned expression. He replied with a low voice, "I wasn't kidding when I said she had super-strength. She could really hurt Jade if she could get a hold of her. I know from experience how much damage she can do."

Dusty gave him a patient smile. "I would have stopped Sam."

He sarcastically answered, "How? How would you have stopped Sam?"

"By beating the crap out of her?"

Freddie let out such an unexpected laugh even he was surprised then softly challenged with the linger laugh, "Oh, you would have?"

Dusty turned in his seat and gave him a knowing smile. "How many fights has Sam been in? Really? Ones where someone has really out and out fought with her?"

The question caused Freddie to pause and think on the matter. He subconsciously started recalling all the times that Sam had gotten into fights: the times she would bully some of the other kids at Ridgeway that didn't fight back including the time she broke Gibby's thumbs, the time Sam jumped the girl that shoved Carly to the ground during the time Carly had made Sam up to be all girly. He realized that Sam had caught her in near complete surprise and still hadn't really hurt the other girl thinking back on it and only won because the girl had been too intimidated to continue fighting after she had been let up.

His memories took him to the time when Carly had confronted Sam about the kiss between him and her and two escaped convicts had snuck out through Spencer's sculpture. Sam hadn't even attempted to fight them and the time she beat Ricky Flame more out of surprise and him being too embarrassed to fight back.

Freddie tilted his head to the side and answered with a hint of shock, "No, she really hasn't. Everyone's just been too afraid of her or she's surprised them before they could do anything."

"So she's tough, but she's never actually been in one on equal footing or the odds against her?"

"No."

Dusty started laughing and wrapped is left forearm around his stomach.

Freddie cracked a smile as the other boy's laughter was contagious.

The webmaster finally calmed down a few moments later then smirked as he commented to his friend, "Then she would have been in for a rude awakening if Carly hadn't kept her on her leash… because, man… she might have well tweeted me that she was going to swing on me and that was not going to serve her well in a fight even with her super strength."

Freddie shook his head as the bell signaling the end of lunch and the start of fourth period rang. He glanced up at the ceiling motioning to the bell as he commented, "Well, I need to get going."

He turned and headed for the door, but stopped once he reached the door then looked over his shoulder. "Dusty?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks… and you might want to tell your girlfriend that."

Freddie gave him a nod as he slipped out the door.

* * *

Jade felt a twinge of concern as she headed for the Asphalt Café's parking lot Freddie had not met her at her locker after the final bell for the day nor was he at his locker. She had immediately headed to see André to see if Freddie had already went to him for their Wednesday guitar lesson, but he musician said he hadn't seen him. She had turned and left him stunned as soon as he answered her. She brushed past and even slightly shoved some people out of her way as she cut through the café, but stopped and let out a relieved breath at seeing Freddie sitting in the driver's seat of the Charger.

Jade took a deep breath and slowly started on her way to the classic muscle car. She reached the passenger side door then opened it so she could slide into the comfortable seat. She pulled the door shut with an audible click then turned her in her seat and slid her Gears-of-War bag into her lap to look at the troubled teenager. She patiently watched him and was willing to wait as long as she had to for him to speak.

Freddie blew out a tired breath and wore a hint of a frown as he leaned back in his seat. He looked slightly down and to his left away from even the possibility of meeting the pale teenager's blue eyes. He whispered out, "I can't do this again Jade."

Jade remained silent as fear slipped into her heart and he continued with a weary and tired voice, "I worked through everything over these last few months to get my life straight… even to the point where I could forgive them, but… all it was for nothing and I can't do that just for it to happen again. She played me from the start to get me back and… I thought I had lost everything because of it… that I almost lost… not just to them, but to anyone that might want a shot at us…" He took a deep breath and hissed out in anger, "The anger and the hate… it keeps the fear away and the strength to face whoever's next in line to gun for us. I guess it's one curse I couldn't escape from Seattle."

He looked to her clenching his jaw tightly and nearly begged, "Don't take that from me… don't take my last line of defense away from me."

The pale actress' shoulders slumped and let out a soft breath. She gently touched under his chin with the fingertips and turned him to face her as she pressed her lips to his in a chaste kiss. She deepened the kiss as she felt her eyes start to water.

She pulled back a few moments later so she could look passed her blurred vision into his eyes then whispered, "You can let it go; please don't let it drag you down… you don't have to be afraid."

Freddie reached up and brushed away moister off from under Jade's eyes with his right thumb. He whispered out, "It's so easy when you say it, but…"

"Try, please? If you ever do _one thing for me_, let it be this."

Freddie dropped his hand away from her face and looked down to break eye contact. "What if I can't? What if I fail? But what if I do, but still fail you?"

She couldn't fathom why the next thought passed through her mind as she remembered something Dusty had said about her months ago during Halloween that was partially responsible for the occasional nickname he would use for her, but she felt that it was right. She looked back up and whispered desperately in the hopes that he would believe her, "Then I would grip you tight and raise you from Perdition."

He actually broke into a smile and whispered in return, "So I have two angels watching out for me?"

"Yeah, but I love you more."

Freddie broke into a soft laugh then leaned forward to recapture her lips. She slipped her right hand around to the back of his neck and let her fingers play with his short hair.

They pulled apart to rest their respective foreheads against the others then meet each other's eyes. Jade swallowed and cleared her throat then suggested, "Why don't we go ahead and go home? Get a few hours of rest and something good to eat if you still want to go to Sinjin's game show?"

He cracked a smile. "It's important, so yes, we're going and that is a good idea. I think I can skip today's lesson with André and he'll understand." He sat up in his seat and reached into his pocket and pulled his keys out to stick into the ignition. He gave it a turn and the engine roar to life that brought a smile to the couple's respective faces. They put their seatbelts on then he put the car into gear for them to head for home.

Unbeknownst to them, Beck was watching the pair from the café with a blank expression then took a few calming breaths before starting to head for his car while the black Charger pulled out of the parking lot.

* * *

Author's Note: Wow, a lot happened in this chapter and this is only the first half of the episode. I hope to finish up the final draft to the second half tomorrow and get to see 'Wanko's Warehouse'. Until then, stay safe.


	7. Chapter 7: The Best Couple Part 2

Hello my dear readers. I hope everyone had a nice weekend. I finally got to see the new Victorious. Honestly, I thought it was kind of underwhelming and Dan took too long to set the story up. I don't want to spoil any more of the episode, but I found some things interesting including Sinjin at the beginning and the two guest stars. It would be an interesting scene if Dusty met them.

ArtisticAngel6: Thanks, I haven't had a chance to see the new promo for iCarly. I'm eager for the new episode because Tina Fey is supposed to be in this episode. Still wish she would have played Carly and Spencer's mother. Tina Fey you rock!

Twilight Warrior 627: Freddie is a ball of messed up emotions. New Years really did mess him up. He was on top of the world to turn a phrase then he was knocked off. This chapter is going to be the eye opener.

PD31: Well really only Freddie and Jade are his friends by Freddie's words at the New Years party and Cat is the girl that he still deeply cares about while the group isn't Dusty's friend. Tori and Trina, he has a neutral opinion, Andre, he has little respect for after the Gorilla Club; he doesn't care much for Robbie and he does have some major problems with Beck.

The unraveling is due to Tori's independently reacting to what she is seeing about Freddie. Jade can't wait to get started because she sees as time isn't on her side from what she sees as Freddie deteriorating from the man she loves.

darck ben: Thanks. I'm actually an Angel: The Series fan. I know about Buffy because obviously it is in the same universe since Angel is a spin-off. About writing one, I'm an Angel fan so any would be an Angel story and unfortunately I don't have a very high opinion of Buffy as a character and I don't think I'd be too kind to her in any story.

Jeremy Shane: Okay, here is the new chapter. Thanks.

Okay, I need to re-emphasize the warning for this story for this story:

**High T for Violence, references to mature subject matter, Language and Offensive Language (Yes, I have two different language warnings for a reason and I mean it) so there might be some unintentional triggers for some people.**

Okay, on with the story.

* * *

Chapter 7: The Best Couple Part 2

Northridge High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Wednesday, January 18, 2012

It was already dark when the group of friends arrived in several vehicles in one of the parking lots of Northridge High School.

Jade stepped out from the driver's side of the Charger and shut the door behind her to quickly join Freddie at the front of the car and join their friends gathering friends after they finished exiting their respective vehicles. Jade remained silent as she saw that Tori had exited André's Charger with rolled orange extension cord.

Once the group met up and exchanged simple pleasantries, they stopped several yards away from the entrance to the school and started looking over the face since despite the fact of all the jokes and comments they had made about the school and the students, none of them had actually been to Northridge with possibly the exception of Rex when he somehow attended the last Northridge prom and assuming it was held at the school.

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and flippantly commented, "So this is Northridge? Little rundown—"

"Hellhole would be a more accurate description," Dusty called out from behind the group, surprising them all with his appearance, as he walked up behind them and slid between Robbie and Cat. The redhead didn't say a word as Dusty slipped his left hand into her right hand and laced his fingers with her fingers. However, Robbie frowned at the gesture with Rex laughing at his handler.

Dusty blew out a breath as he looked with reservation at the front entrance of his former high school.

Jade smirked as she asked the Southern teen, "Why are you here? You _wanted_ to see Sinjin's game show?"

He glanced to Cat for a moment then over to Beck and André for a moment with a judgmental stare then to the pale actress to answer with a disbelieving expression, "Queries? Really?" He slightly frowned as he answered, "No, I'm here because you're taking Cat to Northridge… _at night_…"

The group for the most part looked to him with confused expressions as they didn't seem to have understood the gravity of the problems of the school he had described to them the one time he was at one of their Texas Hold'em games.

He blew out a breath and shook his head as he looked to them as babes in the woods just waiting to be eaten by the wolves. He continued with a cool tone, "I will put it this way: Ladies… if there is anyone here that actually _goes here_ tonight… watch your mouths and behinds… they'll rape either or both if given half a chance to get away with it…" He looked to Beck and motioned his head to the actor as he finished, "Same goes for you too _pretty boy_."

He started on his way inside with Cat eagerly walking with him apparently obvious as to what he just said.

Tori and Jade looked to each other with mirrored expressions of shock. Beck closed his mouth and blinked several times as André shook his head.

Freddie shrugged a shoulder and spared a quick glance towards everyone. "He use to go here, he would know."

André looked to his friend and responded with a little shock in his voice, "Yeah, but don't you think he might be exaggerating just a little bit?"

Freddie snorted out and shook his head while answering, "The fact that he voluntarily showed up here obviously for Cat tells me otherwise."

The songsmith gave a side ways nod and shrug of his shoulder in response.

He motioned towards the entrance with his head. "Come on, let's see if we can find Ava and get some good seats." Freddie took Jade's hand and the couple started on their way with the tech-producer discreetly keeping a look out for people he didn't recognize as he would heed his friend's advice.

Jade shook out of her shock then laughed out, "Like finding seats is going to be a problem."

Auditorium  
Northridge High School

The group had took their seats fifteen minutes ago with Freddie, Jade, Beck and Robbie (with Rex in his lap) sitting in the first row and Ava, Dusty (who currently wasn't in his seat), Cat, Tori and André on the second row; Jade was surprised that the seats for the most part had been filled for the rehearsal, but she wasn't going to admit it.

Jade threw her head back and groaned loudly with annoyance filling her voice, "When is he going to get started?"

Ava patiently answered, "We're waiting for Mister Goobensteen to show up... and hopefully a few others for the audience."

Jade answered with a patronizing tone, "Hoping in vain Ava."

The girl's brow furled as she snapped, "Shhh, or I'll kick your seat again."

Jade turned in her seat to look up at the shorter teenager. "You're not sitting behind me."

The fellow dark brunette smirked and retorted, "I can move."

Jade turned back to sit facing the stage and shook her head. She couldn't blame the girl for supporting her boyfriend even if said boyfriend was Sinjin.

Cat rose in her seat and looked around, stretching her neck up in the hopes of spotting for who she was searching. She curiously asked the rest while playing with the ends of her hair, "Has anyone seen Soapy? He said he was just going to the bathroom."

The dark brunette subconsciously looked around to see if she could spot Cat's ex then shook her head and idly commented as she got up from her seat, "I'll go find him, better than just waiting."

She started walking in front of the seated audience towards an exit as Freddie called out with a forced laugh, "Be back before they start!"

She waved backwards with a lazy motion of her left hand signaling that she heard him, but wasn't necessarily going to heed his suggestion then pushed open the door and walk out into the hallway. She wasn't familiar at all with the layout of the school, so she just started going down a hallway at random and started down the low lit hallway.

A part of her was curious as to where he took off. He had been so concerned about Cat's safety that he had even held her hand as they had made their way to the auditorium, yet he hadn't come back after about ten minutes.

As she mused on her thoughts, she followed the hallway out and decided to take a left at the T-intersection of the hallway and start down it. She noticed a figure standing in front of a row of grey lockers that were against the walls near the end of the hallway as she made her way down. She recognized the black hooded leather jacket on the young man then a moment or two later to confirm for herself that she was looking at Dusty.

The pale actress stopped a few feet from him as she saw him run his right index finger down the slight dent on the surface of the grey locker.

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and snorted out with a laugh, "Long bathroom break?"

He kept his focus on the locker as his hand dropped away from the locker and shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah, well… I hadn't set foot here in a year and a half and I guess I was a little curious."

She gave him a perplex expression. "So you stop at a random locker?"

He cracked a soft smile as he finally looked in her direction and answered with a soft tone, "This use to be my locker."

"Oh? Being a little sentimental?"

"Maybe... I was here for just a semester, but it was a formative one."

She gave him a slight nod then pointed to the slight indentation of the locker surface. "I guess someone got mad after you left and took it out on your locker."

"No, it happened when I was here."

She raised her pierced eyebrow out of curiosity and asked, "So, you did it? What did you use to make the dent?"

He commented with a reminiscent smile, "My head."

Northridge High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
January 2010

The right side of Dustin's forehead slammed into the grey locker and left a slight indentation on the surface with his notebook and textbook dropping to the floor. He blinked several times and shook his head from the impact of the locker more than the sudden shove from behind. He growled out his rage as it was an obvious shove instead of a passerby bumping into him due to the narrowness of the hallways and crowd of students during class changes.

His assumption was confirmed as he heard the cynical laughter of Antonio, a teenager who had attempted to cause him trouble every chance possible without any real results since the first day he arrived at school. Apparently Antonio was ready to step up this game. "Oops, sorry _country boy_, I didn't—"

He didn't finish as Dustin had pushed off his locker and twisted to his left to bring his right fist to collide with the other teenager's jaw. Blood instantly flew out of Antonio's mouth and noses as he snapped completely around and went face first into the floor.

The other students immediately backed away into a semi-circle to give them room to fight in the hopes of seeing a good brawl.

Dustin growled out, "I might accept your apology if you actually meant it."

Antonio spat out more blood on the floor as he pulled his arms underneath him and started pushing himself off the floor. As the blood dripped from his nose and his gums from his loosened front teeth, he growled out, "Fucking cracker!"

The Southern teenager snorted out a breath through his nose then commented sarcastically, "And here I thought nigger was the only racial slur you knew with how often you call your friends that."

Antonio didn't respond as one of his two friends that were with him charged Dustin on his left with a wide right swing, but the sophomore sidestepped him and reached out to grab his outstretched right arm then twisted along with his momentum to slam his head into handle of the locker. Skull met metal handle and instantly sliced open his forehead as he bounced off and Dustin let him fall backwards. He rolled to his side as he screamed in pain grabbed his forehead as the blood started running down.

Dustin turned just in time to see Antonio's second friend close in from his right for a swing, but ran straight into the Southern teenager's foot as he raised his right foot and kicked out hard towards his opponent's stomach. Antonio's friend's feet came from under him from the impact and as he fell backwards hard on the floor with the wind knocked out of him.

The L.A. immigrant didn't give him the chance to recover as he jumped on top of him and grabbed him by the collar with is left hand then started swinging and slamming his fist down on his face. Blood started flying after the second or third punch as the downed teenager was so disorientated from the kick, he couldn't even raise his forearms to protect himself.

After several more swings, the bottom of a shoe slammed into the side of Dustin's face and sending the teenager off Antonio's now unconscious friend. The Southern teenager rolled unto his side and growled through the pain from tasting the little bit of blood in his mouth from his teeth slicing into the inside of his cheek.

Antonio was on him in an instant and started stopping on his left shoulder and arm in the attempt to pound his heel into Dusty's head and face. Fortunately the downed teenager was able to get his forearm up to protect himself from the attempted stomping of his head.

Antonio raised his foot just as Dustin rolled onto his back and caught him by the shoe. He tried to push his foot down to plant it on Dustin's face, but the Carolinian held him in place then twisted hard to his right.

"FUCK!" the L.A. native shouted over the sound of his ankle twisting further than it was meant to go that sent him back to floor as he vainly tried to keep his ankle straight.

Once Antonio had fallen on his stomach, Dustin rolled and crawled up and grabbed Antonio by the collar. He started hammering his face with his right forearm until the wannabe bully stopped struggling. The Carolinian pulled himself to his feet and looked down at the barely conscious teenager as his eyes were rolling up to the back of his head.

Dustin rolled his left shoulder several times as he went back to his locker without paying a bit of notice to the dent that had just been left on his locker. He picked up his dropped notebook and textbook, finished the combination to his lock, opened the locker to switch out a book for his next class then closed it without a word. He started walking past the three friends with the crowd still shocked to what they had seen.

Antonio remained on his back as he had gathered just enough wits to spit out with more blood onto his face, "This isn't over Hale… I'm going to put you in your place…"

Dustin stopped and turned slightly to look down that the struggling teenager. He responded with a cool tone and dismissive look, "Maybe one day, but today... you're my little bitch."

The three continued to be left sprawling on the floor as the crowd parted to let Dusty pass to go to his next class.

Northridge High School  
Present

Jade blinked as she mouth opened and closed several times while looking at the cavalier storyteller.

Dusty looked down at the hallway and tried to scuff away a dark red spot on the floor, but to no avail. "Mmm… I guess they never got that out." He looked back up at her then softly chuckled as he tilted his head slightly to the side. "So yes... Freddie was correct from the start that I could have protected you from Nevel… and you were correct that I could have protected you from Sam… for Freddie's piece of mind of course." He smiled as he finished, "You putting her down again wouldn't have been productive for what you were trying to do."

The pale actress finally closed her mouth and cleared her throat. "Chizz… and they just let stuff like that happen here? You had to put up with that for the entire semester?"

"Not really. Once you made an example of someone, the rest know you're not a target… it was the point Freddie was making in his speech after Carly's broadcast and Nevel even though Hollywood Arts _is not_ Northridge."

Jade glanced down for a moment as she contemplated Freddie's words earlier in the day. She bashfully looked up at him and retorted, "It doesn't matter to him. He thinks he's carrying some curse from Seattle that they'll always be someone out there willing to mess with him… us. He thinks he has to be that harsh to protect us."

He gave her a curious expression. "When did you find that out?"

"This afternoon before we went home. He's afraid to let it go… that he'll fail me if he tries and can't let it go and fail me if he does let it go and I get hurt."

Dusty nodded along with evident concern on his face then asked, "Damn… what'd you tell him?"

"I told him he could let it go… he didn't have to be afraid. I'd protect him." She smiled at him and playfully punched him on arm which brought a curious eyebrow from the teenager before she explained, "I told him I'd grip him tight and raise him from Perdition if he fell."

Dusty cracked a smile at hearing those words. He responded with an upbeat tone, "You think he's going to take your advice?"

She gave a quick nod. "I think he's going to try."

The Southern teenager shrugged his right shoulder. "I guess that's the only thing you can do is wait… and hope… and pray."

"I guess so… and it helps he does have an angel looking out for him."

Dusty smirked as he added, "That can come in handy." He shook his head as he walked towards her then she naturally fell in step beside him as he started leading them back to the auditorium.

As they walked, Jade asked, "Ah, did Antonio was it? Did he ever try again?"

He stuck his hands into his pockets as he answered, "Of course... and I put him down again… it was just bloodier the _third_ time around. He finally stopped at that point, but you always had to worry about that knife in your back… literally. He was pretty pissed that a 'country cracker' could whip him. In hindsight, I think it hurt his racial pride or standing with his friends or some such nonsense that I wouldn't put up with his… 'chizz' as you call it."

The pale dark brunette laughed out, "You think we'd out grow that at some point, but…"

He answered with a somber tone, "Yeah… stuff like that always reminds me of one of the few things my mother left me: 'If we only looked at each other as God looks at us.'"

Jade nodded along in agreement as the pair reached the door into the auditorium. "I guess he left you more than a knife."

He smiled as he opened the door for her and added, "She left me some of her Grace too."

The group waited in their seats for Sinjin to start as Mister Goobensteen had finally arrived, but the producer didn't look happy at all being in the audience.

Dusty glanced passed Cat with a curious expression towards Tori and asked, "What's with the extension cord?"

The brunette looked to him a little surprised by the question, but quickly answered by holding up her phone, "I need it for my phone. It's janked up. It won't hold a charge."

"Why not just send it off to get it fixed or buy a new phone?"

Jade answered with an irritated tone as she looked over her shoulder, "She won't get a new phone—"

Tori in turn interrupted her with an impatient tone, "I am waiting for the new XT to come out."

Dusty raised an eyebrow becoming more confused with the explanation. "So you're carrying an extension cord for your phone in the meantime?"

"Yes. I don't want to be the 'tard that is stuck with the GX and laughed at when everyone else has the new XT."

Dusty raised an eyebrow. "Can I go ahead and laugh at you for having a GX in the first place?"

Tori turned her head again and looked up him with a frown. The others gave him questionable looks as well.

He shrugged a shoulder and continued, "The old G5s were better phones. You look at the GXs the wrong way and they'll break and I'll bet you the XTs will do the same thing when they come out. The G5s are nearly unbreakable, get just as good reception or better, superior screen size and resolution and I haven't found an App for the GXs that won't work on the G5. That and the fact it isn't in the shape of a stupid pear that's so inconvenient to actually put it in a pocket."

Freddie turned his attention to anything that could hold it since actually working for the Pear Company, he understood how truthfulness of those statements.

Jade pressed the side of her right hand against her mouth in an attempt to stifle her chuckle of Dusty possibly popping Tori's bubble when it came to the new phone. She was hoping that was the case so she wouldn't have to hear anymore about her going on about it.

Tori's mouth dropped opened and looked like she was about to challenge him, but the conversation was cut short when Sinjin walked in front of the wall with the logo of the game show while checking his microphone in his hand by blowing a few quick breaths into it. He wore a big smile as he began, "Hello and welcome to Northridge."

Three girls at the end of the front row, a redhead, brunette and blonde, eagerly started cheering at his mention of Northridge.

Rex dropped his mouth open as the closest thing he could get to a smirk and waved at the girls at the end of the row, "My girls."

As the girls waved back at the puppet, Dusty snorted out in disgust under his breath only loud enough for Ava to hear, "Northridge trash… might get an STD just looking at them… though the brunette looks cute."

Sinjin began again, "Thank you for being here for the first rehearsal of my very own game show, _Queries for Couples_."

The audience politely clapped then Tori started passing down the end of an orange electrical extension cord to Cat. "Would you pass this down? I need to plug in my phone."

Cat asked with a soft voice and smile while passing the cord down to Dusty then Ava and the ones that followed her, "A little help? Help my friend Tori plug in her phone."

"Thanks guys," Tori called out with a grateful tone.

Sinjin began again, "Um, before we start I'd like to introduce the wonderful man that runs GameGoober, Mister Harvey Goobensteen.

A man sitting on the end of the row just behind the seated Cat, Tori and André stood up lazily and gave not even a halfhearted wave at the audience then quickly sat back down.

The curly haired teenager raised a hand and eagerly shouted, "And now it's time to play!"

No one in the audience initially responded until Cat stood up and opened her arms up and cheerfully announced, "Sinjin's game show!"

Sinjin took a soft breath and patiently corrected into the microphone, "It is called Queries for Couples." He motioned his hand up in the air and called out, "Wall!"

Some members of Sinjin's tech crew started operating a rope and pulley system to raise the wall behind the teenager to reveal three couples as the audience clapped.

The audience had several negative reactions at seeing the dressed down and homely teenage couples.

Sinjin ignored the reaction and continued, "Now let's meet out contestants. Couple number one hails from Burbank, and—"

Harvey got out of his seat and quickly walked down the steps as he shouted, "Hey, ragtop!"

"Excuse us for a moment," Sinjin excused himself before taking a moment to speak privately with Harvey.

As they spoke, Tori took the opportunity to look past Cat and ask, "Hey Northridge, would you just plug it into that wall there?"

The redhead, brunette and blonde looked to her as if questioning if she was serious about her request.

"Thanks," she answered somewhat flippantly.

Cat commented dryly, "Some girls just aren't that smart."

"Huh hun," Tori agreed with her as she softly rubbed her left shoulder as the Northridge redhead decided to plug in the end.

There was a soft beeping noise from Tori's phone that grabbed the girl's attention and she whispered excitedly, "Yea, my phone came on."

The phone repeated back, "Yea, my phone came on."

Tori whined in frustration, "Oh, man."

André thumbed over to Tori's phone and asked, "You got the talking Reggie app?"

The phone repeated his question, "You got the talking Reggie app?"

Tori sighed in frustration, "Yes."

"Yes," the phone repeated.

Jade looked over her shoulder and complained, "Turn it off."

Tori whispered into the phone, "Shut up."

"Shut up," the phone replied with the high pitched voice. She poked the screen hard and the phone screamed out as if it really felt pain.

Sinjin started speaking into his microphone as Harvey started his way back to his seat, "Okay, Mister Goobenstein feels that the game show should have better looking contestants."

Jade eagerly agree with a hint of smugness in her voice, "He's not wrong."

Freddie slightly nudged Jade's shoulder with his shoulder. She looked over and he gently asked with a whisper, "Jade?"

"So, I'm going to say goodnight to you guys, go on… don't worry, it's nothing personal. It's just your appearances." He looked back to the audience as the teenagers finished clearing out and started, "Now ah…" He dropped his microphone and quickly dashed up to his friends then looked to Tori.

"Will you guys please be my test couples?"

"None of us are dating except for Freddie and Jade and you can't exactly be a contestant with Ava if you're hosting."

"That's okay, will you guys do it?"

Tori attempted to decline, but he grabbed her by the shoulders and demanded, "Don't blow for this for me Tori."

A few minutes later, several of the teenagers were separated into couples on stage: Beck and Cat in the first station followed by Robbie and Tori in the center station with Freddie and Jade rounding out the last station. Sinjin took his position in front of the stage and called out in a loud and cheerful voice, "Okay, it's time to play!"

The audience lamely responded, "Queries for Couples."

Sinjin continued not losing one bit of enthusiasm, "That's right… live from Northridge, it's _Queries for Couples_."

Tori eagerly pointed out and pointed to Robbie as he waved at the audience, "We're not really a couple."

Sinjin scolded Tori with a, "Shussh," while Robbie dejectedly slumped in his seat.

The sandy haired teenager turned to the audience and continued, "Say hello to our Query Girl, Trina Vega."

Trina glided across the stage with applause from the audience wearing a white dress shirt under a black spaghetti-strap top and very short silver shorts that allowed her to show off her athletic legs. She stopped to stand beside him at the display screen. She eagerly greeted him, "Hello Sinjin."

Sinjin whispered to her, "You'll not suppose to talk."

She maintained her smile as she whispered back, "I'll talk if I want to talk."

Ava could see from the corner of her eyes that Dusty did not look comfortable with seeing Beck being Cat's partner on stage. She didn't know if it was because he didn't like Beck or the fact that he was pretending to be a couple with Cat as she had heard the stories about the ex's lingering feelings for the childlike redhead.

The tall teenager started walking across in front of the stage and explained, "Okay, let's take a look at our first query for couple number one." He stopped next to the first station with Beck and Cat. "Beck, Cat has bad breath…"

The redhead sucked in a quick breath and covered her mouth with her closed fists.

He forced out a reassurance to her, "It's just pretend."

She softly giggled as she dropped her hands away from her mouth.

"Do you A, tell her she has bad breath, B, ignore it because you love her or C, dump her?"

"Cat, go ahead and use your corded remote to secretly chose what you think Beck's answer should be."

"Okay, B!" she shouted as she pressed the center red button on the remote.

Jade leaned forward so she could look over to her right and comment, "Cat, you don't say it out loud."

Sinjin spoke up with a reassuring tone, "That's okay, it's just rehearsal."

"Beck, your answer?"

He wore an uncomfortable expression and passed a quick glance down towards Freddie and Jade before answering, "I'm going to go with B."

Cat instantly wrapped her arms around and shouted out a soft, "Yay!"

"Calm down Cat, don't start something you can't finish—"

Cat's mouth formed an 'O' shape and a soft pitch sound then started to softly giggle as Beck gently disengaged her from him.

As Sinjin started to walk to Tori and Robbie, Trina began to speak, "Okay, our next query is for Tori and Robbie."

"I say that," Sinjin corrected her with a hint of irritation in his voice.

Trina complained, "Well, I should get to say something!"

Sinjin shouted back frustrated, "No!" He turned his attention to Tori and Robbie and continued, "Now, let's look at our query for Tori and Robbie. Tori, Robbie has a pimple on his back he can't reach…"

The dark curly haired teenager eagerly nodded and agreed, "That has happened to me."

Tori pointed over to Robbie and commented loudly to make sure everyone knew, "Not really my boyfriend."

Sinjin ignored her comment and continued, "Do you A, take him to the doctor, B, wait for the pimple to explode on its own or C, pop it for him." He pointed to the remote and instructed Robbie, "Robbie lock in the answer you believe Tori would choose."

Robbie smiled and patted the top of her hand and started, "What will my girlfriend, Tori say?"

She immediately slapped him hard on his hand to let go of her right hand.

Dusty rolled his eyes and shook his head as he mumbled under his breath, "Yeah… he is so into Cat." Ava softly laughed as she took that as confirmation of how he felt about the redhead.

Robbie pressed a button to make his choice.

Sinjin continued, "So Tori, what are we going to do about that back zit?"

Tori smiled as she answered with a soft pat on his arm, "Well… I think I would choose A, take him to the doctor."

The audience sluggishly clapped in response.

"And Robbie predicted you would say, C, pop it for him."

Tori snapped her head around and admonished the ventriloquist, "Gross."

Robbie threw out his hands and countered, "My mom does it for me,"

"Maybe that's why she screams in her sleep!"

Dusty leaned over and whispered to Ava, "How does she know that?"

The dark brunette shrugged her shoulders and shook her head as she was as much a lost as he.

Trina looked off from the side with an expression that showed her disgust as Sinjin walked to Jade and Freddie. "Now for our final couple: Freddie and Jade."

The audience clapped again then the host started, "Your query is—"

A strange noise started emitting from Tori's phone resting and the beam in front of her and grabbing everyone's attention. A voice on the other end started speaking, "Hello? Tori?"

Jade leaned forward so she could look past Freddie and asked with mild disbelief, "You're taking a phone call now?"

Tori was quick to retort as she picked up her phone, "I didn't even press answer." She looked to the audience and quickly explained, "I'm sorry, my phone is very broken, mom I can't talk now."

"Can you hear me?"

Robbie shouted into the phone, "Hi Mrs. Vega!"

"Hello? Tori?"

Trina whispered harshly, "Turn it off."

"I'm pressing end call."

Mrs. Vega's voice called out again, "I can't hear you."

Tori whispered into her phone, "Mom, just hang up."

"I'm at the drugstore; do you want me to buy you some more ointme—" She was quickly cut off when Tori shoved the phone underneath her bottom to sit on her phone in the hopes of muffling what her mother was saying.

Sinjin leaned over and whispered, "I have some ointment if you need it."

Tori shut her eyes for a moment then embarrassingly asked, "Please read the next query."

He conceded to her request and looked back to Freddie and Jade. "Okay, Freddie and Jade, your query is: You're stranded on a boat in the ocean—"

Jade had her weight shifted to her left elbow and casually commented, "I don't go into the ocean."

Beck spoke up with a mildly irritated voice, "Just let him finish the question."

She leaned forward and shouted back to the other end of the stage, "I don't like the ocean!"

Sinjin started with a worried expression, "Guys—"

Beck commented with a frustrated tone, "We are trying to help our friend with his game show."

Jade narrowed her gaze on her ex-boyfriend and answered with an irritated tone, "You know what happened to me when I was in third grade and went into the ocean."

Beck snapped back, "The dolphin was just trying to be friendly."

Freddie looked back between Jade and Beck for a few seconds then slightly frowned. He looked to Jade and whispered, "I don't understand."

She blew out a soft breath then answered, "I had a bad experience when I was in third grade and they creep me out, so I won't go into the ocean."

Freddie raised his brow as her statement was an obvious revelation to him. "Oh? That's why you wouldn't swim with me during the—"

Sinjin shouted out in frustration interrupting the tech-producer, "Just say A, B or C!"

She gave Sinjin an irritated expression at interrupting Freddie and randomly shouted out, "B!"

Beck shouted out with an annoyed and flippant tone, "Maybe it was A!"

She leaned passed Freddie again and shouted back, "I don't ca—"

Freddie interrupted her and shouted back to Beck, "Stop trivializing her feelings. It obviously bothers her!"

Beck snapped, "Oh stuff it and go back to Seattle while you're at it!"

Jade leaned back slightly with wide eyes and slowly closed her mouth shut.

Freddie blinked for barely a moment then narrowed his eyes and set his jaw tight as he looked on his girlfriend's ex. He knew everything had just changed with his simple statement.

The rest of them on stage looked on in muted shock.

Ava whispered out in shock, "Holy chizz."

Dusty looked just as shocked as his eyes were glued to the stage then called out in a louder voice, "That's not a 'holy chizz'. That calls for an outright 'Holy _Shit_'." He slightly shook his head as he whispered, "This is _not_ going to end well."

Sinjin announced with a bit of nervousness, "We'll be right back for more Queries for Couples."

The older Vega sister walked up to his left. She smiled and spoke into his microphone, "Starring Trina."

"Stop it!" Sinjin snapped in frustration.

Mrs. Vega's voice came through Tori's broken phone, "Tori, do you want the ointment or the foam?"

"Ointment!" She paused for a moment then asked, "Wait, they have foam?"

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Thursday, January 19, 2012

Tori stood at her open locker to slide in a notebook as Robbie slid up to stand across from Tori and rest his hand on side her locker door. "What up girlfriend?" He closed his eyes and puckered his lips, but Tori caught them with her hands to stretch out his lips as she told him, "Stop pretending we are a couple; _the game show is over_."

He slightly pulled back and licked his lips then commented, "I don't think you want to get snippy with your pretend boyfriend who fixed your PearPhone so now it works without an extension cord."

"You fixed it?" she asked excitedly.

"Yep." He took a step back around the corner and answered, "Your mobile phone is once again mobile." He rolled around a trolley with the several batteries stacked on one another.

"What? What is this?" she asked as he held up her phone for her to take.

"Car batteries… from a Volvo."

"So I'm suppose to lug around these giant car batteries to power my phone?!"

"Or you could buy a new PearPhone GX to replace that one."

"No, if I buy another GX, I guarantee you the new XT'll gonna come out like the next day and then I'll be the dumb preturd with a GX while everybody else has the cool new XT regardless of what Dusty says."

Robbie smiled to her and rested a hand on her left shoulder. He whispered, "Take it easy baby."

"Robbie!" she scolded him with her raised left pointer finger which caused the teenager to drop his hand away from Tori and take a step back.

The friendly voice of Sinjin called out from behind Tori, "Hey Tori, Robbie."

The brunette turned and answered, "Hey Sinjin."

The curly haired teenager wore a smile and held a trophy in his hand as he asked the pair, "Have you seen Jade or Freddie?"

Tori answered and asked with a curious tone, "No, why?"

He held up the trophy and explained, "They got the award for Best Couple."

Tori raised an eyebrow.

He let out a soft laugh, "The audience really liked Freddie defending Jade. They thought it was pretty romantic, but they were a little disappointed that there wasn't a fight."

Tori blew out a breath and palmed her forehead. Freddie and Beck getting into a fight was the last thing she wanted to happen, but she had this overwhelming feeling that was going to be a foregone conclusion before all was said and down and it broke her heart.

The actress pushed those feelings off to the side for the time being and asked hoping for a happier distraction, "Is that Goobenstein guy going to put your game show on his website?"

"I'm not sure."

"What did he say?"

Sinjin slightly tilted his head to the side and commented, "Nothing, he just spit in my apple juice."

Tori sucked in a breath through her teeth and shook her head as she commented, "That's not a good sign."

Sinjin let out a soft and hopeful laugh, "Hard to say."

Robbie curious pointed out, "Hey, there's Beck and Jade."

Sinjin turned to look with the other two at Jade and Beck apparently arguing over something. The taller of the curly haired teenagers commented with a little fear in his voice, "I think Ava's right and I'm going to avoid…" He motioned his hand towards Beck and Jade. "…that. I don't want to be caught up in that mess."

Robbie readily agreed, "I think that's a good idea."

The pair of boys quickly turned to head around the corner a few lockers down from Tori's locker and dashed down the short hallway to the T-intersection.

Tori closed her eyes as she realized for the moment that was probably the best idea as she didn't know what she could do to help the situation and that she was probably condemned to help pick up the pieces. She casually shut her locker then blew out a breath as she got behind her trolley and gave it a good push to get started. She started on her way down the hall as Trina walked past her and insisted, "Just get another PearPhone GX."

"I am waiting for the PearPhone XT!" Tori shouted back defiantly as she pushed her trolley of car batteries as Beck walked passed her dragging Jade long by her by her right wrist.

Jade shouted out annoyingly, "There's nothing to talk about!"

"Yes, there is!" Beck shouted back as he held Jade by her right wrist as he pulled her along on his way to the janitor's closet.

The dark brunette teenager yelled out to the loitering teenagers around the lockers and stairwell, "He's kidnapping me! You all see it! Kidnapper!" As Beck opened the door and dragged her inside, she hissing out, "Let go!" Once they were in the closet, Jade complained one last time, "Kidnapper."

Beck started closing the door behind him as he looked on Jade, but the door suddenly stopped before it closed and surprising the actor. As he was about to turn to see what had stopped the door, he was jerked backwards from someone grabbing the back of his jacket collar and yanking hard enough to pull him completely out of the closet. He barely remained on his feet as he was turned one-eighty from the pull and stumbled a few feet down the hallway. Once he was confident he had settled on his feet, he turned with a bit of annoyance to face the one that had pulled him out of the closet, but the only thing he saw was a fist coming at his face. He didn't have any time to react before the fist collided with the left side of his jaw and sending him spinning and heading face first to the floor.

Fortunately, the jerking of his body into the spin naturally caused him to bring up his right forearm to stop his face and head from taking the full impact of the floor, but his shoulder. However, he still got a nice face full of floor that made his head spin from knocking a little bit of the floor with his forehead, but without breaking his nose or damaging any of his teeth.

The longer haired teenager coughed a few times that sent spittle and a bit of blood on hallway floor as he blinked a few times to try to clear his vision as the right side of his face lay across the cold polish hallway floor. The copper taste in his mouth was apparent as the inside of his cheek had been cut by his teeth from the impact of the fist to the side of his jaw and cheek. He patted around with his left hand a few times until he stopped to push up to allow his right hand underneath his chest to get free and help push him up off the floor to kneel on his right knee. He rested his left forearm on his left knee for a moment to catch his breath and try to wipe the spittle and blood off his lips with his right palm. As he stood up and ran his left hand through his hair to get it out of his face, he thought, _"Damn, Freddie can hit like a freight train."_

He turned around to face the one that gave him a nice punch to the face. "Freddie—" He stopped and his eyes shot open wide as the person he expected to hit him wasn't the Seattleite, but another Los Angeles immigrant. The actor blinked at seeing instead of Freddie, Dusty standing there giving him a cold and unyielding stare. Beck saw that the Southern teenager had dropped his book bag off of his shoulder and unto the ground and giving him a cold stare.

Beck broke eye contact to glance over Dusty's shoulder to meet Jade's eyes as she had stepped out of the closet and into the hallway with Cat coming out of nowhere to stand beside her with apparently spoons in her hands. As far as he could tell from Jade's expression, she was just as shocked and appeared somewhat helpless in understanding to what just happened. The red velvet haired teenager looked just as worried and confused. However, he ignored the fact that he and Dusty had became the center of attention from the surrounding students and some others around the entrance and stairwell quickly coming up behind him to see what was about to take place.

The Canadian born was about to speak, but Dusty spoke up with such a cold tone he had never heard his classmate speak, "The next one won't be a love tap, so turn your ass around and walk away before I _really_ teach you some manners."

The taller teenager frowned and narrowed his gaze on the lean teenager. His jaw tightened up and ignored the pain from the punch to his face. He whispered out and let his irritation slip into his voice, "This doesn't concern you, so you're the one that should walk away." He tried to walk around Dusty to try to speak with Jade, but Dusty sidestepped and stopped the actor in his tracks.

The pair was now about a yard apart from one another as the slightly shorter teenager held his cold stare at Jade's ex.

The muscles in the back of Beck's neck and shoulders tightened as his anger started to build in chest while he eyed Dusty with a narrow gaze. "You need to move Dusty. I'm trying to have a private conversation with Jade."

Dusty matched his stare and snapped back, "And you need to kiss my ass, because you're not putting your hands on her again and you're going to have to put me down first before I'll let you force her to 'have a conversation with you'… and pretty boy…" Dusty shook his head and his cold stare turned into one of mild disgust as he finished loud enough for the surrounding students to hear him, "I don't think you got what it takes."

Beck stared at Dusty and the Southern teen stared right back at him, not willing to yield one inch to the actor. "If you don't think I will put you down then _try me_."

The taller actor looked around and saw that they were the center of attention. He looked back to Dusty and could tell that he wasn't bluffing; Dusty would fight it out with him right then and there and not care one bit about in kind of trouble he could face. Beck gritted his teeth as he realized he wasn't going to be able to talk to Jade in private, so he turned around and headed to the other end of the hallway. He called back, "We're going to have to talk about this sooner or later!"

Dusty let out a slow breath but kept his cold stare at the back of Beck's head as he walked down the hall and pass the shocked students.

Jade cautiously walked up behind him hesitantly began, "Dusty—"

The former Northridge student cut her off with a curt tone without taking his eyes off Beck's retreating form, "I don't want to hear it." Dusty leaned down to pick up his book bag then threw his bag onto his right shoulder and commented, "I'll walk you to class."

Jade realized that it would be pointless to argue with the teenager as he obviously saw it as a matter of honor. She gave him a nod then started on her way to class with the watchful boy by her side challenging anyone to get in Jade's way.

Vega Residence  
Thursday, January 19, 2012

Cat, André, Tori, Trina, Beck and Robbie were already sitting at the poker table for the scheduled game and already played a few hands. The mood of course was completely opposite to what was intended for the get together as a way to take a break during the always hectic week at Hollywood Arts and to celebrate Tori getting her role.

There was very little chatter among the teenagers as for the most part they were focused on the game with the group individually stealing glances at Beck. Some of the glances were of concern as others were of expressions of them trying to figure out how things could have turned into a drama storm. The actor was particularly quiet as he almost mechanically played out his hands as a visible yellow and purplish bruise had formed on his left cheek and jaw.

They had all heard what had happened through Cat and others at school as the grapevine was quite efficient in getting news around the school of the near fight between Beck and Dusty over Jade along with the news of Beck wishing Freddie would go back to Seattle from Sinjin's game show. Apparently none of them were brave enough to bring it up with Beck or comment on the fact that neither Freddie nor Jade was here to play cards. Tori was somewhat grateful that apparently they had skipped it because she didn't want to see the confrontation between Freddie and Beck.

Actually, the singer was dreading the eventual confrontation. Simply pretending Beck saying he wished Freddie would go back to Seattle and his attempt to drag Jade to the janitor's closet against her will was not going to happen. She could not imagine the tech-producer just letting it go as he did with André's temporary crush on Jade.

However, the uneasiness around the table was not to last as the doorbell rang. Tori blew out a breath and laid down her cards as she called out, "I got it."

"Yeah, get it," Trina dryly commented as even she was feeling a little awkward at the table.

Tori quickly got up from her seat and walked towards the door. She opened it and paused for a moment to see Freddie looking at her with a narrow gaze and tightly closed jaw. She stuttered for a moment before starting, "Hi Freddie—"

He walked right past her and shouted, "WHERE IS HE?! BECK!"

The teenagers at the table turned their attention to the fuming former Seattleite with expressions that more or less a nonverbal form of 'oh chizz'. The actor got up from the card table and walked around Trina, André and Cat to stop at the threshold between the kitchen and the living room apparently having no concerns about Freddie's anger.

The tech-producer headed straight for him, but Tori rushed around to stand in front of Freddie and held up her hands in an attempt to calm him down while André got up from his seat in the hopes placing himself between Beck and Freddie.

Tori spoke with a nervous and desperate tone that played out on her face, "Okay, you're obviously upset—"

He tore his eyes away from Beck and directed them straight at Tori. He whispered out with a chilling tone, "Tori, I love you, but you have to get out of my way."

The brunette swallowed seeing his eyes as she felt genuine fear of what Freddie could do in the next few moments from not only the look in his eyes, but everything over the last two weeks. However, she shook her head and whispered out, "No."

He growled out as he held his stare at her in a possible attempt to intimidate her to move, but she knew deep down he wouldn't do anything to actually move her.

Beck called out with a quiet tone, "Tori, let him pass."

Tori looked over her shoulder to the bruised actor as if he was insane then exchanged a concern expression with André.

He wore an even expression as he continued with a tired voice, "We have to settle this at some point."

Freddie snorted out dismissively, "Damn well we do." Tori reluctantly stood aside as did André, but fortunately for a moment, the pair stood about a yard or two apart instead of up in each others faces.

Freddie grinned, but it wasn't a happy one as he sarcastically started, "Where do you want to start first? The part where you want me to go back to Seattle or the part where you tried to _drag my girlfriend into the janitor's closet_ and Dusty was ready to beat you down for it?"

Beck frowned and took a deep breath. He let his irritation slip into his voice as he retorted, "That was none of his business."

"I don't give a jank about whose business it was! What I care about is that you put your hands on Jade when she told you no!" Freddie took a step forward and hissed out, "It seems you really do have a problem with a girl telling you no and all those times she told you no when you were together and ignored her weren't isolated incidences." Freddie pointed towards the discoloration of his jaw and left cheek of Beck's face. "I'm going to make this real clear for you right now: you put your hands on Jade again and I'm going to really teach you that no means no."

Beck deeply frowned despite the pain from his jaw at the teenager who had replaced him in Jade's heart.

André slightly slid between the pair and laughed out nervously, "Whoa, let's not start saying things we might regret in the morning."

Freddie frowned as he looked to André which caused the songsmith to take a step back. "What I'm I going to regret in calling out this asshole in not touching my girlfriend? You may have kept your mouth shut about how he treated her, but I'm not. I thought he realized how much he janked up with his relationship with Jade, but I guess I was wrong and he apparently didn't learn anything." He motioned passed them towards Trina and continued, "Look what he pulled on Trina. Did he _ever_ apologize?"

The room went silent with Trina awkwardly looking away as his answer.

Freddie snorted out in disgust as he held his stare on Beck. "I guess not, but you're going to learn that it stops or you're going to pay for it… because you're not getting rid of me; I'm not going back to Seattle."

Tori whispered, "Freddie."

He looked to Tori and challenged, "What? He talked down to Jade, treated her as a child at times, let girls flirt with him when he knew it bothered Jade then pretended he didn't see it, put his hands on her when she said stop and none of you said a damn thing about it." He blew out breath with a smirk, "Hell, you all left her alone to go to Yerba after their breakup, so I really shouldn't be surprised that all of you would accept his behavior."

Tori and Cat had the decency to look embarrassed at him pointing out that fact.

Freddie continued with his anger still seeping into is voice, "Now he suddenly thinks he can still get away with it, but he can't. _I won't let him_."

Beck sarcastically countered as his own anger started to rise up, "Well you were conveniently there for her… take advantage of the situation."

Freddie broke into a grin. "Take advantage? Really?" He snorted out, "You're the one that ran off to another country instead of working out your problems with her. We became friends. It happened." He took another step towards Beck. "After Colonel Shay rescued your dumb ass, I practically shoved Jade back to you so you could work things out. I couldn't get out of the airport fast enough for you two to spend the afternoon together." Freddie looked to the rest of them. "Did none of you not notice that?" He motioned with a hand to Trina. "Except for Trina who wanted to get out of there faster than me."

Freddie snorted out a laugh and glanced to everyone before looking back to Beck. "You remember the dinner at Wok Star? I didn't show up and Jade had to come and get me? I told you that I just lost track of time playing computer games and didn't hear Jade call? I _lied._"

Beck frowned in confusion along with the rest of the group of friends.

The tech-producer shifted to a sterner voice, "I lied; I didn't lose track of time. I purposely ignored going and her phone calls. I wanted her to spend her time with you and give you two another shot to fix things because _she loved you_ and I wanted her to be happy. I didn't want her to lose the guy she loved. I know how it feels to lose the person you love." Freddie frowned as he finished with a regretful tone, "It's not my fault you didn't step up and try again then or the weeks between then and when Jade and I got together."

Tori's mouth dropped open and eyes nearly bulged out of her eye sockets at that revelation with the rest of them joining her except Beck.

Beck finally whispered out in a tone that suggested that he might not believe his own words, "Bullchizz. She went to get you and you came with her. If that chizz you just said was true, you wouldn't have come back with her."

He let out a soft growl before countering, "She wouldn't leave my hotel room. It was either I went with her or she would stay for the evening. She wasn't going to let me just stay there by myself."

Beck shrugged a shoulder and retorted with a flippant attitude, "I don't believe you."

Freddie was about to snap back a reply when Jade's soft voice called out, "It's true."

Everyone turned around or their attention to see that Jade was standing at the open door with Dusty by her side as he wore a concerned expression on his face.

The pale dark brunette took a breath and continued with a soft voice, "He tried to give me some chizzy excuse to not go, but then admitted he wanted me to try again with you, try to meet you half way and at least try to start putting ourselves back together, but I couldn't walk out on him and leave him alone… I wasn't going to be Carly."

Beck shook his head. "Carly didn't walk out on him; he walked out on her."

Freddie bowed his head slightly and shook it while wearing a smirk. He looked up and retorted, "As if you knew chizz about my real relationship with Carly."

Beck took another step closer to Freddie so the pair were just a foot apart and snapped back, "You walked out on her after you listened to Sam's stupid 'foreign bacon' nonsense. You're the one that dumped her and told her that her feelings weren't real and you were the one that walked out on her again when you thought that she purposely tried to sabotage you with Nora."

Freddie frowned as it struck him on how Beck could have known about 'foreign bacon', but ignored it for a moment to retort, "Of course she tried to sabotage us. She knew I was planning to spend New Years with Jade and she wanted to—"

The taller teenager shouted out his interruption with real anger in his voice, "Carly didn't do it purpose! She just wanted Nora to stay in jail, but when the judge took pity on Nora with Gibby being forgiving of her, Sam just not caring and you forgiving her, she thought why not do the same thing for Nora? Why not give Nora the second chance you were giving her?"

Freddie jaw slacked as he looked to Beck in disbelief then retorted with a curt tone, "Why do you believe that chizz? How could you even know that even if it's true?"

The taller actor shouted back in frustration, "Because she told me and I believe her!"

Freddie's anger was instantly replaced with confusion and if the expressions on the rest of group's faces were any indication, they were just as confused as he.

Jade walked to stand by Freddie's side and crossed her arms under her chest and asked, "Carly told you? _Carly told you?_ When?"

Beck looked down to the floor for a moment then looked back up to hesitantly replied, "When I went up to Seattle after New Years."

Jade corrected him with a furled brow and hesitant tone, "You went to Canada to visit family."

He blew out a breath and ran a quick hand through his hair with his right hand. "No, I didn't. I just told you that. I went up there to see her."

Jade took a slight step backwards and looked to him with a mild shock and the faintest of hints of feelings of betrayal. She whispered out, "Why? Why would you go up there to see her?"

He blew out a breath and bowed his head just enough not to meet her eyes. "Because she's my friend and I was worried about her."

The actress asked with evident disbelief, "Friend? You barely know her from Kenan's par—"

"Actually, I've been talking to Carly since Freddie moved in with you."

The first floor went silent as everyone instantly put on muted shocked expressions. They started glancing towards one another for confirmation that each had correctly heard Beck.

Jade was the first to find her voice and ask barely above a whisper, "What?"

"I… I…" He dropped his shoulders and threw up his hands. "She was the only one I could talk to, the only one that could possibly relate to what I was going through."

Jade took another step back and darted her eyes back and forth as she processed what he had told her. A few moments later, she looked back up to meet her ex's eyes and whispered out, "Going through…" She raised her voice to shout out with a harsh tone, "You've been talking to her this entire time… behind our backs!"

Beck slightly frowned from the accusation.

She sucked in a sharp breath as something occurred to her. Her face fell in fear as she whispered out, "Oh my God, Carly did know… she knew from you."

Beck frowned in confusion as he squinted his eyes as he looked to her.

Freddie gave her a confused and worried expression even as he was processing that Beck had just admitted that he was in contact with Carly the entire time to the point where he considered Carly his friend. "What?"

She looked at her boyfriend from the corner of her eye as she kept most of her focus on Beck. Her breath was starting to quicken as she answered, "You told Tori what you were planning to do on New Years…" She sucked in a short breath. "I told Beck while we were out getting ice cream for our poker game before New Years that I was going to tell you that I loved you at midnight."

She felt her chest start to contract as she blinked with the first tears started rolling down the valley between her nose and cheeks. Her voice became horse as she continued, "That's who you were texting before we went inside, not them. You were texting Carly. I... I told you so it wouldn't just be thrown in your face. You should be the first to know and that it wasn't meant to hurt you, but you... you turn around and you—" She sobbed out as it was obvious to everyone that her composure was completely breaking down, "—you tell Carly so she could sabotage me and Freddie on New Years!"

Beck raised his hands as he wore a completely shocked expression, "Jade, it's not like tha—"

He didn't get the chance as she slapped him hard across the left side of his face. His face stung from being struck directly on his bruise, but that's not the pain he really acknowledged; it was the pain he saw on Jade's face.

The tears were flowing freely from her eyes and she covered her mouth with her right hand. She whispered out, "How could you do that to me?"

"Jade…" Beck began, but she ignored him as she turned and ran past Dusty on her way to the door and out of the Vega home.

The expression on Freddie's face and motion of his head back and forth a few times to look at Beck and Jade's retreating form would have been comedic if it wasn't so tragic. Freddie looked to Beck with all the hatred he could pull from his soul and the teenager actually took a step back in fear then Freddie was dashing after Jade out the door. "Jade!"

The rest remained in stunned silence at what they had just witnessed.

Beck's shoulders slumped in defeat and wore an expression of complete loss.

West Residence

Freddie knocked on the bathroom door, but Jade continued to ignore him as she had done for the last few hours since they got home. He whispered out desperately, "Jade please open the door."

The room remand silent to his question. He blew out a tired breath then shoved the key into the lock of the bathroom that he had retrieved before checking on her again. He unlocked the door and cautiously opened the door.

The bathroom was completely dark and it was only for the hallway light that he could see that Jade wrapped her arms around her shins and held her knees to her chest while sitting in the center of the bathroom rocking back and forth. Her eyes were completely bloodshot and looked like she had run out of tears with the puffiness under her eyes. She blinked several times as the light nearly blinded her since her eyes had adjusted hours ago to the pitch darkness of the bathroom.

He cautiously stepped inside as if he was afraid of spooking her like a small animal then closed the door enough so only a sliver of light entered the room and not blind the dark brunette. However, she ignored him as he took a seat beside her. He carefully raised his left arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. Her shoulders and arms were bare since she had changed into a tank top after they arrived home and they seemed cold to Freddie's touch.

He kissed her temple then held her close to keep her warm and let her know he was really there for her. She stared off and remained silent.

Un-seeable to either of them, the pale redhead angel stood behind them in a corner of the bathroom and watched the pair with a sorrowful expression on her face.

* * *

Tori Vega: Bought another PearPhone GX – 'cus who knows when the XT will come out? Could be MONTHS. #Couldn'tWait FEELING: Texty 8)

Hollywood Arts High School  
Friday, January 20, 2012

Tori walked down the main stairs as she typed away with her thumbs on the sky blue PearPhone cupped in her hands. As she finished and reached the bottom step, she stated to herself, "And text message sent." She turned to her left and stopped to see André at his locker with Robbie arms wrapped around himself holding Rex against his chest.

The ventriloquist asked curiously, "Where's the battery cart I made you?"

"I don't need it. I went to the Pear Store and just bought me another GX."

"Good," André commented with approval.

Robbie asked a little surprised, "I thought you were going to wait for the new XT?"

Tori sighed with a slight roll of her eyes, "Oh who knows when that phone is going to come out? It could be months."

The boys readily agreed with her as she continued, "You know; I needed a new phone now and the GX is fine. And look, I already installed talking Reggie." She tapped the touch screen then spoke, "Yo, what up Reggie?"

"Yo, what up Reggie?" the phone repeated.

Cat walked down the main stairwell wearing an eye catching royal blue dress and called out, "Hey guys, have either of you seen Jade or Freddie?"

The actress turned around and answered with a hint of concern, "No, I haven't."

André joined in with a down tone as he shut his locker, "I haven't either. I didn't see Freddie's Charger or Jade's car in the parking lot this morning."

The worrying feeling that had lingered with Tori for the rest of last night that had only subsided momentarily when she picked up her new phone was back at the forefront of her mind and heart.

"That's because they're taking the day off," Dusty called out as he approached the group from the school entrance a few yards from them.

They all turned their attention to the Southern teenager holding a small Pear Store bag. He stopped close enough to them at the end of the stairs and next to Cat standing one step up for Tori to reached up to place a hand on his left upper arm and ask, "How are they? Neither would return any of my phone calls or texts."

Dusty glanced with a slight frown at the hand Tori had placed on his arm. She dropped her hand with an awkward smile as she realized he didn't approve of the gesture.

He gave her a timid smile and refused to answer.

André stuffed his hands in his pockets and asked with a somewhat pleading tone, "Come on man, you got to tell us something; we're their friends."

He turned his attention to the songsmith and replied with a slightly cool tone, "No, I _really don't_."

André put on a slight frown as he gave the fellow teenager an expression that questioned whether he was really going to be that confrontational.

Cat rested her hand on Dusty's shoulder and whispered, "Please Soapy."

He looked to his ex with a guarded expression and literally bit is tongue for a moment. He let out a slow breath as the redhead's soft brown eyes did their magic (figuratively) on him.

Dusty passed around a glance to all of them then continued with a sympathetic tone, "It's fair to say that all of you are Beck's friend, right?"

They responded with a series of yeses and nods, not sure where he was going, except for André who quickly spoke up with a hint of offense in his voice, "You'd think we'd turn around and tell Beck what you told us?"

"I don't know; I guess it depends on which one of them you hold more loyalty to: Jade and Freddie or Beck."

The songsmith frowned and glanced away as Robbie looked nervous and Tori wore a lost expression.

Dusty shook his head and continued with a sympathetic tone, "I don't envy any of your positions. You have your friends on opposite sides and you want to stay true to both, but…"

Tori confidently answered, "We will… _we are_."

Dusty responded with a sympathetic tone and expression that showed he had pity for the actress, "You don't get to pick both. You either keep what I told you to yourselves thus picking Jade and Freddie's side or you tell Beck and consequently taking his side. You stand with one or the other even if you do nothing."

Tori frowned as she stared him straight in the eyes and contradicted him, "You're wrong."

He smiled and the gesture caught her off guard as he spoke, "I pray that you're right."

Tori blinked in confusion and was about to ask why he would say that, but Trina ran up to them holding up an orange Pear Phone. "Look what I got!"

Robbie excitedly asked, "The new PearPhone XT?"

"Yep," Trina answered with a smug tone.

Tori reached for Trina's phone and with muted horror whispered out, "What?"

Sinjin called out from further down the hallway, "I got one too."

Some other students on the other side of the stairwell called out that they had the new XTs.

The janitor down the hallway smiled and called out, "I got a blue one with unlimited texting."

Tori's mouth dropped open and was going into complete shock as Dusty quickly interrupted holding up the Pear Store bag, "And so do you."

Tori looked back to the webmaster as she was caught momentarily between the conversation about Jade and Freddie's wellbeing and the news that the new phone came out just after she got a new GX. "What?"

Dusty offered the Pear Store bag and she raised an eyebrow as she cautiously took the Pear Store bag and asked, "What's this?"

"It's the new XT. As soon as Freddie found out that it was being released, he was able to pull one for you and was going to give it to you today but… you know. He asked if I could swing by and pick it up for you… that's why I saw him this morning."

She pulled the box out of the bag and looked at it in shock.

Dusty shrugged a shoulder as he continued, "Yep… but you need to bring back your phone so they can activate it and put the money you paid for you GX on your XT. Freddie had to spend his own money for it. He was hoping he guessed the right color for you."

Tori cradled the box unsure how to respond to Freddie's gesture in light of what he must be going through with Jade at the moment. She looked up at Dusty a few moments later and asked, "If you see him before me, would you thank him for me?"

He gave her a respectful nod and answered, "Yes I will."

Cat held up her thumb and randomly asked curiously, "Does my thumb look Spanish?"

The group looked to her with patient amusement, but Dusty gently wrapped his fingers around her hand then kissed her thumb pad bring a giggle out the redhead. He smiled at her as he commented, "I don't know sweetheart, but it's beautiful anyway." He looked to Tori and asked, "You're Latino descent; does her thumb look Spanish?"

* * *

Author's Note: Wow, a lot happened in this chapter. I hope you liked my interpretation of events. All criticism is especially welcomed for this chapter.

I'm sorry, but I'm going to take a three week break from the story. I've really been pushing writing this much material in such a short amount of time and I need to slow down or I'll burn out. Also, if you like for me to answer any reviews, comments or question before the next update, please don't leave them anonymously because there's no way to PM you back and I'd like to answer you back.

Special Appearance by Julie McNiven as Anna


	8. Chapter 8: Andre's Horrible Girl

Author's Note: Hello everyone. I hope everyone has had a nice week. I know I got some writing done.

Twilight Warrior 627: Thanks. About Dusty, I wanted to show at least to the reader that it's bluster for him and unlike Sam, it isn't an 'Informed Ability' in his ability to handle himself in a fight. He's basically becoming a foil for Sam. I also wanted to show an interpretation of the differences between Northridge and Hollywood Arts on a darker level. Ironically, in real life, Northridge is a competitive high school academy for health and education.

About the 'Robarazzi' grudge, to Dusty it's not about that; he just sees Robbie as not being able to make up his mind at best and at worst trying to get with two girls at once and seeing how easily Cat could get hurt in the future if she starts returning Robbie's feelings. She's already had to endure Danny kissing Tori.

ArtisticAngel6: Thanks, but not every chapter can be a rollercoaster ride, so I hope this one doesn't disappoint.

PD31: Dusty will be the first to admit he has it easy: he can pick one side while the others are caught between their friends. Any choice they make can be interpreted as a betrayal towards the other and Dusty is sympathetic to their position. How Freddie and Jade deal in the future is of course left to the story.

Challenge King: Thanks. I thought the verbal match and finally some revelations going all the way back to the _first story_ was a great juxtapose to the near brawl between Dusty and Beck.

ICVRFF: Actually I'm glad you brought that up. I've been working on that this week and with fingers crossed, have that up sometime this weekend if not very late on Friday night, EDT.

Layla: Having a black '67 Impala is not that big a deal… wait, I didn't say it was a '67 in the story did I? Oops. And about his mother's Grace… that could easily be just be a phrase… really, you have to believe me. Jade's reassurance of Freddie is quite expected and it's just a particular phrase to show she'll be there for him. It's just a phrase :P About Dusty's nature, like I told Twilight, I didn't want it to be an 'Informed Ability' (check TV Tropes to know what I mean), he either has it or he's just fool of crap. As for our couple, betrayal hurts. It hurt Freddie in the last two stories and now Jade is finally feeling what Freddie felt. Now we just have to hope they can pull themselves back together.

darck ben: I far prefer the series Angel, but as characters go, my favorite character is Wesley. I have a great sympathy for Xander and if there is every an appropriate opportunity for a cameo, I wouldn't rule it out. I have had a request for the actor to be used as Cat's father.

Agent-M-0167: All very good points and to inform my readers, I have discussed these points with Agent in detail, so I don't want anyone to think I'm brushing him off. At the moment, I want to get this chapter posted before I have to go.

Jeremy Shane: Thanks and here is the next chapter.

Jacoblight: Dusty doesn't like Dusty like that. It may have been one of his unspoken motivations for wanting to get out of Northridge. He saw the path he was going and he more or less told Jade that he shared her concern that Freddie could go down that path after his beat down of Nevel and declaring himself the Alpha Male of the school and challenging anyone to dethrone him. Great insight on your part.

On with the story. Language of T at best.

* * *

Chapter 8: André's Horrible Girl

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Thursday, January 26, 2012

Jade sat with her back resting against the last bottom locker at the end of the main hallway just before the wood pillar corner where the end of the main hall met the small perpendicular hallway towards the Senior Signature Wall. She had her left leg out with her right leg crossed over it as to allow her to brace her notebook against something as she wrote down her latest thoughts. She hadn't paid much attention to the fact that with every free moment of her time, she was writing in a notebook, saving a quick message in her PearPhone or typing away in her PearBook over the last week as she certainly wasn't one for conversation. The others may or may not have noticed, but if they did, none were willing to speak up and interrupt her writing.

As she continued writing in her notebook, the sound of Cat getting a drink from the Wahoo Punch drink machine caught her attention.

The redhead slipped her PearPhone into the back pocket of her Daisy-Duke denim shorts (so short in fact that the hem of her short purple dress went just past the hem of her shorts) as she reached down with her other hand to pick up her drink. She immediately walked over to the trashcan next to the drink machine and dropped the unopened can into the receptacle with a blank expression on her face.

Jade's brow furled at the sight and started to get up as Cat turned to walk in her direction. The bell rang as the dark brunette was on her feet and took a step in front of the shorter teenager and asked, "Cat, why did you just throw your drink in the trash?"

Cat answered with an innocent tone, "Because I wasn't thirsty."

The paler teenager lifted her right hand and pointed passed Cat with the pencil in her hand and started, "But you just bought…" She sighed out with a slight roll of her eyes then finished, "Forget it." She slightly shook her head and started again, "What are you doing Saturday night?"

"I'm dog sitting for my mom's boss."

"Oh? What kind of dog?" she asked as she crossed her arms under her chest.

Cat pulled out her tube of lip gloss and started applying it to her bottom lip, "I'm not sure. He's got a paws and a tail." She closed her lip gloss and blinked as she realized something then cheerfully suggested, "Maybe he's an English Paw-tail?"

Jade let out a calm breath as she glanced away from her friend at the moment at what she considered an absurd idea.

Cat slipped her lip gloss in her right pocket as she asked, "Why, what are you doing Saturday night?"

The green streaked girl blew out a soft breath through her nose then answered somewhat embarrassingly, "Nothing. Freddie's going to be busy wrapping up a project and studying for next week's finals."

The redhead put on a curious expression as she asked, "Oh, why not study together?"

Jade thought it was a particular insightful question coming from the often distracted redhead, so she patiently answered, "We're only in Sikowitz's class together; I'd be more of a distraction than any kind of help. He'd want to take all his time to help me and if I don't know it by now, I'm not going to know it." She had to suppress the notion in her head about how Freddie could make math hot when going over her math homework and then he really wouldn't get anything done that night. She chalked it up to one of the silly little eccentricities of their relationship.

Cat put on a smile as she offered, "Well you're welcome to come over while I'm dog sitting."

Jade took a soft breath and rolled her eyes at the offer of how to spend her Saturday night. She let her breath out slowly as she saw the hopeful expression on the shorter girl's face that Jade would accept her offer. After another few moments she responded, "Okay, I'll see you Saturday."

The redhead brightened up and answered, "Okay."

The pale actress fought a smile threatening to form on her face at Cat being happy to hang out with her then turned to start her way down the hallway and towards the main stairwell. As she approached, she saw standing on the left side guardrail and between the lockers and the door to the cut through hallway that was a shortcut to the girls' restroom was Freddie, Robbie and Tori. She didn't give it a second thought that Freddie and Robbie were looking at Tori apparently blowing up an orange balloon with her nose.

Jade passed Robbie to walk up the first two steps and stopped to speak with Freddie. She leaned over the rail and rested her forearm on his right shoulder. "I'm going to hang out with Cat on Saturday."

He turned his head to smile at the green streaked haired teenager and smile while answering, "Have fun."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek then pushed off his shoulder and started back up the stairs while calling out, "I'll try. Don't work too hard."

He laughed out back to her, "I'll try not to."

Freddie turned back to look on in amusement while Robbie looked on in surprise as Tori proceeded to finish blowing up an orange balloon with her right nostril.

"Tada!" she cheerfully announce when she was finished blowing the balloon up and showed the pair.

The tech producer looked to his ventriloquist friend holding Rex tight to his chest and laughed, "You shouldn't have bet her."

Robbie looked on stunned as he replied, "Who knew girls could blow up balloons with their noses?"

The brunette smiled at the pair for a moment until her attention was caught with André walking in through the side entrance. "Eww, la, la," she called out alerting Freddie and Robbie of André's presence. Robbie let out a catcall as the three rounded the left handrail of the stairs and faced their friend.

The songwriter held up his hands and stated impatiently, "Stop."

Tori took a hold of André's necklace for a moment then the lapel of her his navy blue blazer jacket as she asked, "What's up with you and all the fancy clothes lately?"

André looked down at himself and grabbed his left lapel with his right hand and nervously asked, "What's fancy? They're just clothes?"

Freddie noticed the watch around André's wrist and asked with a soft laugh, "Is that a Bouzet watch?"

Tori took a hold of her friend's wrist and voiced her confirmation, "It is a Bouzet."

Robbie grinned as he eagerly announced, "I've always wanted to see a Bouzet."

Tori playfully asked, "Where are you getting all this stuff?"

A voice called out from behind André's back and from the side entrance, "André?"

They all turned their attention to see a very lovely African-American teenager around their ages enter and approach the songsmith. "Hey André?"

He responded somewhat embarrassed, "Oh, hey."

She held what appeared to be a light blue silk scarf as she commented, "You forgot your new scarf."

"I forgot, I didn't leave it in your car on purpose," he forced out through his lips.

The trio of friends cleared their respective throats simultaneously to catch his attention.

He turned and motioned with his left hand towards them and started his introductions, "You guys this is Hope, Hope these are some people I know."

"Tori, Freddie, Robbie," the three introduced themselves respectfully.

Hope gave a polite nod to the three, but paused to look at Freddie for a moment. "You look familiar?" she commented with a cautious tone.

Freddie glanced at Tori for a second then laughed off, "I just have one of those faces."

Hope gave a forced smile and apparently accepted his answer just as André started to take the scarf off around his neck, but Hope spoke up, "What are you doing?"

"I don't know, I'm just not feeling—"

Hope interrupted him with a sharp tone, "When I gave you that scarf, you said you loved it; were you lying?"

He nervously laughed, "No baby, baby I love it, just let me put it back around my neck… yeah, that's the thing."

She smiled at seeing him finishing adjusting it around his neck and one end over his shoulder. She commented with an approving tone, "See it looks nice." She then asked, "So, I'll pick you up at lunch? We can go grab some sush?"

André nervously laughed out, "Absolush."

The three friends winced at their friend's poor joke.

Hope offered, "You guys want to come?"

Rex with a deadpan voice answered, "I don't."

Freddie rolled his eyes at his friend's alter ego then answered with a tone that indicated that going with them was conditional on Hope agreeing to his plus one, "I'm up for some Japanese. I just need to check to see if my girlfriend wants to come."

Hope apparently accepted the answer half smile then looked to Tori. "Tori, you come too."

The songstress answered with mild surprise, "Oh—"

"She'll be there! You'll be there," André quickly answered for her then looked back to Hope to finish, "She'll be there."

Tori pointed at the couple with both of her pointer fingers and smirked while answering, "I do love sush."

Hope gave André a kiss on the cheek then headed back out the entrance.

Once Hope was out the door, Freddie commented unsure of the word he was trying to find, "She seems… devoted?"

"And generous," Robbie picked up.

Tori offered with a hesitant tone, "She seems really nice."

"Thanks," he replied then started walking off.

Once André was out of earshot, Tori asked, "Raise your hand if you hate her."

All three of them raised their respective hands as Robbie made a dinging sound then Rex made an eeg sound.

* * *

Tori Vega: Sushi with André, Hope, Jade and Freddie. I "hope" it's good! Bahahaha. (okay, I'm lame) FEELING: Fishful :D

* * *

Nozu  
Los Angeles, CA

The quintet walked into the Japanese restaurant as fourth lunch seemed to roll so quickly for the Hollywood Arts students, it felt as if only a commercial break for a television show had passed. Freddie bit back a smile while glancing to his girlfriend at seeing the surprise smile on her face as she glanced around the establishment. He was mildly relieved at seeing the first real smile on her face in literally a week.

Tori glanced around and commented, "This is a really cool place."

Hope spoke up, "I know and they have awesome sushi."

Freddie laughed out, "I never realized that we could leave school for lunch."

The brunette smiled as she looked to her friend and commented, "Perks of being a senior."

He looked to Jade and commented with his boyish grin, "We got to do this more often."

Tori frowned as she worried that his suggestion was not just about giving the couple more options for lunch, but that Freddie was suggesting that he wanted to permanently avoid eating lunch with the group. During the last three days, Freddie and Jade had sat at another table as the group, either by themselves or with Ava and a few other students as the rest had not actively discouraged Beck from eating with them. She almost wanted to curse Dusty for his words that the rest of them would eventually have to take sides even as everyone had avoided what had happened last Thursday like the Plague as a conversational topic.

André eagerly commented, "Eww, I bet they have miso soup. I love miso soup."

Hope was quick to point out, "Miso soup is gross."

He nervously responded, "Yeah, I use to like miso soup then I realized that it was gross."

A woman of South East Asian descent wearing a red and yellow patterned kimono top with white lilies and black slacks approached the group with a smile on her face. She happily greeted Hope, "Hello Hope. Welcome back to Nozu."

Hope slightly tilted her head to the side and answered with a smile, "Hello Mrs. Lee."

Jade cracked a grin as she greeted her one time financer, "Hi Mrs. Lee."

She slightly frowned in confusion for a moment until she recognized the pale teenager then looked to Freddie. She let out a soft laugh then greeted the pale teenager, "It's my favorite and _very profitable_ writer; how are you? It's been a long time since I saw you."

Jade gave a half-hearted nod of her head and answered, "I'm fine… been busy…" Her smile brightened as she glanced to Freddie. "A lot's happened over the last six months."

Mrs. Lee wore a perplexed expression on her face as she looked to Freddie then immediately recognized the teenager. She gave Freddie a flirtatious smile as she commented, "Oh, if it isn't the handsome Freddie Benson from iCarly?"

Freddie smiled as he replied, "Hi Mrs. Lee."

Hope spoke up with a triumphant tone, "I knew I recognized you."

Freddie nervously laughed while glancing back to Hope, "I told you I had one of those faces…"

Mrs. Lee continued, "So you're back in town? Decided to come back for a visit with Jade?"

The tech-producer began, "Actually—"

Jade interrupted with a smirk, "He's living in Los Angeles. He decided to stay after the workshop." She slipped her right and into Freddie's left and lanced their fingers. "We're together now… actually for the last six months."

Hope wore a look of surprise as she spoke up towards Jade, "So you're _the Jade_ that broke up iCarly?"

Jade's mouth turned to a thin line and gave the girl a trademark death glare. "I broke up? If it wasn't for that little bitc—"

Freddie held up his right and interrupted with a stern voice while giving a borderline glare to Hope, "That is not a topic open for discussion Hope."

André's girlfriend seemed a bit intimidated by Freddie's reaction and quickly shut her mouth. André apparently had no inclination to challenge Freddie about the tone he used towards Hope while Jade passed a quick glance to Freddie as she was somewhat annoyed that he would stop her from going off on the girl.

Tori quickly spoke up hoping to avoid an argument between Hope and the couple, "Hi Mrs. Lee."

The restaurant owner took a moment to recognize the girl she once complimented on about her cheek bones, however, her response was less than friendly, "Oh yeah, I remember you; you're the one left my daughter dangling from the ceiling."

"Oh, did _we_?" she answered nervously and looked to Jade.

Freddie was quick to speak up with a genuine tone that swiftly replaced his annoyance filled one, "That was just an accident with the rigging on just the first night. They were able to fix it for the rest of the showings." He smirked as he asked with a playful tone, "How much money did you make again on the play after its run was done? How much?"

Tori passed a quick and questioning glance to Jade. The pale actress opened her eyes wide and shook her head with a jerking motion indicating to her not to say a word. Tori immediately realized that Jade let Freddie think that what happened to Mrs. Lee's daughter really was an accident and got the message that she should let it be. The last thing Tori needed or wanted join Jade's enemies list behind Carly and Beck and become a target of Jade's anger.

Mrs. Lee brew out a breath then put back on her welcoming smile. "Oh you're right. You're as much a charmer as I remember you. It's no wonder Jade started dating you."

Freddie let out a soft laugh as he looked to Jade, "Was it my charm?"

Jade remained silent as she leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. Freddie pulled away a moment later and licking his lips as he met her gaze.

The others turned their respective attentions away from the couple and André curiously asked, "What happened to your other restaurant? Wok Star?"

Mrs. Lee quickly answered starting with a sad tone then cheerfully finished, "Oh it burned down in a mysterious fire. So sad, but then I collected the insurance money and opened this place."

The songsmith curiously continued, "But Wok Star was a Chinese restaurant."

She slightly frowned and answered with a guarded tone, "Yeah, so?"

André answered, "But this is a sushi place which is Japanese."

Tori asked curiously, "Are you Chinese or Japanese?

Mrs. Lee raised her right hand and attempted to thumb Tori on her head, but Freddie was quick with his right hand and gently caught Mrs. Lee by the wrist. She looked to him in surprise as he softly shook his head and whispered, "Nope, no thumping."

He let go of her wrist then she pulled it back and rubbed her wrist for a moment. She gave Freddie a questioning expression for a moment then spoke with a reserved tone, "I have a nice table for all of you."

Mrs. Lee turned to lead them to their seating.

Tori glanced to Freddie with a small, thankful smile, before they followed Mrs. Lee around the bar to a table large enough to sit all five. As they were picking their seats, Mrs. Lee walked off.

André began as he took off his jacket, "So, uh, Hope, ya know that song I'm gonna sing for your birthday—"

She pointed to his seat as she interrupted, "Just sit down and order me a sunomono salad with no crab. I have to talk to Mrs. Lee about my birthday party."

Tori smiled while taking a seat next to André and asked Hope, "You're having your birthday party here? That is so cool. How did you…" However, she ignored the actress and started walking around the bar.

The brunette dryly commented, "And she walked away."

André finished pulling off his jacket and rested over the backrest of his seat and commented, "Yeah. There she went."

Jade rolled her eyes as Freddie pulled the seat out for her then she had a seat with Freddie quickly taking the seat on her left. The pale actress smirked as she retorted, "Charming girl you have there."

The songwriter gave her a slight frown and a look with his eyes letting her know that he really didn't appreciate the subtle slap at his girlfriend.

Jade smirked in response and raised her pierce eyebrow showing she didn't care if he disapproved.

Tori cautiously asked as she pulled her chopsticks out from her napkin and rested the napkin on her lap, "So, ah, you really like her?"

André turned his attention from Jade's gaze then nonchalantly shrugged a shoulder as he sat his chopsticks to his right and rolled up napkin to the left of his eating area, "You sure."

Tori cautiously commented, "You sure? Because it seems like she makes you kind of nervous."

He shook his head. "No… no."

The waiter approached the quartet with a notepad and asked, "What can I get ya?"

André was the first to answer as he pointed over to where Mrs. Lee and Hope were standing on the other side of the circular bar, "That girl I came in with… she wants a sunomono salad but with no crab."

He nodded along as he answered, "No crab—"

André motioned his hand as if he was going to slam in on the counter. "I'm serious! Please don't put any crab in her salad. She will kill me if you do! She will kill me!"

Tori gave her friend a worried expression as Jade and Freddie glanced to one another. The dark brunette commented with a toying tone loud enough for the songsmith to hear, "Yes… such a charming girl."

André frowned at her while her grin grew bigger as the waiter took Tori and Freddie's order.

Hope returned a few moments later and took a seat on André's right side and next to Freddie. The food arrived a few moments later and Freddie started the conversation by putting on his charming smile as he looked to Hope, but was obviously speaking to André. "So it's safe to assume that you ditched our guitar lesson to spend time with this lovely young lady?"

Whatever little friction between that had come between them with her comment about Jade in regards to iCarly melted on her side as she responded with a soft smile. Jade held her tongue as she realized Freddie was trying to ease the tension so that they could all have a pleasant meal.

André finished his morsel of food from the end of his chopsticks then let out a soft laugh, "Well you canceled on me the other Wednesday; I thought I'd return the favor."

Freddie laughed out as he raised his tea glass, "I'm just glad you got your priorities straight." He took a sip then looked back to Hope and cheerily asked, "So when did you two meet?"

André was about to answer, but Hope eagerly answered, "We met Friday night and we just…" She glanced to André with a bright smile and finished, "…hit it off."

The songsmith glanced to Hope them back to Freddie to add in a nervous tone, "Yep, we just… hit it off."

Freddie chuckled softly, "Sometimes you just have that spark right from the start."

Jade interjected with a smirk, "Then other times it takes a little time to realize you have it in the first place."

The couple looked to one another and just shared a look while each wearing a soft smile.

Tori saw that Hope looked like she put on a disgusted expression for the briefest of seconds and wondered if André's girlfriend was jealous of the closeness shared between the unlikely couple. The younger Vega sister tried again to ask, "So you're going to have your birthday here? When is it?"

Hope slightly frowned at the question, but patiently answered, "Yes, we're going to have it on Saturday. We're going to have the whole restaurant for the party."

Freddie commented, "That's sounds like it's going to be a blast."

She smugly smiled, "It will." She rested a hand on André's shoulder and softly rubbed it as she continued, "And André's going to perform a song for me."

Freddie turned his attention to his meal for a second and suppressed an embarrassing smile at recalling the last girl he performed a song for was for Jade which only he, André and Tori knew that was his intent with his song '365 Ways'. He took a quick sip from his green tea then commented, "Well you couldn't have a better musician to perform for you. It's going to be a good show."

Hope smiled to him and suggested, "Well Freddie you're welcome to come if you want to see it. I think it might give my guests a little treat in meeting the famous Freddie Benson."

Freddie gave her an apologetic smile as he answered, "I'm sorry, but I work most of the day on Saturday and we have exams next week, so I'm going to be studying and wrapping up a project due next week."

Hope looked disappointed and didn't bother looking at Jade, but the pale actress answered anyway, "I've already made plans with a friend on Saturday."

She slightly frowned that Jade had turned down an offer that she hadn't actually made to her.

Jade answered back with a bigger smile knowing that she was pressing the girl's buttons. The actress decided to press her advantage by stating with a mocking tone, "So, you think I'm the one that broke up iCarly? You think I'm a 'Yoko Ono'?"

André and Tori glanced to one another with worried expressions as they knew it was not going to be a pleasant lunch. Freddie kept his mouth shut this time; if Jade really wanted to address the issue, he was not going to stop her.

Hope put on a frown and shrugged her shoulder while responding with a smug tone, "Well he did leave Seattle for you, right? It really wasn't all that nonsense she said about him leaving."

Freddie slightly shook his head as he answered with a regretful tone, "Carly told the complete truth in her little confession… I had all those reasons to leave Seattle …" He reached over and rested his right hand on top of Jade's left hand. He looked at Jade from the corner of his eye and finished, "And a very good reason to stay in L.A. " He focused his complete attention to Hope and commented with a confident tone, "I hope you find someone like that one day if it turns out it isn't André."

Hope slightly frowned then turned back to her meal, leaving the rest of the meal to general chatter among the four friends.

TheSlap Computer Room  
Hollywood Arts High School  
3:24 PM, Thursday, January 26, 2012

Freddie relaxed in the chair as he sat at one of the a computer stations behind Dusty as the webmaster had his feet propped up on an end of a desk and slumped in a chair with his left elbow braced against the armrest. Dusty was scrolling down the screen with the mouse, reading something on the computer monitor while the tech-producer commented with a dry tone, "I guess I always expected… hoped that André and Tori would give it a try before he would start dating someone else especially with the girl he's dating. She's… abrasive and… demanding. I don't think they fit together at all."

Dusty's pointer and middle finger softly scratched above his left temple as he commented while he continued to look at the computer monitor, "Whether or not he fits with this Hope girl, sometimes male and female friends are just that: friends. I never believed in that idea that they couldn't… only the initial acknowledgment of the fact at least to oneself whether or not the other person is sexually attractive then just filing it away somewhere in your head."

Freddie's brow furled and gave him a questioning expression which he couldn't see, but seemed to feel over his shoulder.

The webmaster pursed his lips for a moment and glance over his shoulder to Freddie as if he was the odd one. "What? Men and women are biologically hardwired to ah… assess the person on whether they would be a good choice to reproduce with. It's no different a biological reaction that you can't control… like sweating when you get too hot. Don't tell me you haven't gone through the checklist with your female friends then afterwards haven't really given it a second thought."

Freddie blew out then gave a roll of his eyes. He softly laughed out, "Yes I have actually."

Dusty looked back to the monitor and commented with a soft laugh, "Of course you have; you have Cat and the Vega sisters and you have to be either blind or stupid not to give them a once over… I mean damn, the curves on the older Vega in _all_ the right places." He let out a sharp whistle as he shook his head.

The tech-producer nodded along as he couldn't argue with that assessment. "True, but back to my point… I hoped that Tori would have at least gave it some serious thought instead of apparently dismissing it out of hand especially now since she doesn't care for Hope as André's girlfriend."

Dusty asked with a genuinely curious tone, "You've brought it up with her?"

"Yeah, but she's always avoided giving me an answer on whether she would find André boyfriend material."

The Southern teenager casually asked, "I'm confused; isn't that the same thing as Carly trying to convince you to date Sam?"

"Only if you consider making the suggestion that you take a moment to consider that a guy that's stuck through with her on everything and is her best friend is good boyfriend material is the equivalent to people who you thought were your friends harassing and trying to emotionally guilt trip you into trying to get you into a relationship with a girl that has made your life a living Hell for the last four years."

Dusty nodded along. "I see your point, but… why do you care if they try or not?"

"I just want my friends to be happy and I think that they just… fit."

The webmaster let out a laugh as he commented, "You're shipping your friends? You know normal people just get on Tumblr and Twitter for stuff like that right? Maybe attend a fan convention and ask them inappropriate questions about their personal life?"

Freddie snorted out a laugh as Dusty knew exactly what he was doing with his questions as his mind flashed back to the last Webicon.

The webmaster looked over his shoulder again then suggested, "There could be another reason she didn't bother."

"Oh?"

"Have you thought that maybe she just doesn't date outside of her race?"

Freddie's brow instantly furled as he asked in shock, "What?"

He shrugged his left shoulder then looked back to the computer. "I guess you didn't."

Freddie rolled his eyes then commented with a light sarcastic tone, "I highly doubt that's a reason."

The tech-producer could see Dusty slightly tilt his head to the left side from his vantage point as the slightly taller teenager lazily answered, "If you say so. Some people take that into consideration, some acknowledge it, but don't care and some don't even give it an initial thought; that's just the way it is. I just don't know the girl well enough to know how she feels nor do I really care. I'm just pointing it out the possibility to you."

Freddie slightly looked away as he realized that André certainly didn't take that into account when he had his temporary crush on Jade.

The pair sat in silence for a minute or so as Dusty continued reading from the computer monitor then Freddie cleared his throat then called out, "Dusty?"

"Yeah?"

"I never got a chance to tell you… thanks for… _intervening_ with Beck. I know he really didn't have any… 'bad' intentions with Jade in the janitor's closet, but…"

"It's the principle of the thing. If he wants to talk to her, he doesn't drag her to a closet when she doesn't want him to touch him and you're welcome."

"Yeah… I'm glad you were there because if it had been me there… I know things would have turned out differently."

Dusty lifted his feet off the corner of the table and swiveled in his seat to face his friend. He blew out a breath and continued, "I actually owe you both an apology instead of you thanking me for it."

Freddie slightly frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"If it had been Cat instead of Jade, they would have had to carry Beck away. I would not have allowed him to walk away on his own two feet. I should have done the same thing for Jade. You may think restraint was the proper course, but the last time I used it, you and Carly's father had to face down Nevel's lackeys."

The Seattle Native gave him a curious expression as he asked, "I don't understand?"

"The same thing I told Jade before we went to Seattle: I should have put enough fear into Nevel the day of the interview so that he wouldn't have thought about trying anything against her… I failed to do what you trusted me to do; I wouldn't have made such a mistake at Northridge. I've gotten a little soft being at here. For that I'm sorry my friend. I will find a way to repay that debt to you."

Freddie took a deep and gave him a guarded expression. He waited a few moments before replying with a stern voice, "Whatever debt you feel you owe to me has been paid for going with Jade to Seattle and reminding Beck there is a line that he can not cross without it costing him."

Dusty paused for a moment as he stared back at Freddie's eyes then gave him a slight nod of his head. "How are you doing? You've been keeping a pretty low profile this week and I haven't heard anything coming out of Sikowitz's class with you two… them carrying Beck out on a stretcher."

The Seattle native sat up straighter in his chair. "I'm… fine. Beck's kept his distance, literally. He's sitting at the front of the class."

"Is he afraid you might take his head off?"

"Maybe… or maybe he's afraid Jade would."

Dusty sympathetically nodded along then asked, "How is Angel Girl? Really?"

Freddie took a breath then hesitantly answered, "She's withdrawn. She doesn't want to talk about it… she's just keeping it bottled up inside and the only sign that she's shown that she's still hurting is…" Freddie cleared his throat then finished, "Let just leave it that it's apparent to me. The knife cut pretty deep with his betrayal."

"Sounds like someone else I know… and that's assuming it really was a betrayal," Dusty dryly commented.

He frowned as he focused on Dusty's pointed expression at him.

The Southern teenager shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head to the side. "I wouldn't naturally believe Beck, but… Carly says she didn't do it on purpose in regards to New Years and I believe her and since he is saying _the exact same thing_ then I believe him by default, not because I have any intrinsic trust in him."

The tech-producer shook his head and clenched his jaw tight for a moment then retorted, "You shouldn't trust Carly… she'll just betray you the second you're no more use to her. It was probably why Beck suddenly got so upset before Sinjin's game show: he wasn't anymore use to her and she discarded him since she thought she had Jade on her side."

The fellow L.A. immigrant blew out a breath then asked with a hint of disbelief, "Have you even talked to Carly since last Thursday?"

"No and I have no plans to."

"Maybe you should?"

Freddie paused for a moment then he spoke with a cautious tone for Dusty, "Don't go behind my back and talk to Carly."

Dusty leaned forward in his seat and rested his forearms on his knees then nodded along and whispered with a cool tone, "You may be my friend, but you don't tell me who I can and can't speak to and if you ever try to interfere in that… I'll put you down faster than that taco truck did."

Freddie sat up in his seat and looked to the teenager as if he was reassessing him. Dusty did not back down with his game face. After another few moments, Freddie commented, "Always honest with me aren't you?"

He cracked a grin as he answered, "Unless if falls under the same criteria of a surprise party then I ain't telling you jack. Your birthday is next weekend right?"

Freddie broke into a soft laugh and shook his head while the webmaster swiveled in his seat to look back at his computer.

The brown eyed teenager got up from his seat curious at what had kept the webmaster's attention throughout most of the conversation. "What _are you_ reading up on anyway?" he asked as he looked over Dusty's left shoulder.

"Oh?" Dusty looked back to the monitor and casually answered, "I'm trying to figure out what Sam is. It's bugging me."

Freddie squinted his eyes as he asked, "What?"

He shrugged a shoulder as he continued with a soft laugh, "Well the girl has superhuman strength for some reason, so I'm trying to figure out _what_ could give her that ability. I've ruled out her being maybe the last Slayer on Earth since she doesn't have the healing ability because Jade scarred her up…"

He nodded his head to the side as he continued, "…but she could still be a number of other things: magically enhanced, a straight up demon possession because I could swear I smelled sulfur on her, but that could have been from a food preservative _or_… maybe she's a Cambion which would explain why she gets away with everything because she could be subconsciously altering reality around but I thought Jesse was the only one… or maybe she an Amazon…"

Dusty nodded along with that idea as he continued scanning the text on the screen. He whispered out more to himself than to Freddie, "It would explain the strength and there was a report years ago that they were breeding in Seattle for a time, _but_ then she aged normally…" The Southern teenager rested his chin in his left palm as he braced his elbow on the desk and frowned at trying to put pieces together to a puzzle that didn't fit.

Freddie patiently laughed as to humor his friend (which was a little hypocritical since he knew that angels had involved themselves in Carly and his lives) and patted him on the shoulder. "Well, you keep looking and let me know when you figure it out… but my money's on she's a straight up demon and for the record: it was Carly that kept Sam from facing the consequences of her actions; she always bailed her out, sometimes literally, but for right now, I'm going to see if I can pull Jade away from her writing enough to get her into the car. I'll see you later."

Dusty threw up a hand and called out as Freddie exited the room, "Later." He turned back to the monitor and leaned forward to rest his elbows on the desk then rub his left pointer finger under his bottom lip and mumble to himself, "What in all of Creation are you Sam Puckett?"

West Residence  
Saturday, January 28, 2012

Jade looked into the mirror of her small dresser set in her room as she pulled her curled hair over her left shoulder. She picked up the ends of the gold necklace sitting in the jewelry box then reached behind her neck to fasten the ends. She pulled her hair back around to fall over each of her shoulders and behind her neck then reached up to adjust the gold shears pendant, which Freddie gave her for Christmas, to hang midway between the base of her neck and her cleavage. She took a deep breath as she stared at the reflection of the pendant as she held it between her right thumb and pointer and middle fingertips. She had a strange feeling that she would need to feel Freddie's presence tonight.

The pale actress dropped her hand from the pendant then reached for the multi-colored bracelet her stepbrother Ian made for her. She quickly tied it around her left wrist then stood up from her seat and grabbed her purse along with her leather jacket before heading out of her room. She turned to make a quick stop at Freddie's room where she saw that his door was halfway open.

She gave a soft knock on the door and called out with a soft smile, "I'm headin' out."

Freddie looked away from the computer monitor where he was typing on a paper to meet his girlfriend's eyes. "Oh? Okay…"

He trailed off as he took a moment to see that she was wearing a black dress with two thin straps going behind her neck with the hem reaching midway to her black stocking covered thighs. The outfit was finished with her heavy black steel toed boots.

She smiled at catching his attention and walked over to him and he instinctively swiveled in his seat so that he could look at her face on. She rested her hands on his shoulders and leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on his lips. They shared a few chaste kisses then she rested her forehead on his forehead then they shared a smile while looking into each other's eyes. They just took a peaceful moment together then she stood up.

She wore a soft smirk as she commented, "I guess _now_ I'll leave you to it."

He snorted out a soft laugh, "Too bad; I like that kind of studying more than wrapping up this science project."

Jade turned to head out the door, but stopped just before stepping out of his room. She looked over her shoulder and smirked to him as she suggested, "Maybe we could study some biology together tomorrow?"

Freddie shook his head at her possibly lame joke, but he wouldn't complain if she decided to follow through with her suggestion tomorrow.

She let out a soft laugh as she disappeared around the corner of the door frame.

"Have fun!"

"Don't study too hard!"

Carl Gibbons' Residence  
Beverly Hills, CA  
Saturday, January 28, 2012

Cat comfortably sat cross-legged on the couch with the white, curly furred dog in her lap as the human and dog relaxed in the sitting room. She was wearing blue sweater with a pink poodle on the front and dark blue jeans.

Jade called out from outside of the room, "Cat! Yo Cat!"

She leaned down to the dog in her lap and squeal excitedly, "Ew, it's Jade." She looked up and to her left to call out, "In here!" The redhead looked back down at the dog and commented, "Jade seems really mean, but don't worry, she is."

"Hey," Jade greeted her with dry tone while entering the room with a cup of Jet Brew coffee.

"Hi." She lifted the dog and started, "Say hello Cooper." She waved the dog's left front paw and in a rough voice repeated, "Hello."

Jade idly commented as she glanced around the room, "This is a sick place. Your mom's boss must be like a bazillionaire."

"He is. He owns a really fancy car and part of Texas," she answered as Cooper stated licking her chin halfway through her answer.

Jade asked curiously with a slightly furled brow, "He owns part of Texas?"

"Yeah, but just like the top part."

The dark brunette stopped walking as she looked on a red guitar hanging from the ceiling and in front of a bookcase. "Whoa… you know this guitar is a sixty-two Strattenbocker, like Elvis use to play?"

"It is Elvis'."

"Shut up," she admonished with disbelief.

Cat cheerfully retorted, "Look what's written on it."

She decided to humor her friend and look back it. "Thank you, thank you very much, Elvis Presley," she read off what was written on the red guitar. It took a moment for her to realize what she had spoken then gripped the bottom of the hanging guitar and speak, "Holy Chizz."

"Don't touch it, come sit," Cat chided then patted the spot next to her on the couch.

"Yea, we are hanging out together," Cat spoke with glee then wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Jade took in a deep breath from the contact then slowly let it out as she answered with a half-hearted voice, "Yeah… we're hanging out together."

Vega Residence  
Saturday, January 28, 2012

Tori was laying across the far couch in the living room watching television while eating a bowl of mashed potatoes planning for a relaxing Saturday night after studying for most of the day for next week's end of semester exams. She still had to get up with Cat to work on their science project due at the end of next week, but for right now she was going to enjoy her bowl of mashed potatoes.

However that was not meant to be as a banging emanated from the other side of the front door and pulled the brunette's attention away from the television. She shouted out towards the door while trying to finish a bit of her potatoes in her mouth, "Who is it? Are you a criminal?"

André called out from behind the door, "Not really."

"It's open."

André immediately walked inside and took his blue blazer off to rest on the backrest of the closer couch. "Hey."

Tori sat up as she asked with a concerned tone, "Aren't you supposed to be at Hope's party?"

"Yes! Yes, I am! I'm supposed to be at her birthday party, I'm supposed to perform a song, and I'm supposed to like her but I don't!" André picked up one of the square purple pillows off the couch closest to the door and started hitting it against the top of the backrest in frustration as he finished, "I don't like that girl at all, not even a little bit and I don't know what to do!"

Tori lifted up the bowl of mashed potatoes and offered, "You want some mashed potatoes?"

André gave her a perplexed look then answered, "No, I don't want any—give me the bowl." He stated digging into them and walked around the couch to head to the kitchen.

Tori turned on the couch and looked over the backrest to ask, "Okay… why are you dating this girl if you don't like her?"

He answered with a mouthful of potatoes, "It's 'cause of her daddy."

"Who's her daddy?"

"Shawn Quincy!"

Tori blinked and asked with disbelief, "Shawn Quincy?!"

"Mmm-hmm!"

Tori got off the couch and walked towards the songwriter. "He owns RPX records!"

"I know that, you think I don't know that? If that man likes my music, he could make me a superstar! Why else do you think I'm datin' his grumped-up crazy-faced daughter?"

Tori's mouth dropped open and stated with disbelief, "That is terrible!"

"I know! That's why I'm upset!" 'cause I know what I'm doing is wrong… are these potatoes hand mashed?"

"Yeah, why?"

He answered with a whimpering tone, "They're lumpy." He started mixing up the potatoes with the soup and demanding, " If you're gonna hand mash'em, you gotta get up in there, get out those lumps."

Tori looked to him in disbelief that he was complaining about the potatoes at a time like this.

Carl Gibbons Residence

Jade walked back into the den holding what appeared to be a human skull. The dark brunette asked excitedly, "Okay, did you know your mom's boss has an antique human skull in his bedroom?"

The redhead looked up from rubbing Cooper's stomach and admonished the dark brunette, "Please put that back; I'm not suppose to touch anything here."

Jade sat the skull on the end table on the left end of the couch and snorted out dismissively, "Touching things is a part of life."

Cat sat Cooper back on the floor and the dog ran off to sit in his bed then the redhead countered, "But I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to—"

Jade walked back over to the hanging red guitar and grabbed the end of it to hold close to the left side of her face. "Look… I'm touching Elvis's guitar." She shifted the tone of her voice to an impression of Elvis and continued as the fingers of her right hand slid down the strings, "I'm Elvis Presley and I'm touchin' mah gee-tar… that's right baby." She swung around behind the guitar to stand on its left and kept it close to the right side of her face while holding the bottom as she finished, "I touch the boss' skull and now I'm touching mah special guitar."

She let go of the guitar then slowly walked to the back of the couch and finished with her normal tone, "See, I touched the guitar and nothing bad happened—"

The left wire snapped from the ceiling and swung out then crashed through the window and out of the house.

Cat's mouth dropped open in shock as she looked towards the window.

Jade sucked in a breath then held up her right pointer finger and commented with an embarrassing tone, "That guitar was not properly hung."

Vega Residence

Trina walked down the stairs and headed to the kitchen as Tori looked off to her right side for a moment and she pulled off her rarely worn glasses to fold them so she could slide them to hand from her neckline. The younger Vega looked to him with a disbelieving expression and asked, "I can't believe you're doing this."

André casually retorted, "I'll buy you some more potatoes."

"Noooo, I mean dating a girl you don't like just 'cause her daddy is Shawn Quincy. Look, you need to be honest and break up with her."

Trina turned her attention away from the refrigerator with a surprised expression at hearing the name 'Shawn Quincy'.

"Right, when?"

"_Tonight_."

André walked around Tori back into the living room while he continued to eat and retorted, "But… but it's the girl's birthday!"

She turned to follow him and asked with a light sarcastic tone, "Uh-huh? Is that why you don't wanna tell her? Or is it 'cause you wanna perform your song at her party in front of her dad?"

Trina walked up behind Tori and asked, "There's a party tonight and Shawn Quincy's gonna be there?"

Tori turned to her sister and answered, "You're not invited."

Trina rushed from the kitchen with a water bottle in her hand then passed Tori to stand right in front of André and asked, "André, I would never be pushy, but when and where is this party 'cause I'm going."

Tori grabbed Trina's shoulders and rested her chin on her sister's left shoulder. "Tell her nothing," she breathed out.

She tilted her head to the side and replied with a smug tone, "_Fine_, I'll just follow him."

"Trina!"

Trina dashed up the stairs and called out behind her, "Later, I got to go put on your purple dress!"

Tori blew out a distressed breath then looked back to André.

He answered with a regretful tone, "Look, I know it's wrong for me to date Hope just so I can get her dad to hear my music—"

"_Way wrong_."

He started counting off with his fingers of his right hand, "But the last three music artist he signed… platinum albums… Grammy Awards… superstars."

"It's still wrong."

"All right so you're tellin' me I should dump Hope tonight before I get the chance to sing in front of her dad?"

"If you wanna do the right thing, yes. Dump her tonight."

André shook his head.

Tori blew out a breath as she continued in the hopes that he would heed her advice, "Okay, he's the president of RPX Records, but I don't understand; you have a record deal already. Why is it so important that you sing in front of him? Are you trying to get a better one?"

André sat the bowl down on the counter and put on a frown.

Tori's face fell as she could sense that something was wrong.

"Look… I lost my record contract."

The brunette's mouth dropped open with expected shock from the news. A few seconds later she was finally able to mutter out, "What? When?"

He shook his head and answered with a tired voice, "Months ago."

Tori looked to him in disbelief and still had trouble forming words after that bombshell, "But… how?"

"My producer left the record company and since he didn't want to take me with him, they dropped my deal."

"Wh… why… why didn't you tell me?"

He looked to the floor as he couldn't meet her eyes. "I was… I was too embarrassed to tell you after everything: getting him to show up then performing with me to give me a second chance then helping on my album during the summer."

She walked over and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck to pull him into a hug. She whispered in his right ear, "I'm sorry."

He lifted his arms to rest a hand on the small of her back and one between her shoulder blades.

The pair of best friends stayed that way for a few moments until Tori pulled her head back enough to meet his eyes and gave him a timid expression.

He glanced down for a moment then countered, "Still think I should dump her tonight?"

She cleared her throat then answered with an apprehensive tone knowing that she may not be doing the right thing, but didn't care at the moment, "Dump her tomorrow."

Nozu

About forty five minutes later, André and Tori entered the Japanese restaurant and were greeted with blasting music, a multi-light show and rocking party atmosphere at the nearly packed establishment. Despite the such short notice, Tori was able to quickly glamour herself up with styling her hair, black leather jacket, a silver/red/yellow sequenced top, tight jeans and black high boots. Once the boys saw her, there was no doubt she would turn some heads.

However, the first person that noticed the pair was Hope and she didn't look happy at all at seeing the pair together.

Tori leaned over and whispered, "There's your girlfriend."

André shook his head and commented with an almost dreamy voice, "Yeah, she's so mean."

"I guess you really don't have a thing for mean girls."

The songwriter glance to his friend and gave her a disapproving expression.

Hope walked quickly over and Tori greeted her, "Heyyy, Hope."

She asked in a tone as if she was accusing him of something, "Why did you bring her?"

"You said I could bring anyone I wanted."

Hope cut him off with a sharp tone, "Oh, just be quiet!"

"All right. Uh… sooo… your party seems to be kinda—"

The birthday girl turned to her left and shouted as she notice a waitress serving to one of the booths, "No! I said spicy tuna! That's regular tuna and I wanted spicy!"

Tori rubbed his left shoulder and mockingly reassured him, "Owwww…. She's so sweet."

Instead of retorting her commented, he breathed out in surprise, "Oh, my chiz."

"What?"

"Hope's dad."

"Shawn Quincy."

"One of the most powerful guys in the music business. Look who he's with?"

Tori's mouth dropped open and grabbed Andra's left arm for a moment as she shouted, "Oh my God, that's Trey Dirty!"

Quincy, "So I'm thinkin' we drop the album before their video comes out—so that way we can make sure that the…"

Trina slithered from under the booth's table and into the seat next to Quincy's left side and interrupted, "Heyyy, Shawn Quincy." She settled in her seat next to the record owner, she continued with a grin plastered on her face, "I'm Trina Vega and this is your lucky day."

Tori looked to André with a mixed expression of disappointment and disbelief then whined out, "Aw, no. I told her not to come!"

Quincy gave Trina an impatient expression and stood up from his seat as the eager teenager continued, "I'm a singer and a dancer and if you give me half a chance, I swear I will blow your mind with my talent." As she spoke, Quincy's bodyguard approached the booth and bent over to pick up Trina to carry over his right shoulder.

"Oh?" Trina called out in surprise as she was lifted off her feet.

As the bodyguard carried her away, Trina casually commented as if it was not a big deal that she was being carried away, "Yeah, no, maybe this isn't the best time, but just text me after the party." She started singing, "Nooo! Please don't carry me awaaay!"

Quincy brushed down the front of his blazer jacket then retook his seat across from the rapper.

Tori and André slightly shook their respective heads as they put on relieved expressions.

"Hey!" a shout called out from behind them.

The pair turned to see that Hope had walked around behind them and wore an irritated expression.

André nervously replied, "Oh?"

Hope nearly growled out, "You and I need to talk."

"Okay, what do you wanna talk—" Hope took a step back and pulled him along with her closer towards the exit. "—you janked my arm."

Hope's mouth dropped open in shock as she responded, "Are you sassing me?!"

André slightly looked away for a moment and tried to nonchalantly adjust his red tie as he answered, "Okay, that's it!"

"What?!"

André threw the present down on the ground and snapped back, waving his right pointer finger in her face, "I am sassy you! Sassity-sass sass sass!"

"André!"

He retorted with an tone that showed that he had ran out of patience with the demanding girl, "Look, I don't mean to wreck your birthday, but I don't wanna go out with you anymore."

"Are you trying to dump me?!"

"Well… yeah, if that's cool with you."

She shouted back in outrage, "It is not 'cool'! You are not gonna embarrass me at my own sushi birthday party!"

He asked with a confused expression, "What's sushi got to do with it?!"

"You wanna break up tomorrow, fine! But tonight you are my boyfriend and you're gonna perform a song at my party like you promised!"

Tori casually walked over to the pair to stand to the side and between them. She wore a smile as she asked with a relaxed tone, "Hey? How we doin'?"

Hope snapped, "Shut up!" She stormed away from the pair.

André smiled at his friend and threw out his hands as he asked, "Did ya hear what just happened?! I tried to dump her!"

Tori eagerly agreed, "Yeah, you did the right thing."

"And she still wants me to sing in front of her daddy!"

The friends were interrupted by Quincy bodyguard walking around them as had apparently gotten lost on his way to an exit, but finally had made his way to the main entrance. Trina noticed the pair and started shouting while hanging on to the archway frame, "Oh! Wait, wait! Tori! Tori, tell this man you know me!"

The younger Vega sister gave her a confused expression as she cautiously replied, "And you are?"

"Nooo!" she shouted as she disappeared around the corner.

Carl Gibbon's Residence

Cat was sitting on one side of a foot stool where the guitar was resting as Jade was knelt down to Cat's left side as the pale actress finished wrapping the point where the neck and the body of the guitar met with duct tape. Cooper could be heard whining in the background as he lifted his head off his bed.

She picked up the instrument to hold in front of her, but the tape didn't hold and the neck bent where it met the body.

Cat looked up with an innocent expression and asked, "You think my mom's boss will notice?"

Robbie's voice could be heard from downstairs, "Cat… hey Cat?"

Cat stood up and shouted back, "We're in here!"

Jade looked to the redhead in shock then asked with a disbelieving and higher than normal pitch tone as she stood up, "You called Robbie?"

She answered bashfully and motioned towards the broken window, "Yes, so he could help us put up the guitar and fix the window."

The taller actress retorted with evident irritation in her voice, "Robbie can barely work the zipper on his own pants."

Cat let out an awkward laugh as Jade turned to face the archway and folded her arms under her chest.

Robbie walked in carrying a black bucket with an assortment of tools in it and greeted the girls, "Heh. Whassp lil' pigeons?"

Cat eagerly replied, "Hi."

However, Robbie wasn't the only that walked into the room.

Jade immediately frowned and gave a deathly glare at seeing Beck follow behind the ventriloquist carrying his own toolbox.

The long haired teenager took breath and glanced away from her harsh glare. He looked to his right which gave a clear view that the discoloration from the bruises left on his jaw and cheek from Dusty's punch last week was almost completely gone.

Jade looked back to Cat asked with an accusing tone, "Why did you invite Beck?"

Cat answered with a worried expression. "I didn't."

Beck looked to Robbie with an annoyed expression and commented with an accusatorial tone, "You didn't tell me Jade was going to be here."

"It slipped my mind," he answered with an apologetic tone.

Beck turned back to Jade then started walking towards her with his hands stuck in his jean pockets. He commented, "I thought you had a date tonight with Freddie."

She held herself tight in the hopes of keeping her tempter in check as she walked to him as well then asked with a guarded tone, "Why did you think that?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "It said so on your Slap page."

She countered with an accusatory tone, "Why are you stalking my Slap page?"

"Why do you care?"

A voice called out behind the boys from the archway to the sitting room, "Because stalking's illegal and morally wrong?"

They turned to see Dusty standing there resting his shoulder against one side of the archway with a smirk on his face and holding his own black toolbox. Apparently except for Cat, the rest had various surprised reactions by his appearance: Jade somewhat confused, Robbie disappointed and Beck with an impassive expression.

Jade looked back to Cat stated more than asking the redhead, "Robbie wasn't the only one you called."

She smirked and shook her head. "No."

Beck frowned as he turned his attention the boy that left his face bruised over the last several days. "What are you doing here?"

Dusty snorted out with a laugh, "I could ask you the same thing pretty boy… I can finally call you that."

Beck rolled his eyes then sarcastically replied, "I am here to help."

He pushed off the door frame and slowly walked to the ever so slightly taller teenager. He sat his toolbox next to Robbie's bucket then asked with toying tone, "Cat called you?"

Robbie raised a finger and interjected, "Actually just me, but I needed Beck's help."

Dusty spared the ventriloquist a glance to comment but the longer haired actor commented with a hint of impatience in his voice, "So why are you here again?"

The Southern teenager laughed softly, "She called, so I'm here."

Beck gave a boyish smile and shrug of his shoulder as he sarcastically commented, "So you're going to help?" He paused for a brief second then asked, "Do I have to watch out for another sucker punch?"

Dusty snorted out and chuckled, "Only if you're stupid enough to put your hands on either of them without their permission... and that was only a _love tap_ or you wouldn't have gotten back up." His smirk grew bigger as he finished, "And for the record, _you're not a man_; I don't have to give you those kinds of considerations."

Beck frowned and took a step forward to give him a cold stare.

Dusty lost his smirk to give matched his cold stare and step. He whispered out with a chilly tone, "Don't step up to me or a broken guitar isn't the only thing that is going to have to be put back together tonight."

"Stop it!"

The pair turned their heads to see Jade wear an irritated expression. "You two can fight it out later. Let's get this stupid guitar fixed and hung back up there before Cat's mom's boss gets back."

Cat spoke up, "We have to fix the window too."

Robbie eagerly spoke up, "Ooo, I'll find a window repair company using the new feature on my PearPhone." He pulled out the aquamarine blue phone then spoke into it, "I need a window repair company in Beverly Hills."

The PearPhone spoke back, "Searching for window repair company."

Robbie smiled as he looked to the others with a feeling of achieving some great accomplishment.

Nozu

André and Tori took a step up to the raised platform usually reserved for additional seating, but had been turned into a makeshift stage. The songsmith adjusted the brown strap to his red guitar as he took a position in front of a microphone while Tori stood to his left and grabbed a free microphone.

André smiled to the crowd then started speaking into his microphone, "All right, all right! Okay, uh… this is a song for the birthday girl."

Hope stood off to the side of the stage and frowned at him while crossing her arms.

He began again after putting on a slightly embarrassed expression in her reaction, "Um, I'll be singin' it with my good friend here, Tori Vega."

The crowd started cheering with one random girl somewhere in the crowd shouting, "We love her!"

The brunette waved to the party goers and answered, "Hi. Happy Birthday Hope!"

The birthday girl sneered back at her.

Tori reluctantly replied with an unsure tone, "And thank you for that reaction… okay."

André happily began again, "And uh, lemme say, it's a huge honor for us to perform in the same room as Mister Shawn Quincy, a man—"

Hope interrupted in a fit of frustration, "Oh, just sing it!"

André started drumming along his guitar and started singing along with Tori as she started singing the opening verse of 'Countdown'. As the pair sung the crowd clapped to the beat and moving to the music. As Tori got into the rhythm of her singing, she was able to take a step up onto the bar and became the center of attention for a moment.

Quincy apparently was becoming quite impressed with the pair singing as he clapped along and gave an agreeing smile to the rapper sitting beside him.

As the pair continued to sing, Trina was able sneak back into the restaurant and with the patrons' focus entirely on Tori singing on the bar, she was able to jump one of the waitresses and steal her clothing.

The older Vega sister took a seat next to Quincy and tried to sing along with the song. However, she was off with the pitch and Quincy looked back at her with mild disbelief. He only had to put up with Trina's bad singing for a few moments until his bodyguard returned and picked up the girl to carry away again with her singing as she was carried away on his shoulder.

André and Tori finished up with the song a few seconds later to the crowed cheering loud enough to deafen anyone in the room.

Carl Gibbon's Residence

As Beck finished signing the payment sheet for the window repairman, Cat commented, "Thanks for fixing window. We didn't even notice your lack of hair."

The window repairman frowned as the turned to exit the room while Cat waved him goodbye with a smile on her face and Beck pinching the brow of his nose.

Beck turned and asked, "Guitar all good up there?"

Robbie was standing on the right side of the ladder double checking the point were the wire attached the guitar while Jade held the ladder on the other side with Dusty standing beside her. The curly haired teenager stepped down to the floor as he answered, "Yepperdy-doo."

Jade smile as she commented with a wave of her hand up to the guitar, "And look, you can't even see where it broke."

The curly haired teenager agreed, "Nope."

Cat happily laughed, "Yay, my mom's boss'll never know anything bad happened."

Dusty pointed up to the ceiling connection on the window side of the room and commented, "I'm still not happy with that connection."

Robbie rolled his eyes and dismissively commented, "You're the one that fixed it... and checked it three times."

He defensively retorted, "_And I'm still not happy with it_. I think the screw's partially pulled out from the ceiling. We should have drilled a new hole for a new screw."

Jade rested her left hand on Dusty's upper right arm and gave him a reassuring tone, "It's holding it fine and if it does break later, he can't blame Cat."

Dusty blew out a sharp breath out of his nose and gave her a soft frown. "Okay... whatever."

Robbie noticed the antique skull resting on the end table. He asked curiously as he picked up the skull and walked around the table to stand in front of the couch, "Whoa, is this a real human skull?"

Jade walked around the table and answered, "Yeah, give it so I can put it back."

Robbie turned his body away in an effort to keep Jade from grabbing the skull. "No, I'm looking at it."

She reached for it and was able to get her right hand on top of it. Dusty walked up behind Jade ready to intervene as the pair started to struggle for it as Jade called out with an irritated tone, "Robbie, give it to me."

"Jade!"

"Robbie, stop."

Robbie pulled one more time and pulled it out of Jade's hands, but unfortunately slipped out of his hands and was flung into the glass table in front of the couch. The skull crashed right through and breaking it in half.

Barely a moment later, the left side wire broke away from the guitar and it swung away and hit the lamp at the right end of the couch causing a shower of sparks. Jade and Cat both threw up their hands to protect their faces while Beck partially shielded the redhead.

They all took a breath to survey the damage as Cat slipped out of Beck's protective grip. The redhead sucked in a breath and narrowed her eyes as she could feel the tears start to form.

Jade raised her hands and asked with a hopeful and regretful tone, "Don't cry."

Cat started to sob out, "But—"

A buzzing sound interrupted her response.

Robbie snapped out a comment, "I heard a buzz."

Jade rested her hands on her hips and snapped back, "Zip up your pants!"

He looked down and saw that his paints were unzipped.

The shorter girl walked over to the speaker box and pressed the intercom button then whispered out softly, "Hello?"

"_Cat, it's Carl Gibbons. I forgot my key, would you buzz me in?"_

Cat turned in shock as she looked to the rest. "It's my mom's boss!"

Jade folded her arms once again over her abdomen and wore a sorrowful face as she walked to her friend.

"_Could you buzz me in?"_

Cat turned back to the intercom and pressed the speak button. "Uhhh… sure, I could… or maybe you could go to Europe for two weeks?" She turned back to her friends in the hopes that maybe he would take her advice, but they gave her a mix of disbelief and sympathetic expressions.

"_Cat, buzz me in." _

The sleeves of Cat's blue sweater were long enough to cover her palms and muffled a soft cry with her left hand before she pressed the button again to answer, "'Kay, 'kay." She walked away from the wall and covered her mouth and nose with both of her hands. She dropped into the cushioned chair situated cattycorner to the couch and curled into a ball as she started to cry.

Jade face fell with sadness and walked a few steps towards Cat to whisper out with a regretful tone, "Cat…"

Robbie joined in with his own sad tone, "It'll be okay."

Dusty's face fell and whispered out, "Oh sweetheart…" He looked up at the ceiling and whispered, "Mom, if you're listening, we could use some help right now."

Beck's face clenched up in confusion as he looked across to Dusty. "You're praying?"

Dusty frowned as he turned an annoyed expression to the actor. "If you got a better idea, I'd like to hear it."

Beck shook his head then blew out a breath and looked to Cat, "Cat, when he gets up here, we'll just explain that—"

Dusty walked up beside Jade and interrupted with a frown on his face, "It's entirely Jade's fault."

The pale dark brunette frowned and looked to the Southern teenager in shock.

He matched her stared with an impassive one. "What? _You are responsible_; you need to woman up and take responsibility for it."

Before she could respond, Cooper started to bark loudly. The teenagers started looking to the dog in confusion wondering what was causing the quiet animal to start yelping.

Dusty gave the dog a curious expression as he asked, "What is it boy?"

They didn't wait long for an answer as the house started to rumble.

Robbie asked with a fearful tone, "What's happening?"

Jade was the first one to shout, "Earthquake!"

"Earthquake!" Cat shouted out as she nearly leapt out of the chair.

Dusty immediately thought that wasn't what he had in mind for an answered prayer, but he didn't dwell on it as his instincts kicked in and he shouted, "Get down! Beck, grab Cat!" The Southern teenager turned to Jade as she attempted to head for the couch, but he grabbed her around the waist with his right arm and pulled her down with him to the floor. He wrapped his left arm over the crown of her head and used himself as a human shield to cover her, specifically using his upper body to cover her head and shoulders by tucking her head under his head with his right temple against the crown of her head. He hoped that Beck would be man enough to shield Cat as the corner of his eye caught him pulling the redhead by the waist just before he grabbed Jade.

The entire house rumbled with fine dust particles started falling then followed by ceiling blaster. The bookshelves started to break and books fall to the floor with the paintings falling off the wall and the bust on the end table falling off and shattering on the floor.

Nozu

Mrs. Lee shouted as everyone started ducking under tables and the bar, "Everyone get down! I don't have insurance!"

No one really needed to hear her instructions as they took cover under the bar or their tables.

Hope stood in the door frown of the entrance and started desperately shouting, "Protect my birthday presents! Somebody protect my birthday—"

She was cut off as some hanging of a Japanese character fell of the wall and hit the top of her head, sending her face first into the floor.

André and Mister Quincy had ducked under some small tables at one end of the stage and looked on in surprise at the fallen teenager, but the songsmith's expression was quickly replaced with a smile and a nod of his head.

Gibbons' Residence

The rumbling finally stopped and sirens could be heard outside.

Dusty lifted his head to survey the damage, but kept Jade's tucked underneath him for a few more moments. He blew out a soft breath he didn't realized he was holding. He whispered directly into the pale dark brunette's ear, "You alright?"

She paused for a moment to assess how she felt then answered, "Yeah, I'm fine."

He let out a relieved breath that tickled her ear and mumbled, "Good." He rolled over off of her and immediately started calling out, "Cat! Cat!"

Apparently Beck had grabbed Cat and shielded her as he took cover in the solid doorframe. She slipped out of his grip and covered her mouth with her sweater covered palms.

She walked to Jade and Dusty and as soon as she was in arms reach, Dusty pulled her into a hug and held her tight.

Jade bowed her head slightly and felt the corners of her mouth wanting to pull into a smile, but resisted the urge.

The webmaster gave Cat a kiss on the crown of her head then pulled back and gave her a worried expression as he asked, "You okay?"

She nodded her head and gave him a relieved smile.

He looked up to meet Beck's eyes and the actor stared back. The nonverbal exchanged signaled a temporary truce between the pair for at least the night.

A voice called from out of the room, "Cat? Cat?"

A man with a solid build and short, dark hair in a dark grey suit and blue dress shirt called out once he was in view, "Cat?"

Dusty took a step back to stand next to Jade while Cat turned to stand in front of pale singer. The redhead looked down and motioned to several broken items littering the room as she answered, "Hi Mister Gibbons… some stuff broke."

He rested his hands on his hips and commented as he looked around his mess of a room, "I know. I felt the earthquake as I was coming up the stairs!" He looked over to Beck and patted the actor on the upper left arm as he finished, "You kids okay?!"

Beck answered with an eager nod of his head, "Yes, sir."

Jade answered, "We're fine."

Robbie called out, "I'm Robbie."

Cat eagerly started apologizing as she motioned to the various broken pieces littering the room, "I'm so sorry about your guitar… and your lamp… and your table."

Mister Gibbons pulled his hands away from his hips and motioned to the short girl. "It's alright; it's not your fault."

She gave him a confused expression and whispered, "But—"

Jade gently cupped Cat's shoulders as called out loudly, "Cat, Mister Gibbons isn't mad at us because he knows _the earthquake_ caused all this damage."

Beck put on a charming smile as he commented, "We can only blame the Earth—"

"—and its quaking," Robbie finished for him while waving his hands.

Mister Gibbons rubbed his hands in his palms and answered, "Of course, I'm just relieved that Cooper and you kids are okay…" He picked up his dog and finished, "…son your zipper."

Jade and Cat passed a quick glance over to Robbie then Jade glanced away with a slightly irritated expression as Robbie swore while he zipped his pants back up. "Jeeminee!"

Dusty gave him a sympathetic pat on his left shoulder.

Nozu

Hope was laid out on gurney and being pushed out of Nozu by a medic. She took off her clear oxygen mask and whined, "Daddy, my head hurts."

Mister Quincy softly patted her on her head and whispered, "Yes baby, whatever." He passed her by to talk to André and Tori.

The songsmith called out, "Feel better Hope!"

Tori joined him in calling out, "Happy Birthday!"

She shouted back angrily, "Shut Up!"

The medic walked back to Mister Quincy and thumbed over his right shoulder as he explained, "She'll be okay, but she does have a mild concussion. I assume you'll want to meet her at the hospital?"

"Ooh… well… I could… or…" He turned back to the rest of the patrons and called out, "Whaddaya say we hear André and Tori sing that song again, huh?!"

The crowd started cheering and Tori looked to the record producer with surprise as she pointed to herself and André back and forth.

The pair rushed back on stage and the patrons started eagerly clapping. The pair started playing and singing again with Trina rushing back inside and dancing next to the musician label owner.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed my interpretation of 'André's Horrible Girl'.

As you can see, the interaction between Mrs. Lee and Jade is quite different than one would expect than the hostility shown by Mrs. Lee to Tori so far in Season Three of the series. The reason is for that in this story is that I'm harkening back to the first story (iActually Like Mean Girls) where I established that Mrs. Lee likes Jade because unlike apparently Dan not realizing, it was a multiple night showing (Cat's comment of just that night) and I assumed that she made her investment money back and them some. I seriously doubt that Mrs. Lee would have not gone through with the rest of the scheduled performances she had already rented the theater out for over just what could be a quite plausible explanation of faulty rigging and not had her daughter perform in the other shows.

Also, I always wondered why André was so hung up about the record producer in light of his plot in 'The Diddly-Bops' and apparently he was already signed; I hope you liked my explanation. The night's not over for any of them yet and I will be picking that up two weeks from now. Don't be shy with any comments or criticism. See you later, OneHorseShay.


	9. Chapter 9: Some Stuff Broke Including Me

Author's Note: Hello my dear readers! I hope everyone is doing well. I'm doing alright and I have for you another lovely chapter that I hope you will all enjoy.

I have few comments I have before I get to your wonderful reviews that may affect future chapters of the story:

1. Apparently according to the recent iCarly episode 'iGet Bannded', Freddie can be knocked out with a tap to the nose from Gibby even though he's repeatedly been shown to shrug off beatings from a girl with superhuman strength. Broken tennis racket over his head with only ruffled hair anyone? I call foul on that ending and the reaction of Sam at the end of the episode looks like she can't believe it either. Freddie has superhuman durability and I'm going to stick to it.

2. Suddenly Dan has stated in a recent twitter response that Jade's name is just Jade and it isn't Jadelyn, but since it is not actually stated in a canon episode and the initial casting call said her name was Jadelyn, I'm sticking to Jadelyn as her full first name. I'm one of those that adhere to the literature interpretation philosophy of "Death of the Author" in that if it isn't in the work then the opinion of the author carries no more weight than any other audience member. So that means that I can be wrong in regards to my own work too :P Besides, I mean it's not the first time he's said something outside one of his shows as if it was true then the show itself turned around a contradicted him.

3. Apparently Nike does exist in the iCarly/Victorious universe alongside Daka show company as one of Spencer's 'friends' in iFind Spencer Friends had the logo on his socks, so it wasn't odd for Dusty to wear a Nike shirt back in the last story during the 'Terror on Cupcake Street'.

4. The actor that played Moose in the recent Victorious episode 'Three Girls and a Moose' played on Supernatural this Wednesday, but I won't go any further as to spoil that episode and yeah I've never heard of the show either :P

5. It kind of stinks that apparently Nick has moved the new episode of Victorious back this week, but hey, that's one more week the show exists on the air.

6. I posted a pic on my tumblr of the background actress that is 'Ava Cohen' for the stories, so if anyone actually knows the young ladies name, please PM. I'd like to give her casting credit.

Twilight Warrior 627: Thanks. I just gave Jade another reason to hang with Cat in accordance to what this story's circumstances and character interaction. This Jade is different from the canon one due to the things she's experienced over the last two stories in regards to how she should treat her friends (and admit they are her friends).

The Hope reaction was to bring up the fact once again that Freddie is a minor celebrity and that he faces problems that typical teenagers don't: he has a public life which people judge with only scant information.

Beck's obviously curious as to what is going on with Jade, canon or story wise, but for different reasons. Canon reasons I will leave up to the viewer, story wise… I'll leave that up to the reader. I thought André was handled quite well in the canon episode, so I didn't see the need to really alter him in the story in regards to Hope other than give a reason why he would do such a thing and the thing with Jade? I didn't really read anything deep into it from the episode. If I comment anymore in that regard, I'll spoil some of this chapter.

My thoughts on "The Hambone King" I've already PM you, so I don't want to openly talk about my thoughts that could spoil it for the readers that haven't seen the episode.

Challenge King: Thanks and you just might get your wish in this chapter. Oh, and Supernatural? I'm still not sure what everyone keeps going on about :D

darck ben: I'm not sure about a cameo with Freddie's dad in this story, but my other crossover 'iAlready Have a Family' (which I need to get back on to writing) has Freddie's dad play a role. I cast David Boreanaz as his father. Oh, and Carly and Jade have a far, far better relationship in that story than this one.

Jeremy Shane: Thanks and here it is.

PD31: Thanks and the Gorilla Club suggestion would be a good explanation as to why he could have lost his record deal.

Dusty is there friends, but he's not going to let Freddie dictate anything to him especially in regards to how he sees and defines loyalty. In regards to Jade, he was not going to let Cat take the fall for what Jade clearly did against Cat's advice. It was a matter of principle and protecting Cat. If no one has realized it yet: Dusty likes Cat! About the long term effects? You'll just have to keep reading.

Agent-M-0167: The thing about the 'little stories' is that life goes on regardless of whatever is happening in your life at the moment. As much as some people may think (and we have all met these kind of people in our lives), the world does not revolve around you or me, it just keeps going.

About Tori, it was to show that there has been at least a slight shift in how things have changed over the last week, but Freddie didn't hesitate to go with Tori and André to have lunch and neither did Jade, so you can interpret the significance of that as well. In regards to André, Freddie pointed out, (the first time was just due to the whole confrontation with Beck) that the second one was just due to André being with Hope that day. In that area, there isn't any rift between Freddie and André as he pointed out that André had made the right choice in skipping the lesson to be with his new girlfriend. He was reluctantly happy for his friend and only reluctant because of his feelings on who should be André's girlfriend.

Dusty trying to figure out what Sam is just a little quirk I gave him and the fact that if he really does have to fight her one day, he would like to know what he's up against other than a slayer lacking the toughness and regeneration. Freddie's demon comment goes back to what he called her in the episode 'iMust Have Locker 239'. Jesse? I don't recall any character that I wrote about, but you may want to look the name up in regards to that other television show.

Any shallowness the other characters may display I'm blaming on Dan and trying my best to flesh them out a bit and give them understandable (not agreeable) motivations.

I thought the whole Tori/Mrs. Lee thing never made since in Dan's canon as she did pay for more showings and they had to have given her a reasonable explanation in the first place to continue with them, but apparently Dan didn't logically think out what really happened post episode before writing Mrs. Lee back into the story.

Thanks and here is the next chapter.

Special Guest Appearance by Jennifer Connelly as Ruby West

* * *

Chapter 9: 'Some stuff broke… including me'

"_We're sorry. We cannot complete your call at this time."_

Jade growled out in frustration while pulling her red PearPhone away from her right ear at hearing the same message over a dozen times in the last forty minutes or so since the earthquake. The nearly overwhelming feeling of disgust filled her as she tapped on the screen with her thumb to end the call then dropped her phone filled hand into her lap. She blew out a breath hoping to expel those feelings while sitting on concrete parameter of the large fountain that dominated the landscape in front of Mister Gibbons' house.

She took several slow breaths while looking out and scanning the landscape of the well maintained property. It was a lovely property, what she could see of it with the security lights illuminating strategic parts of the landscape and her acute night vision. She let her imagination wonder for a moment as it speculated on if this was the kind of home she and Freddie would live and raise their children in one day after she made it big in the entertainment industry and he outright ran the Pear Company or equally large company.

She blinked as she realized that her mind had naturally inserted Freddie into those types of long term life plans and that he would be the father of her future children. She took a deep breath at the memory that Beck use to be the one that filled that role as the one she would spend the rest of her life and be the father of her children.

Her mind was about to dive deeper in that line of thought of spending her life with Freddie, but the light winter night breeze blew across her arms and through her hair, bringing up goose bumps on her bare arms and slightly lifting up her dark locks off her shoulders, distracted her out of her train of thought. She shivered for a moment and wrapped her arms herself. She was in such a hurry to get outside in the hopes of completing her call that she realized that she forgot her leather jacket inside the sitting room.

The next moment as if her unasked prayer was answered, she felt her leather jacket being draped over her shoulders and arms. She looked up in surprise to see Dusty smile down at her then watched him have a seat next to her.

He asked with a friendly tone, "You forget that."

She gave him a thankful smile and nod of her head.

He gave a nod towards the phone still in Jade's right hand over her left arm. "Problem with your phone?"

She pulled her hand still holding her phone away from her left arm and looked down at it and shook her head while answering, "I can't get through to Freddie or my mom. I think I'm willing to risk the traffic jam in trying to get home so they don't worry."

The fellow teenager wore a friendly smile as he asked, "And trying to dodge all the emergency vehicles out there and everyone else trying to get home on a Saturday night? Have you thought about sending him a text message? Sending one is less strain on the system and might get through as everyone is trying to call at the same time."

She looked up at him with furled brow, confused on how he would know such a thing.

He shrugged his shoulder as he looked out on property. "It was a little tidbit of information I learned about things to do in the event of an earthquake when we moved out here: in an emergency everyone tries to call family at the same time and it overloads the network, but a text message uses far less bandwidth."

"Thanks." She looked back down at her phone and started typing with both thumbs, but Dusty softly reached over and covered the screen of the phone.

She looked to him with a mixture of annoyance and confusion.

He gave her a soft smirk. "Don't bother; I already called them for you. It's sweet how worried Freddie is over you, but I reassured him that everyone was fine. I guess that was his first real earthquake?"

She answered him cautiously and with a perplexed expression, "Yeah, but how did you call him?"

He softly laughed as he thumbed over his left shoulder and answered, "Cat knows your home phone number and some people do have a good old fashion telephone."

She shook her head as a smile formed her face. The pair happened to turn their attention at the same time to the dark sky, but of course due to the ambient light of the Los Angeles cityscape, they couldn't see any stars.

Jade wasn't sure how long they sat in silence when Dusty softly asked, "Are you okay?"

She glanced over to him then looked down and whispered, "Yeah, I'm fine." She slightly frowned as she did not want to talk about her feelings or anything in relation to Beck.

He softly nudged her shoulder and joked, "So you're an old earthquake pro?

She looked to him with evident surprised, but quickly replaced it with a forced nonchalant expression then tried to answer with a casual conversational tone to hide her surprise at guessing wrong on what he meant with his question, "Yeah, I guess I am. I've lived in L.A. my whole life."

He kept his focus on the sky as if almost trying to will being able to see any stars while he answered, "Honestly after the last two years, I'm still getting used to it…" He looked down to the dark brunette with a curious expression and commented with a hint of worry, "Nuts, I hope my TV didn't fall off the wall or any my knickknacks and pictures off my shelf. I can replace the TV but…"

She briefly thought back when she was in his room on how it was decorated and the arrangement of his personal possessions could have easily been damaged from the quake if what happened to the other things that broke in Mister Gibbons' sitting room was going to be any indication of the typical damage from the earthquake.

She remembered that he had a flat screen television mounted on the wall facing the foot of his bed similar to how Freddie's was set up and the various pictures she saw on the shelf with the displays of the silver short sword and the old Paterson Colt. The 'memorabilia' could have easily fallen as Mister Gibbons' bookcases had broken during the quake. She doubted that those two pieces would have really been damaged from a possible fall, but the pictures might have been a different story.

She didn't think it was a stretch that the pictures held special meaning for him since it was only he and his dad out here when he had made it clear to them after Christmas that he really wanted to be back in Carolina with the rest of his family. Some could have been in other parts of the country for all she knew, but knew one was not even on Earth anymore.

The flash of insight on how much family meant to Dusty that he obviously carried with him in picture and in spirit caused her to turn her mind to thinking about her own family other than her mother and Freddie. Her grandparents (at least on her mother's side) weren't in Los Angeles, so she didn't have to worry about their safety, so her first thoughts were on her own father and wondered if he was concerned about her. She felt a momentary sting of hurt that she couldn't definitively answer either way, but that didn't last long as her thoughts drifted to her little stepbrother Ian. She assumed he was alright, but wondered how he had reacted to maybe his first earthquake that he could comprehend. At that moment, her maternal instinct overrode any other concern about getting home as she decided that she would make a detour before she went home. It wasn't a feeling she would have thought she would have felt for him just months ago when he was originally just the thing that replaced her in her father's heart.

The pale actress finally commented idly, "I'm sure everything's fine. I assume your dad would have told you if something really happened; you've talked to your dad, right?"

He let out a soft chuckle, "Yeah. I guess there's nothing broken that can't be replaced."

Speaking of replaceable items started making the dark brunette actress think about her own possessions of her various pictures, paintings and specimens in her room that could have fallen and broken from the quake. _"Damn,"_ she swore in her mind as she figured that the jars had to have fallen off and her floor was probably soaked with various embalming and preserving fluids. She rolled her eyes and commented, "We're probably going to be spending tomorrow cleaning up."

Dusty softly laughed out, "If we're lucky, maybe we'll get Monday off, but I doubt it."

"We can only hope…"

The pair turned their attention back to the night sky and let their thought wonder. Jade could only guess what the Southern teenager was thinking, but mind wondered back to thinking on how Ian could have possibly reacted to the earthquake but then slowly started drifting to how everyone reacted in Mister Gibbons' house. Immediately something stood out in her mind then glanced towards Dusty and tried to speak in a casual tone, "Dusty?"

"Yeah," he whispered out as if his mind had drifted away and he was only barely conscious of present.

She slightly felt her throat constrict as she continued with a slightly horsed voice, "When the earthquake started, you… grabbed me to shield… instead of Cat."

Dusty blinked several times taking the time to process what she had spoken. After he realized what she had stated, he turned to look her straight in the eyes and answered with a hint of challenge in his voice, "Is there a question in there somewhere?"

She bit her tongue for a moment as it was still odd to her at times that someone had no problem challenging her. There was never any fear in his eyes. She took a deep breath then answered with a relaxed tone, "It was more of an observation."

He gave her a slight nod then responded with a guarded tone, "Then I hope you also observed that I was standing next to you and Beck was standing next to Cat. We both grabbed the closest girl to us and we did the most logical thing…" He rolled his eyes and flippantly finished, "While Shapiro was busy sticking his head under a table and letting his ass hang out just begging for something to hit it."

She snorted out a laugh at the description of Robbie during the earthquake. She wore a soft smile for a few moments then let it fade slightly to a sympathetic expression and whispered, "I know you wanted to go to Cat though."

He glanced back towards the sky as she thought he didn't want to meet her eyes as he commented, "You were beside me; I couldn't have done anything else."

She softly dared, "You could have gone to Cat?"

He snorted out dismissively, "And to leave you to do what? Curl up on the couch and shield your head with a cushion?"

She smirked as she challenged, still with a friendly tone, "I'm a big girl; I can take care of myself."

He let out a soft laugh as he retorted, "And I'm a benevolent sexist; I'm going to protect the wombs for the human race even if you weren't my friend, just deal with it."

The green streaked hair girl softly shook her head and let out a soft laugh. She reached over and rested her left hand on top of his right one resting on his thigh. She spoke with a hushed and genuine tone, "Thank you Dustin."

He finally looked over to her to meet her eyes and gave her a respectful nod. "Not a problem."

The pair turned their attention back up at the sky as she kept her hand over his hand. They sat in silence as they heard the occasional siren and other traffic despite being so far into the gated property. Jade wasn't sure how long they sat in silence when Dusty finally spoke up with a soft tone, almost as he was trying to embrace her with his words, "How are you Angel Girl?"

She softly smirked as she answered, "I told you, I'm fine."

He let out a soft laugh as he clarified, "I didn't mean about the earthquake this time. I meant in regards to the other thing… Pretty Boy and Carly?"

She took a deep breath and put on a frown as she dismissively answered, "Like I said, I'm fine."

The lean teenager raised an eyebrow and asked with a hint of challenge in his voice, "Parroting Freddie now?"

She frowned at him and gave him a disapproving glare.

He raised his right hand and continued, "You don't have to talk to me, but you need to talk to Freddie. Please don't do what you're complaining Freddie's doing. You don't wear hypocrisy anywhere near as well as that little black dress you have on…" He raised his right eyebrow and softly laughed, "…and you are wearing it quite nicely."

She slightly frowned at his point. She may have appreciated the compliment about how she looked, but she didn't like the fact that he was making the direct comparison to how she was reacting to Beck the same way that Freddie was reacting to New Years.

She looked away to the meticulous tended front yard. She whispered out with a regretful tone, "You know you can be quite irritating at times?"

He gave her a sympathetic smile. "Yes, I do realize that I can be quite a pain in the butt for my friends." He leaned over and whispered to her with a smile on his face, "Would you really want me any other way?" He sat back up to wait for her reply.

She gave him a tired smile. "No, but I'm glad there's someone who's just honest with themselves."

He bowed his head slightly as he met her eyes. "In the spirit of being honest and a pain in your butt… I think you should talk to Carly and see what she has to say."

The pale singer gave him a cold stare. "You're pushing it."

"Perhaps, but if you are still going to help Freddie, you need to talk to her and you can get the answers you need to know about how deep Beck and Carly's friendship goes because as much as it hurts, you _need_ to know how far it goes."

She snapped out dismissively while glancing away from him, "What's the point? She'll say any lie she can to make herself look good or get out of any guilt or responsibility."

He slightly shook his head as he softly disagreed, "I don't think she will. I think if you just point blank ask her and want to get everything out in the open then she'll tell you the truth in regards to Freddie and Beck."

She turned slightly to face him and squeezed his hand that she still rested on top of his hand then retorted with a cold tone, "You are a fool if you believe her."

He smirked with a soft chuckle as he looked away for a moment that caught her off guard. He looked back to her with a sense of self-deprecating tone, "Maybe I am. Maybe I am a fool for breaking my own rule about seeing the worst in people and deciding to see the best in her, but I can't ignore what my soul… and my grace is telling me about Carly. I think she screwed up badly, very badly, but…" He shook his head. "I think she just took the rope that is freedom and accidentally hung herself, not anything out of malice… or Beck."

She snorted out while looking away from him. She ignored his point on Carly and she countered, "That's funny coming from the guy who punched him out and threatened to break him…" She raised her voice as she finished, "…and one of those times was tonight."

Dusty raised an eyebrow as he countered with a slight sharpness to his voice, "Putting his hands on you without your permission, which I've watched him do several times in your own videos, is different than believing that he conspired with Carly to try to break you and Freddie up on New Year's."

She was about to interrupt, but he continued, "Are you really surprised I hit him the first time? Did you think I was kidding what I said about my feelings on Beck on New Year's Eve? What I would have done if I knew at the time and was your brother?" He shook his head. "I'll tell you the same thing I told Freddie: the only apology I owe you is that _I didn't_ put Beck down and let him walk away. If he had tried that with Cat… he would not have left under his own power."

She glanced down for a moment and shook her head. She whispered out in air of detachment as she became lost in her own thoughts, "Are you my Lancelot now? Ready to defend me when needed?"

Dusty whispered out with a hint of anger and offense lacing his voice, "Lancelot betrayed his friend by having an affair with Guinevere, eventually led to the destruction of Camelot and to Arthur's death… I have no interest in burying my friend, becoming a hermit and visiting you in a convent."

Jade snapped her head around to look at him with a fearful expression as his words pulled her out of her thoughts and felt a sharp pain in her heart.

He cracked a smile as he commented, "What? I've read Malory." He turned his right hand over so that their palms met then gave her a reassuring squeeze while looking into her eyes and gave her a warm smile. "Besides… if we are to make comparisons to Arthurian legends, you're off on who we are in this story: I'm Sir Gawain, Freddie's Sir Perceval and you're his sweetheart Blanchefleur when you're not playing his angel and you two get to live happily ever…" He dipped his head down slightly as he maintained eye contact as he finished with a conspiratorial whisper, "It's all going to be okay Angel Girl."

She sucked in a sharp breath and blinked as she felt a slight sting behind her eyes signaling possible tears, but they were ones of relief as they had been triggered from a lyric that she sung for André and became her and Freddie's song went through her mind, _'I want to let you know that it's all okay.'_

She lifted her closed right hand, still holding her PearPhone, to softly press the back of her hand to under her nose and lips.

Dusty slightly frowned and gave her a concerned look. "Did I finally say something wrong?"

She softly shook her head as she dropped her fist from her mouth and smiled to him then whispered, "No." She leaned over and wrapped her right arm around his neck to pull him into a hug while she maintained her grip of his right hand.

He blinked in shock then opened as wide as possible for him and his mouth became a thin line from the contact. He remained perfectly still for a few moment then cleared his throat and cautiously reached around with his left arm, trying to avoid as much physical contact with her with his arm as possible, and hesitantly gave her a soft opened hand pat on her leather jacket covered back. He tried several times to speak before he was able to mutter out, "You—you're welcome?"

She slightly smiled at finding it humorous how tense he felt from her contact when less than an hour ago he hadn't hesitated to use himself as a human shield to protect her. She eventually pulled away still wearing then soft smile then adjusted her jacket back on her right shoulder. She looked to him with that same soft smile and asked, "Can I ask you something?"

He cleared his throat several times and avoided her eyes for several moments then gave her a soft smile while asking, "You may ask, but I can't guarantee I'll answer or that if I do, you'll like it."

She let out a stress relieving chuckle then asked, "Why?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why what?"

"Why the Lanc… the Gawain with Beck?"

"That's just the way I am."

She tilted her head slightly then gave him a look that suggested she didn't believe that was the entire reason.

He glanced away and hesitantly admitted, "Okay… assuming this isn't an elaborate plan on my part to get inside your panties…" He looked back to her and continued with tone to try to entice her to think deeply on his question, "…and other than it being the right thing, what do you think is going to happen if Freddie and Pretty Boy really go at it? I mean an out and out drag out fight?"

Jade frowned at that possibility. She really didn't know what would happen if it had gone that far and a little part of her was afraid of the possibility. She was still shocked that it hadn't broken down to a fight during the week or even that afternoon at the Vega home. She was sure that was what Freddie was going to do when he arrived at Tori's house after he found out what happened earlier with Beck. Subconsciously that was the reason that she took Dusty along with her, but she wasn't sure whether it was in the hopes he would step in to try to breakup the potential fight or… have Freddie's back in case André decided to jump in and take Beck side because they had been friends for far longer. She figured that she would never really know the answer and was glad she never would know the answer.

She swallowed down some of her apprehension then answered, "It's going to be a mess… someone's going to get hurt… probably Beck since… well Freddie can take a beating and I've seen Freddie go at Steven and Nevel and they weren't pretty afterwards."

Dusty gave a slight nod of his head agreeing with that assessment. "There's that, but setting aside that for a moment, what do you think the aftermath is going to be?"

The pale teenager gave him a confused expression as apparently she hadn't thought that far out.

He patiently continued, "Yeah, things are tense after last week… Beck wanting Freddie to go back to Seattle and turns out he's been talking to Carly, but… you know the anger… maybe even a little hate you feel for the moment can't last… that things have to get better for all of you, but how do you think everything's going to work out if those two come to blows? How do you _uncross_ that line?"

Jade looked away and off to her right and the ground. She subconsciously squeezed Dusty's hand as she thought on his words and her heart ached at letting her mind extrapolate on how things could turn out with everyone. Things are… rough right now, but… they could easily get worst, a lot worst.

The dark brunette may not have been looking at him, but he was looking at her with an intense gaze as he finished, "So, they may not be each other's biggest fan, but it doesn't involve all the emotion entanglement of having to fight it out and I think we should do all we can to prevent it from going that far. Any other time I would think them just duking it out and that would settle things and they would walk away as friend, but in this case, I think it would just make things worst."

She nodded along, but didn't turn to look at him.

The Southern teenager spoke his last thought with a low tone, "There is one more reason: I was being honest about Beck after Christmas at the poker game that I wasn't Freddie's mouthpiece and that's what I really believed what I said to him but… I just happen to keep Freddie's hands clean. It keeps him above it all and him looking like the noble one while Beck is seen as the petty child wanting to sabotage your relationship instead of two Neanderthals slugging it out for the girl as if you're a piece of meat."

She snapped her head around to look to him in surprise.

He shrugged his left shoulder. "We are judged everyday by everyone at school and what they perceive as true becomes true for them."

She nodded along as she thought back on how Hope looked to her on Thursday. She hadn't been there for all the drama over the last six months and only had Carly's word for everything that happened between the trio of friends, so she assumed the worst.

The pale singer looked to him with a soft smile and softly asked, "Hard lessons from Northridge?"

He nodded along. "Yes, but my mother also left a lot of wisdom to me about life… about _loyalty_, forgiveness..." He cracked a soft smile and whispered, "…love… whether it's romantic or platonic."

She gave him a slightly hurt look. "Did she remember to leave you any wisdom about pain?"

He shrugged a shoulder with a soft smirk then softly squeezed her hand as he countered, "Chocolate cake helps."

She snorted out a breath as a smile reformed on her face and she shook her head.

"Hey?" Cat's soft voice called out from Dusty's left side with his back partially turned to her.

The pair turned their attention to the smiling redhead with Beck standing behind her holding Jade's purse and his toolbox with a slight frown at apparently seeing that she was holding his hand. Dusty returned with a guarded expression while Jade softly whispered out, "Hey Cat."

The shorter teenager thumbed over her shoulder to Beck and answered, "We were going to try to go home now."

Jade sniffed and cleared her throat, "Oh, do you need a ride home?"

The actor seemed to snap out of any discomfort he was feeling and answered, "I was going to give her a ride home with Robbie."

Jade stood up and released Dusty's hand then the former couple stared at each other for a moment. She finally whispered out, "Have a safe drive."

Beck opened his mouth, but hesitated in speaking. He opened his mouth a second time and replied, "We will." The actor offered Jade her purse and she took it without a word.

The quintet started on their way to their respective vehicles.

Dusty placed a soft kiss on Cat's forehead before the smiling teenager slipped into the driver's seat of Beck's GTO. She slipped into the seat and looked back to him as he rested his hands over the rolled down window after shutting the door behind her. He leaned over and whispered something into her ear and the next moment she let out a soft giggle. She reached up with her left hand to cup his right cheek then kissed his left cheek. He snorted out a soft breath as he stood up and Robbie gave him a slightly annoyed expression that the other teenager wasn't sure as to the reason, either that he kissed Cat or by virtue of letting Cat take the front passenger seat that forced Robbie to ride in the backseat of the vehicle. Dusty didn't care either way.

Beck went around to the trunk of his car and sat his tool box inside then closed it. As soon as he did, he noticed Dusty standing surprised him. He was caught off guard for a moment from the sudden appearance, but quickly gathered his wits and asked with a slightly impatient tone, "What?"

Dusty surprised him with a sympathetic expression as he answered, "For what it's worth... _I believe you_."

Beck's eyes opened wide and let his mouth slightly dropped open.

Dusty snorted out a laugh then turned to head for Jade's car.

The pale actress had settled in her seat with her seatbelt when she noticed the Carolinian stop at her driver's side. She pressed the control stud to the power window and looked to Dusty with a soft smile.

He rested his right hand on the roof of the car as he looked down to her. He gave a nod and commented, "You have a safe drive home Angel Girl… and have a nice rest of the night."

"I will… thanks."

He grinned and patted the roof of the car then turned and headed to his cherry red '65 Mustang Fastback.

The longer haired actor was the first to pull out of the estate and headed out with his passengers followed by Dusty and Jade, but unlike the other two, she had another stop to make before going home.

Mister West Residence  
Saturday, January 28, 2012

After the headache figuratively and literally brought on by the earthquake, Mister West was finally able to settle in his chair in the living room and continue reading his book about several political policies. However, once again he was interrupted from his reading with the doorbell ringing. He lowered his book and slightly frowned as the heard the doorbell sound a second time. He closed his book and pulled off his reading glasses to set next to him on a small end table.

He approached the door obviously curious (and somewhat annoyed) as to who could be visiting him at such an hour. He highly doubted any stray looter trying to take advantage of the chaos from the earthquake would take the time to ring a doorbell. He took a quick glance out the peephole and was surprised on who he saw.

He quickly opened the door and gave the young lady a muted surprised expression as she greeted him, "Hey dad."

"Hello?"

She cracked a soft smile as she asked, "Are you alright? About the earthquake I mean."

He focused on her eyes as he cautiously answered, "Yes, we're fine."

She nodded her approval with a tight smile and brief break in eye contact with him. She continued with a nervous strain to her voice, "I'm glad. I was with some friends when it happened… we were out and I wanted to see that you were okay… I wanted to check on Ian."

He tried to keep a guarded expression on his face at the idea that Jade really had taken a concern with Ian. "The earthquake woke him up but we put him back to sleep."

She glanced down and whispered, "Oh?" She nodded her head a few times as she was thinking over what he said then looked back up. "Can I see him? Just check on him for my own piece of mind?"

Mister West barely held back the surprised he felt at such a request. He debated for a moment whether to grant it, but decided to give his daughter a reserved nod of his head then opened the door for her to enter. He motioned with a hand towards the stairs and the girl didn't hesitate to leave her father behind at the foyer to head up the stairs.

Roy blinked and looked down for a moment then back up the stairs to she his retreating daughter. He slightly shook his head as he was still surprised with her change in attitude. He hated to contemplate that it may have been due to Freddie's influence… and to a certain extent Steven Shay.

The door opened and the light from the hallway lit up a path into the dark bedroom.

Jade guessed it was a typical room to be decorated for a four year old: posters of various Dingo and Nickelodeon cartoon characters along with various toys placed around the room, but they seemed organized as opposed to being strung around as she expected for a four year old and after an earthquake knocking anything loose down to the floor. She turned her attention to him and saw that he was sleeping in a red racecar bed.

She took a moment to smile at the silliness of such a bed then walked over to the head of his bed and watched him sleeping peacefully. So peacefully in fact that she debated whether to wake him up or not, but decided that if she didn't and he found out she was there and he didn't get to see her, it might upset him and surprisingly, she realized that it would bother her.

She reached over to her right and turned on the Transformer lamp next to his bed then knelt down so that she was face to face to the child. She softly ran her left hand over his forehead and across the crown of his head. She smiled a few times at him as her gentle gestures started the child to stir in his sleep.

He took a deep breath and started blinking being gently roused from his sleep. He brought up one of his small hands to his eyes and started to wipe the sleep out of his eyes then focused on his pale stepsister. "Jadey?"

She smiled and whispered to him, "Hey little guy. I'm sorry to wake you up, but I wanted to check on you."

He quickly sat up in bed and wrapped his small arms around the back of her neck and held on tight. She hugged him in return and whispered, "Are you okay sweetheart?"

He pulled away slightly so he could look at her to answer, "Yeah, but some of my toys and pictures and books fell down."

She softly stroked the back of his head and whispered, "Did anything break?"

The four year old loosened his arms around from the back of her neck so he could pull back enough to look at her. He shook his head. "No."

She felt a genuine sense of relief rise in her chest and she warmly smiled to him. "I'm glad. I know some of my thi—"

He eagerly interrupted, "Would you read me a story?"

She blinked in surprise being cut off, but seeing his hopeful smile erased any annoyance she could feel. She smiled to him and gave a slight nod of her head as she whispered, "Sure."

The singer let his go to sit back in his bed then went over to a pile of books that hadn't been re-shelved next to the small white bookcase. She shuffled through a few of them trying to figure out which one she could read to him that would be entertaining, yet not make her overly mushy. She smiled as she found a book then walked over to the bed. She sat on the edge of the bed then took a moment to rest the book on the table under the Transformer lamp then untied her boots.

Once they were loose enough, she slipped them off then swung her legs under the cover to sit next to him in the bed and pulled him to her side. He draped an arm over her abdomen to hold her while her right arm wrapped around him to comfort him and allow her to hold the right side of the storybook.

As she started reading from the book, a thought crossed her mind that one day she would be doing this for her son or daughter and that gave her a renewed sense of peace.

Ian fell asleep halfway through the story, but she kept reading the children's story while a smile played on her lips the entire time until the end of the story then closed the book. She sat it back on the nightstand then she gently pulled herself out of his grip and settled him back to peaceful sleep as she slipped out of the racecar bed. She pulled the blanket back over him to his shoulders to keep any chill off of him from the Los Angeles winter then softly kissed his forehead and whispered, "I love you."

She quietly slipped her boots back on her feet and quickly tied them back up then reached over and turned off the lamp as to quietly slip out of his room.

West Residence  
Sunday, January 29, 2012

The time was just after midnight when Jade pulled her car between Freddie's Charger and her mother's vehicle in the garage. She quickly killed the ignition and stepped out, grabbing her bag then shut up her car to head for the door that led to the kitchen. She quietly slipped her key into the lock and opened the door as to hope not to wake anyone up as if they would have gone to sleep before she made it home.

Mrs. West heard the door opened and looked over her shoulder as she double checking the arrangement of knickknacks and pictures around the living room with the television on in the background with the continuing coverage of the earthquake and the reports coming in from the various parts of the city. She quickly stopped what she was doing and quickly walked over to her and pulled her daughter in to a hug and held her tight.

Jade patiently smiled as she hugged her mother in return. She whispered, "I'm fine."

The raven haired beauty pulled back then cupped the pale girl's cheeks as she asked with a mixture of curiosity and concern in her voice, "Mother's right to worry about her child… why'd it take you so long to get home?"

Jade lifted a corner of her mouth and answered with a hint of amusement in her voice, "I had to visit Ian, see how he was after the earthquake."

Mrs. West dropped her hands from her daughter's cheeks to rest on her leather jacket covered shoulders then furled her brow and let a soft smirk formed on her face. "So you're embracing the whole 'big sister' thing?"

The actress softly laughed, "I guess so."

The West Matriarch nodded along while Jade continued, "Where's Freddie?"

She slightly frowned and Jade immediately felt a sharp stab of concern and let it reflect on her face.

Mrs. West immediately saw the look and Jade's face and quickly responded, "He's fine, he's just up in your room… cleaning up."

The teenager let out a relieved breath then whispered with an ironic smile, "Then I better give him a hand."

Ruby gave her daughter gave her girl a quick kiss on the forehead then let the teenager head up the stair.

* * *

Jade stopped just before she reached the open door to her bedroom then slowly peeked her head around the corner of the doorframe. She saw Freddie standing behind her burgundy chair and in front of one of her shelves apparently trying to screw it back in place with a spare screwdriver.

She rounded the corner and took a step passed the threshold into her room, but Freddie was so focused on trying to fix the shelf that he didn't notice her presence, so she took a moment to survey the damage to her room. She saw that several of her specimen jars sitting on various tables, but noticed that some of them were missing until she saw a waste basket next to her burgundy chair.

She guessed the broken jars were in the waste basket then glanced around the rest of the room to survey the damage. She noticed another bucket with a mop resting against the back wall a few feet from where Freddie was standing. She let her eyes wonder to the floor and saw a greenish stain on her wooden floor, but a foam wet spot on the carpet which she guessed he was letting soak before trying to clean it.

She lifted her eyes up to continue to survey the room and noticed several of her pictures were missing from the walls then observed that they were resting on her bed on the far right side of the room. Several looked fine and just needed to be hung back up, but some others had the glass panel broken then saw that her larger butterfly collection glass panel had several cracks spider webbing over it.

She let her right hand cover her mouth as she was touched by the sweetness of him trying assess and put her room back together. She waited for him to finish screwing the last screw then dropped her hand from her mouth and called out with a thick voice as if she was choking on the rise in emotion, "Hey."

Freddie turned to look at her with a surprised expression then quickly replaced with relieved one. He laid the screwdriver on the shelf and dashed around the chair over to her. He wrapped his arms over her bag hanging from her right shoulder and around to the small of her back and lifted her off her feet to slowly spin her around as he locked his lips with her.

She rested her hands on his shoulders as she returned his kiss with a smile forming on her face. They traded several soft kisses until Freddie set her back on her feet.

He looked at her with an intense gaze and whispered out in fear, "Are you alright?"

She nodded along and tried to reassure him by trying to steady her voice, "I'm fine. I'm fine. I thought you knew? I thought Dusty called you?"

The brown eyed teenager gave him a small smile and gave her a slight nod. "I did, but seeing you makes it real." He leaned back slightly while still holding her by the small of her back so he could look her up and down.

The dark brunette let out a soft breath as a small smile formed on her face. "I'm fine; are you okay?"

He looked back up to meet her eyes and paused for a second at the question. "Oh?" He let out a chuckle then answered quickly, "Yeah, I'm fine, just a little surprised by it all."

He stepped to the side while still holding her to allow her to continue to survey the room. He wore a slight frown as he followed along with her eyes. He kissed her cheek then whispered, "I'm sorry."

She turned her head to meet his eyes as he continued while nodding along with his words, "I think I've fixed your shelf and I've cleaned up all the specimens that broke. I think I might have salvaged a few things, but I don't have any fluid to keep them in, so we'll have to hope they'll last until tomorrow when I can get some." He motioned his head to the bed. "I need to hang some of your pictures back, but I'm going to have to pick up some replacement glass panels for the ones that broke when I go out to get the embalming fluid." He looked to the carpet as he continued, "I still need to finish cleaning the carpet then I got to check to see if we need to replace the floor from—"

She gently cupped his chin with her right hand then placed her pointer finger over his lips. He blinked in surprise as she softly shushed him. She blinked back the tears as she whispered, "Thank you," then gave him a soft kiss.

* * *

About an hour later after Jade had changed (and wore one of his old Penny-Tees) and ate a small meal while telling him and her mother about what had happened while with Cat, the couple lay in his bed with him slightly propped up with the Galaxy Wars pillow case covered pillow. The flat screen television sitting on the short dresser drawers was displaying late night horror movie. He didn't care for it at the moment, but Jade was enjoying it for the most part, well as much as she had paid attention to it as she was curled up on his left side and rested her head on his left shoulder and letting the lullaby of his heartbeat lull her to sleep.

He glanced around to see his moon and television lit room to see again that his room had weathered the quake better than Jade's room as his knickknacks, action figures and assorted memorable fell to a carpeted floor. His Star Trek display over the head of his bed had fallen, but only onto his pillow and soft mattress, so in the morning he only had to put everything back in its place as everything that had fallen was resting on the dresser under the window.

His glance around the room was a short one since his attention kept coming back to see that Jade slightly frowning while sleeping, as if she was having an unpleasant dream. He debated whether or not to wake her up, but she took the decision out of his hands by finally stirring awake.

She blinked and looked up at him while still resting on his shoulder.

He whispered to her tenderly, "Hey."

"Hey."

"Can't sleep?"

She snorted out a breath with a hint of sarcasm lacing her voice, "I guess not."

He slightly furled his brow as he asked with concern, "Did you have a nightmare?"

Jade lifted her head off his shoulder to meet his eyes. Her pale brow knotted and deeply frowned as she whispered with uncertainty, "I… I don't remember, why?"

"You just didn't look like you having a pleasant sleep."

"If you say so…" she muttered out. She rested her head back on his shoulder and turned her attention to the television still displaying the late night movie.

Freddie whispered, "I'm not complaining about the company, but..."

She lifted her head off of his chest to rest her chin on his chest meet his eyes. The room was nearly pitched black, but with the filtered moonlight shining through his window and her exceptional night vision, she could see the concerned expression on his face. She hesitantly asked, "But what?"

"This is the tenth night in the row that you've decided to sleep in my bed... with me in it."

Her brow furled and asked with a hint of offense in her voice, "You've been keeping count?"

"Ten times in a row... that's more times than we've done that in our entire relationship up until last Thursday; I couldn't help but notice."

She sat up and turned her head away as she was about to crawl out of bed. She growled out, "Fine, I won't bother yo—"

He softly grabbed her right wrist and begged, "Please don't run away from me... You have far better eyesight in the dark than me and I might trip over something."

She looked over her right shoulder and met his eyes and saw a hopeful look with a slight smile at his small joke. She snorted out a laugh without thinking.

"Please Jade?"

She shut her eyes tight then raised her left hand to cover her mouth as she hitched out a breath. She started blinking and the first tears started to run from her tear dots and between her nose and cheeks.

He sat up and wrapped his arms around her and rested them in her lap as he softly pulled her to rest her back on his chest and he to rest his chin on her right shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear. He kissed her ear then whispered again, "I'm sorry."

She took and released several deep breaths then whispered out with a choked up voice interrupting her occasionally, "I… I just hurt… how could Beck do that to me? We loved each other… I thought he really loved me, but… he told Carly and… is this what you felt when you left Seattle ... when we met up in the Black Box Theater that first day? Did you hurt this much? Were you really this angry? I knew you were angry, but… how did you hold it together? How come you weren't like you are now back then?"

He took a sharp breath from her pointing to his change since New Years then bowed his head slightly so he could kiss her T-shirt covered shoulder then lifted his head to rest chin back on her shoulder and whispered, "Yes. It hurt knowing how they could betray me and I was angry. I thought… I thought Carly had completely lost her mind with what she wanted me to do. Like she was an entirely different person than whom I knew… that I had fallen in love with…"

She turned to look to him with tear filled eyes as he trailed off.

The former Seattleite finished with a softer tone, "But I was lucky to meet up with a kind girl who didn't realize how kind she was, who made me realize that I didn't have to be angry and I could be happy…"

She blinked as she looked to his tender, but conflicted brown eyes which she quickly saw filling with pain.

"But now… I don't know… I don't know what to tell you to make it better. You saw how it turned out for me… how it's apparently turned out for us."

Freddie held Jade as her tears would just slowly flow down her cheeks. The couple remained silent as the minutes ticked away with the flicker of the television lighting their faces.

Freddie was the first to break the stillness between them with a kiss to her right cheek and some of the tears away then whispered just loud enough to speak over the television, "What if…"

The pale teenager turned her head enough to meet his eyes once more and asked with a curious tone, "What if what?"

"What if Beck… what if he didn't call Carly to plan to sabotage us? What if he just needed someone to talk to?"

She slightly frowned and knotted her brow with blatant confusion on her face. She spoke with a hushed tone as if she didn't really believe what she had heard, "Do you believe that could have really happened? That Carly didn't go to Nora's on purpose?"

He lifted his chin off her shoulder just enough to shake his head. "I didn't say Carly was innocent, just raising the possibility that Beck may not have told Carly what you were planning as part of some plan. He may wish that I would go back to Seattle, but…" He took a breath then admitted with a dry tone, "…that doesn't mean he conspired with her. She could have just seen the opportunity and he had no idea what she was planning. She could have easily manipulated his emotions like she did with me for years."

She looked away from him and took some shallow breaths as she thought on his words. In her mind, it wasn't out of the realm of possibilities that Carly could have taken advantage of Beck and manipulate him as she was all too aware (in her opinion) that Carly had been a master manipulator with Freddie and just about everyone else especially since her confession weeks ago without apparently any negative consequences to her from her fans.

The actress may not have liked the fact that Beck had gone to her to talk about things, but the more she thought on it, the more she realized that didn't necessarily mean he meant to 'betray' her. She never gave it much thought about how much it hurt him that their relationship ended even if he was the one that broke up with her and maybe he needed to talk to someone about it. She thought back on his words in Tori's house about how he thought that he and Carly were in the same place emotionally so it was logical for him to talk to her since she could understand. She may not have believed Carly was the best person Beck could have talked to, but apparently he could believe it.

She looked back to him as another thought occurred her that she quickly spoke without hesitation, "Are you trying to find a way for me to be angry at Beck?"

He gave her a soft smile and answered with mild amusement, "I've never wanted you to be anger or resentful to Beck like I am with Carly, so yeah, it could look like I'm just trying to give you any excuse to… for you not to hurt and exonerate him, but… maybe Beck really does deserve that benefit of the doubt." He took a quick breath then blew it out. He gave her a crooked smile as he finished, "I mean, yeah me and him have had words over some thing, but how many times over the last six months? Three, maybe four times? And can anyone really blame him if he's regretting letting you go and maybe wished he had a second chance?"

She looked down for a moment then nodded along as she thought on his words. She looked back to him and whispered to him tenderly, "Thank you."

"You're welc—"

She interrupted him by turning in his arms and wrapping her left arm behind his neck to pull him into a deep kiss. The couple smiled into their respective kiss that lasted a few seconds and seemed sweeter than normal despite the salty taste that remained of Freddie's lips as he had kissed away some of her tears from her cheek earlier.

The pair finally pulled apart just enough (while Freddie still kept her in his arms) to just look at one another. Jade smiled to him and he could see her eyes light up then she snuggled back to rest her head on his shoulder which he took as a sign to lay back down and propped up by his pillow.

Jade turned her head enough to look back to the television to catch the end of the horror movie while he felt the tension leave the dark brunette's body as she really did relax into his arms and rest on his shoulder.

He didn't really pay attention to the movie as thought on the fact that he may not have believed a word he just told her, but that didn't mean she couldn't believe it and feel free of the burden of feeling betrayed… as long as Beck didn't take advantage of her giving him her trust again… he'd make sure of it in the days and weeks to come.

* * *

Author's Note: Guest star Quinn Friedman as Ian West

Okay, this was more of a talkative chapter, but I think a necessary one. I hope it gave you some insight about some of the characters and their motivations and how some have surprisingly changed.

The next chapter should be 'Car, Rain and Fire' and I hope you enjoy that one as much as I'm enjoying writing it.

Thanks in advance for the reviews and see you later.


	10. Chapter 10: Car, Rain and Fire

Author's Note: Hello everyone. I hope everyone is doing well. I have a new chapter for you and I hope everyone enjoys.

Twilight Warrior 627: Well, Jade is finally questioning it because after the initial shock, a big part of her doesn't want to believe that Beck would do that to her. Betrayal is a hard pill to swallow. Dusty is quite open about why he's questioning it: he believes Carly and Beck is just saying the same thing. Freddie is questioning it because, well… I'll leave that up to you. Whether Beck did it on purpose or not is left up to the rest of the story. About Carly's statement? Keep wondering :P

Challenge King: Thanks. Dusty is more insightful because I wanted him to be more cultured than what one would stereotype him as and he's becoming a foil character of Sam in regards to Freddie. The way he is helping Jade is him willing to put her feelings above his problems with Beck.

ArtisticAngel6: Thanks. I'm trying to work on 'iWHPHS' so that I give you a good update, not something I just throw together to get through the rest of the story. I just hope I live up to people's expectations. I don't want to give you a hard and fast date, because something always comes up to interfere in my writing when I do such a thing.

Jeremy Shane: Thanks.

Agent M: You flatter me. The reason that things don't get solved on the show is because Dan chooses not to solve anything, but just dangle things in front of the audience to try to keep them watching. I think he's played out that trick for far too long and now it has cost him dearly. Is it really that much of a mystery that iCarly is going to end with half the audience it had from its golden age of ratings when it was the prefect time to have the payoff and probably had the show end with comparable ratings? Have the ratings for Victorious spiked for people eager to see how the whole Jade/Beck thing is going to turn out when there has not been one significant storyline (excluding revolving around the relationship) involving either character which could not have been done with them still being together? (I actually wrote an essay explaining the answer is no on my tumblr).

I hated to answer you with out-of-universe reasons, but that is the reason and I'm not constrained by those, so the characters act a little more reasonable and realistic about certain things.

Well, on with the story with no real warnings about language or anything.

* * *

Chapter 10: Car, Rain and Fire

Hollywood Arts High School  
Monday, January 30, 2012

The sun was peaking out of the clouds and the temperature was hovering in the high sixties (Fahrenheit) as Tori, with André and Cat on her right and Robbie (with Rex) and Beck on her left, were seated at their usual blue grated table for forth lunch which was a welcome relief from Sikowitz's class. The class still had a sense of unsettledness to it as the previous week with the obvious tension between Jade, Freddie and Beck, but there was a noticeable reduction of it, surprisingly from Jade, so most of the class' attention was on Sikowitz lying out that over the next four days they would have a performance based exam since Friday was the last day of the semester.

The younger Vega sister glanced over from eating on her wrap to see Freddie and Jade walk behind her and the rest of the group and she assumed that they were going to have a seat at another table, however, she was surprised when the pair finished rounding around Cat, Jade had a seat at the table next to Cat with Freddie following suit. Fortunately there was almost the entire seat that no one usually sat on that separated Freddie and Beck.

The couple sitting with them for the first time in little more than a week (except of course Jade and Freddie going out with Tori and André to Nozu) was a surprise for all of them, especially with the look of shock on Beck's face as he looked to Jade.

Jade returned Beck's surprised expression with a guarded, but not hostile, glance instead of the harsh glare that she had directed at him whenever their eyes met over the last week. Her improved expression coupled with the lack of hostility he felt from her in Sikowitz's class threw him off for a moment in trying to figure out the reason for the change and if it was actually genuine. He couldn't ignore the thought that she had pulled herself together enough to formulate some plan for revenge if she believed that he had set out to hurt her on New Years.

The former couple kept their focus on one another as Freddie was the first to break the ice after popping a French fry into his mouth and looking to André, "So, how was Hope's Birthday Party, I mean before the quake?"

André passed a quick glance to Tori with an awkward smile then laughed out, "It was a blast even after the earthquake."

Freddie's surprise at the answer filtered into his voice, "So it didn't spoil Hope's party?"

Beck finally glanced away from Jade's gaze and asked with a confused expression, "What party? Who's Hope?"

Freddie slightly frowned, but decided not to leave him in the dark, "His girlfriend."

The actor looked to André with a look of mild betrayal, "When did you get a girlfriend?"

André awkwardly smiled. "Last Saturday," he answered then motioned with his pointer fingers directed downward and jumping them over to his right. "The one before that one, we met the Friday and started dating the next day."

Beck's brow knotted as he asked still mildly surprised about it, "Wow, don't you think that's a little quick?"

"Yeah, well…" He glanced to Tori for some help, but it was Freddie that verbally rescued him with echoing his comment from their lunch at Nozu, "Sometimes you just have that spark from the start."

André's smile slightly faltered while Beck gave Freddie a questioning expression as he cautiously answered, "I guess you would know?"

Freddie spared Beck a glance and answered without hesitation or shame, "Yes _I would_… then sometimes it takes time to realize that you may have had that spark from the start."

Beck frowned in return as it was clear to him the last part was a jab at him about the tech-producer and Jade spending weeks together before getting together. However, Freddie saw that Beck apparently didn't want to really get into a verbal match with him as he focused on his meal. Freddie looked back to André and continued, "So the earthquake really didn't spoil the party? Mrs. West and I spent almost two hours just trying clean up everything and I didn't even get to really touch my room before Jade got home." He glance to Jade and slightly shook his head while stating, "I think I can try one more thing on your floor or we'll have to tear up the panel and replace it."

Tori spoke up feeling that they had turned to a safe topic, "What happened to your floor?"

The dark brunette slightly frowned as she answered with a dry tone, "Some of my specimens broke and the floor looks like it soaked up some of the fluid. I got a nice green spot on the floor."

"At least I was able to get the stain out of the rug," Freddie happily pointed out then popped another fry in his mouth. He looked back to André and tried for the third time, "So, about the party?"

The songsmith casually laughed with a motion towards Tori, "Yeah… the party, well after the quake, Mister Quincy asked that we—"

"We?"

André motioned to Tori, "I picked up Tori as my guest and to sing with me."

Freddie smirked and raised an eyebrow as he commented, "Really?"

The songwriter softly laughed out, "Yeah, really, anyway, he asked us to sing the song again that we song to Hope."

Jade smirked as she commented, "So you just kept partying?"

André's jolly disposition shifted to one of embarrassment as he answered as if he was choking on something, "Yeah… we did." He quickly picked up his drink and took a sip from the straw to clear his throat. "While Hope went to the hospital…"

Freddie blinked and looked to him in shock, "What?"

Tori quickly explained, "A sign off the wall kind of… fell on her head and they took her to the hospital to treat her…" She had to take a moment to clear her throat and awkwardly finished while avoiding Freddie's confused expression, "…for a concussion."

Freddie blinked several times looking between the pair then to Jade to see if she had heard the same thing as he heard. Her mouth slightly dropped open as she appeared to be at a lost for words as well. The tech-producer looked back to André and asked with disbelief clearly lacing his voice, "Dude? Really? She gets a concussion and is taken to the hospital and you just start playing again?"

He looked down embarrassingly at his meal and mumbled out, "It was her father's suggestion."

The former Seattleite rested his elbows on the grated blue table and let his forehead fall in his palms. He muttered out loud enough for the rest of them to hear, "Oh my God… I'm not sure if that's as bad as when I jumped in front of the taco truck and Sam bought a taco from the truck while I laid there with my leg and wrist bent in ways they weren't meant to go."

The musician frowned at his friend and countered with the sense of offense in his voice, "That's a pretty harsh comparison Freddie."

Freddie lifted his head out of his hands and wasn't timid in his rebuke, "And what you did was pretty cold André. She's your girlfriend—"

The songwriter quickly interrupted, "That I didn't even like; I couldn't stand her."

Freddie narrowed his eyes on his friend and slightly frowned as he retorted, "Then why are you dating her?!"

André shouted back in frustration, "I'm not! I broke up with her and the only reason I dated her was because of her dad."

"What? Her dad?" Freddie was shocked once again while the rest at the table put on expressions of confusion.

"Yeah…" André looked to Tori as the brunette rested a soft hand on the side of his left arm.

Jade questioned with a slight furl of her brow, "Why?"

The musician blew out a breath and answered with a hint of shame in his voice, "Because her dad is Shawn Quincy."

"So?" Freddie asked oblivious to the significance of the name.

André slightly frowned and tilted his head to his right side at hearing that Freddie wasn't aware of Shawn Quincy.

Jade narrowed her gaze towards André and asked, "Isn't he the owner of RPX records?"

The songsmith looked to the pale teenager and answered, "Yep and I was hoping he would hear me sing."

Freddie held up a hand and hesitantly asked, "Wait, you got with Hope in the hopes that her dad could hear your music? Wow, André… why? Why would you do that?"

He blew out his breath and answered with a tired voice, "Because I lost my record contract."

Freddie started blinking and his mouth dropped open. The others at the table except for Tori were surprised as well at the news.

Jade's expression mirrored her boyfriend's then her shoulders slumped and gave him a sympathetic expression. She was quicker to form a response than Freddie as she whispered with mild disbelief, "When?"

"A few months ago… I was just too embarrassed to tell any of you. The producer that signed me left the company, but didn't want to take me with him and no one else wanted to pick me up."

Rex laughed out, "I guess you're never going to get away from that video."

Jade pointed to the puppet and hissed out, "You want me to rip your other arm off."

Rex quickly shut his mouth.

Freddie spared Rex a quick glance to see that Jade had effectively frightened the puppet to remain silent then looked back to André. "So you were hoping to get a new deal and just used Hope?"

"Yes," he answered with a role of his eyes.

Freddie nodded along as he felt like he was lecturing a child while he continued, "You know how _wrong that is_? Right?"

André raised both his hands up as if he was already surrendering. "I know, I know—"

Tori quickly interrupted, "He was feeling guilty about it in the first place and he didn't know what to do. That's why he really came over to my house before the party."

The tech-producer shook his head in disbelief as he was losing count how many times he had been surprised by his friends in the last few minutes. He asked the brunette with blatant surprise in his voice, "You went with him to the party, so you told him _he should use_ Hope to get her dad to notice him as a musician? I can't believe this Tori."

Tori blew out a breath and looked to the sky for a moment then answered, "No… I know it wasn't right and I told him that he should break up with Hope before he could sing in front of her dad, but… I couldn't really push him to do it after finding out about him losing his record deal." She turned her attention to André as she finished, "I didn't have the heart to."

The friends exchanged looks which held meaning only to each other.

Freddie put on a sympathetic expression while watching the pair then quietly asked, "So you had to help him a second time?"

Tori pulled her attention away from André and answered, "Yeah, I guess so."

The Seattle native blew out a tired breath as he whispered out with a slight shake of his head, "Right and wrong always seems to get murky when it involves someone you care about…" His mind started drifting to his own decision about New Years: stay with Jade and spending the night to tell her how he felt or go charge in to save Carly from a psycho.

Jade noticed that Freddie had lost focused on looking onto anyone, so she softly placed her hand on his left forearm. He glanced up to meet her eyes for a moment. She gave him a small, reassuring smile then the pale teenager looked to André and asked cautiously, "So she broke up with you when she found out what you were up to?"

André shook his head. "No, I broke up with her first but she demanded that I still perform a song for her on her birthday as I promised and not embarrass her by backing out."

Freddie raised an eyebrow and asked with a hint of sarcasm, "So you did the right thing and still got to perform for him in the end?"

"Yes."

Cat eagerly spoke up for the first time as she had quietly listened to the exchange between her friends, "So is Hope's dad going to give you a record deal?"

André smirked as he tried to answer with a casual tone, "He liked what he heard, but he hasn't committed to anything." He spared a quick glance to Tori and finished, "I wouldn't be surprised if he signed Tori up. He really liked her singing."

Jade snorted out with a smirk, "I bet that would make Hope sooo happy."

André slightly tilted his head to the side and gave her an expression questioning that she really had taken them in that direction of the conversation.

The dark brunette laughed out softly, almost in a mocking manner, "What? I'm not sure which one she disliked more, me or Tori."

Beck spoke up with his brow knotted with confusion, "Why wouldn't she like you?"

The rest at the table remained silent at how awkward the answer could be for that question.

Jade tilted her head to the side and gave a smirk as she replied, "Didn't you hear? I'm the one that broke up iCarly and she apparently didn't like it. I guess she's a fan of the show."

Freddie blew out a breath and shook his head.

Beck rolled his eyes and huffed out a breath in a manner that showed his irritation at the idea. "You did not breakup iCarly."

Jade's mouth became a thin line for a moment as she replied with mild sarcasm but not necessarily directed at him, "No chizz, Carly janked up everything all on her own."

The dark brunette was surprised when Beck nodded along and replied in what sounded like a regretful tone, "Yes she did and she knows it. I thought her apology on the show made it clear to the world." The actor turned to look at André and spoke almost with a dismissive tone, "I guess Hope was one of those people that just didn't get it." He turned back to his food apparently hoping to withdraw from conversation for the rest of lunch.

André looked like he should have been offended by the insult directed at Hope, but couldn't work up the offense as the rest of the group looked to each other awkwardly at being caught in the middle again of the whole possible love square.

Freddie remained silent as he didn't know how to interpret Beck's reaction as over the last week, he really never gave it significant thought on Beck and Carly's 'relationship' outside how it affected Jade.

Jade remained silent as she tried to fit the piece of Beck remaining sympathetic with Carly and not distancing himself from the web-hostess as one would expect if he was trying to get back into her good graces. She felt that may have actually added to the idea that Beck may have really become Carly's friend out of more innocent motives than maybe just being her spy and sabotaging her relationship with Freddie when the opportunity presented itself. He may have admitted he wanted Freddie to go back home with the assumption of wanting another try with their relationship, but that didn't mean he would really act on those feelings. The idea that he may have been a victim of Carly's manipulation as much as Freddie had been over the years seemed to become more believable than him actually betraying her.

Tori finally cleared her throat and awkwardly spoke up, "So… are we going to form a study group for ours exams?" She glanced to Cat and finished, "Cat, we still need to get our science project done."

Hollywood Arts High School  
Thursday, February 2, 2012

The next two days studying and exams flew by for Tori, but that didn't bring any sense of relief to the younger Vega sister as she blew out an irritated breath while holding her PearPhone to her right ear and she walking around the corner and down the short hallway where the drink machines and the janitor's closet were on her left. She spoke desperately into the pear shaped phone, "Hey Cat. I've been looking all over for you. Where are you? Call me."

She quickly pressed the end call button then stopped in front of two of her schoolmates, two tall African-Americans with one being of a more muscular build and both with a friendly disposition standing in front of the drink machines. "Hey, have you guys seen Cat?"

Both students shook their heads in the negative.

She breathed out an irritated response, "Aww, ya head shakers." The brunette started down the main hallway then stopped at the row of lockers near the school entrance when she saw Cat sitting cross-legged on the floor with her back against the lockers. She was wearing a dark cardigan sweater that went past her palms, black dress with a purple ribbon hanging from the center of her covered cleavage under a black button and black stockings with some silver electronic pad resting in her lap. She was playfully typing on the screen and the square pattern would light up with a soft blue light when her fingertips would touch it and a musical sound play.

The brunette called out, "Cat... Cat..."

The dark dressed teen looked up and answered with a quite tone, "'Sup?"

Tori responded with a flippant tone, "'Sup?! Where have you been?! I've been trying to call you since I woke up this morning."

"At least you woke up, some people didn't."

Tori gave the girl a confused expression as she sat beside the girl, facing her and asked with a curious tone, "What do you mean? And why are you all sad?"

The redhead looked up and gave the brunette a pitiful expression as she answered, "How do you know I'm sad?"

Tori tilted her head to the side and answered with a patient tone, "Well, you're dressed in sad colors and you were playing a sad song," she reached over and took hold of the bottom of a black button hanging on her shirt in the center of her chest, "oh and you're wearing a button that says 'I'm sad, ask me why'."

The shorter girl tilted her head to her left and sadly replied, "Mona Patterson died."

The brunette slightly frowned and gave a slight nod of her head to answer, "Oh, I'm so sorry… that I don't know who Mona Patterson is."

Cat raised her voice with a hint of outrage under the sadness, "That's what's so sad; she's one of my favorite actresses ever and she was on a really popular TV show from the nineteen sixties."

"What show?"

"_I Married My Mom_."

The taller teenager nodded along and answered with a sympathetic tone. "Oh yeah, I liked that show."

Cat looked off to the side and commented, "I use to watch reruns of it with my brother when he was in the special hospital and they use to handcuff him to the bed." Tori put on an embarrassed expression as Cat continued, "But now no one even remembers Mona Patterson or cares that she's gone."

She attempted to reassure the redhead, "I'm sure she has lots of fans who care."

Cat twisted around on the floor to face Tori and countered, "_No_, on my way to school I stopped at her star on Hollywood Boulevard and there weren't any flowers or anything—just a weird man with a hat and some vomit on his pants."

"Yeah, um—listen—"

She looked off to the side and idly commented, "I gave him a tidy wipe, but he ate it."

Tori retorted with a patient tone and an uncertain expression, "Well, I'm sorry that you're sad, but we have a science project due tomorrow and we still have a lot to do."

"No, I'm too sad to science." The redhead brought her pad to hold close to her chest and bow her head as she started to suck in some breaths and sniffle while the first tears started rolling down between her nose and cheeks.

Tori blew out a breath and asked with a patient tone, "Okay, where did Mona Patterson live?"

Cat sniffled then replied, "Here in California."

"All right, well… what if, after school, we drive to her house and you maybe light a candle and leave it by her doorstep to honor her memory?"

The redhead asked hopefully, "Can it be a scented candle?"

"Sure."

Cat responded oblivious to Tori uncertainty to her question, "Cuz I have one that smells like cinnamon buns."

Tori asked with a curious expression, "Did Mona Patterson like cinnamon buns?

Cat raised her hands and motioned almost in a panic manner and answered with an equally stressed voice, "I don't know; we weren't friends."

Tori pulled the strap to her bag on her right shoulder as she stood up and instructed Cat, "Okay just… you find Mona Patterson's address and then after school we'll drive to her house and then you can leave your candle by her door and then we'll go back to my house and work on our science project until we finish, okay?"

Cat stood up and answered, "'Kay, so you'll drive?"

She hesitated then answered somewhat embarrassed, "No, I… I didn't pass my driver's test."

"Why not?"

"I didn't see the old lady in the wheelchair."

The redhead sucked in a breath and covered her mouth with her right hand.

"I signaled before I hit her," Tori whined out in her defense.

The bell rang in the background as Jade rounded the corner from the entrance to her locker.

The shortest teenager among them noticed the dark brunette and asked eagerly. "Jade?"

"What?" she answered distractedly while she unlocked her locker to put away a one subject notebook.

"If my bother let's us borrow his car, will you drive Tori and me to an old lady's house after school?"

"No," Jade quickly answered as she shut her locker then started walking off, but Tori grabbed her by the right arm.

"Wait, please?" Tori begged, "Cat is really sad because this actress passed away last night—"

The pale girl eagerly interrupted, "_Whoa_, she just passed away just last night?"

"Yeah," Cat readily answered.

Jade nodded with hint of cheer in her voice as the thought apparently brought a spark of light to her eyes, "Then yeah, yeah I'll drive you guys to her house."

Tori's face fell to a hesitant look and asked with concern in her voice, "Why did you change your mind?"

The green streaked hair girl put on a smirk as she answered, "Because it's been less than twenty four hours which it means her spirit is still lingering, so I'll be able to breath in the fumes of her soul."

Tori looked to Cat with a hopeful expression and asked, "Maybe there's a bus we can take?"

The pale actress insisted, "_No!_ No, I'll take you. We can leave after sundown."

"Why can't we just go after school?"

Jade snapped, "I don't like driving in the daylight." Before either girl could respond, Jade walked off with a mildly irritated expression on her face.

* * *

Tori Vega: Driving with Cat and Jade to the house to some lady (who is no longer, um... living). FEELING: Driven 8)

* * *

The sun was down and the trio of girl was on the road to Mona Patterson's house in Cat's brother's car. Jade was driving with Tori in the passenger seat holding some kind of contraption with a hamster inside it of all things and Cat in the center of the backseat.

Jade looked over her shoulder to Cat and asked curiously, "So Cat, is there some reason your brother replaced the seatbelts with ropes?" pointing to the fact that two strands of rope were strapped across her chest instead of a seatbelt.

"No, he just loved rope," Cat answered carelessly, "And he still hasn't got a chance to get the seatbelts put back in. He's been really busy since Christmas; you know, getting back to college, reconnecting and making new friends, ending the court ordered therapy sessions… those sort of things."

Jade snorted out a breath at the sheer obviousness of the statement as it would take anyone time to get one's life straightened out after miraculously (literally in his case) of getting all his marbles back after years of being nearly certifiably 'nuts' if one would label such a person in a insensitive manner. After a few moments, she glanced over to the wooden board with the toy robot and hamster wheel with running hamster resting on Tori's lap then focused her attention back on the road as she asked, "What is that thing anyway?"

"Oh, this is Cat's and my science project."

"It's a robot that is hamster powered," Cat continued cheerfully.

Tori started pointing to the apparatus in her lap of a wooden board, a toy robot, and some connecting wires to a hamster wheel with a hamster running inside of it. "See, mister hamster runs on this wheel and that creates electromagnetic electricity which flows through this transformer and then powers _the robot_," she finished with a mechanical sounding voice as she moved the toy's little arms.

Cat gleefully asked, "Isn't it cool?"

"I don't know. All I heard was hamster, hamster, science, science, Tori's boring, kill me."

Tori smirked and commented with a friendly jibe, "You wouldn't be saying that if it was Freddie explaining it."

Jade answered with a smirk and in a dry tone, "Well you're not Freddie. He makes science understandable and hot. "

She sarcastically replied, "Oh really? Can he really do that _or_ do you just tune him out when he explains anything scientific and tell him that you got so you don't hurt his feelings? Did you do that with his science project? 'Cause I know his project for his science class would be making us scratch our heads."

Jade gave her a sideways glance and asked with a sharp tone, "Are you asking me if I _fake it_ with Freddie?"

Tori slightly frowned and looked somewhat horrified at the double entendre while Cat was apparently oblivious to the comment.

The dark brunette smirked as she focused her attention back on the road and she whispered in sultry voice, "I don't have to fake _anything_ with Freddie."

Tori looked back to the project in her lap with a somewhat embarrassed expression.

Jade continued with a confident tone, "Oh, I do understand Freddie's project. It's a diorama of worms composting soil... something silly we'd do in elementary school, but he souped-up the old science project from when he was at Ridgeway. It's impressive."

Tori squinted her eyes as she looked to their driver for the night, "He reused a project?"

"His idiot science teacher at Ridgeway gave him a D minus for it, but he thought Mister Haule would appreciate it more."

Tori blinked in blatant surprise at the statement then asked, "Why? Why did he give him a D minus?"

Jade rolled her eyes in disgust as she answered with a sour tone, "Because he's one of those tree hugging environmental nuts... I mean the nutty ones, not the ones that actually make a difference, and he's so janking stupid I don't think he'd know the difference between his butt and the hole in the ground he uses for a toilet... I'm not kidding. Freddie told me the man said he uses his backyard and a shovel."

Tori put on a disgusted expression as if she was about to vomit. "Oh my God," she swore with a bit of queasiness in her stomach. She may have supported protecting the environment as much as the next person, but she drew the line of giving up indoor plumbing.

Once Tori's stomach had settled, she was able to ask, "So you think he's stupid for giving Freddie a D minus?"

Jade glanced to Tori and raised her pierced eyebrow. "That and for the same assignment, Sam brought in an orange, pealed it and ate it as her science presentation and said it was environmentally friendly... he gave her an A for it."

"You sure it wasn't favoritism? Isn't that how she got by with everything?"

She snorted out with a bitter tone, "No... Henning actually believed what she said was right and said Freddie's project was too much of an 'environmental impact' with everything that went into it to make it so fancy and sophisticated."

She figuratively turned around and surprised them with a soft laugh.

Tori's brow furled as she asked, "What's so funny?"

Jade grinned as she explained, "I'm laughing because it's the same reason Mister Haule gave him an A."

"Okay, I don't understand."

Jade smirked as she recalled Freddie's words, "Mister Haule said that Freddie's project was an example of 'how technology could advance the human condition' when Henning apparently thinks any is inherently evil and will destroy the planet."

The comment triggered Tori into recalling that Mister Haule had very little patience for people like Freddie's old science teacher and a particular quote in mind when they got to the Earth Science part of her and Cat's Integrated Coordinated Science class: 'The Earth was here long before any of us were born and it'll be here long after our bones are dust and there is nothing you or I or any other person can do to change that.'

Cat curiously asked bringing Tori out of her thoughts, "Like a toilet? Because sometimes my brother would go out and—"

Tori's eyes shot open as she interrupted, "We get it Cat."

The brunette's comment seemed to satisfy the redhead and allowed her to focus back on the project in her lap.

As Jade drove down Sunset Boulevard, she realized that she really didn't know where to actually drive the trio of girls. "So Cat, where exactly did this dead actress live?"

"Oh, her house is in San Diego."

Jade slammed on the breaks and brought the car to a literal screeching halt. The dark brunette brushed some hair that fell on her forehead off and asked in shock, "San Diego?"

Tori turned in her seat slightly in her seat and implored her redheaded friend, "Caaaat, we got to finish our science project before morning."

Jade snapped and agreed with a stern voice as she motioned out with her right pointer finger, "NO, I am not driving this rolling chizz box to San Diego and back." Jade rested her head against her balled left fist and elbow propped against the top of the driver's door.

Cat dropped her face into her hands and started crying.

Tori glanced over to Jade as the darker brunette took several calming breaths. Tori finally relented and desperately asked and motioned with a hand to go forward, "Just drive the child to San Diego?"

"All right!"

Cat wiped her tears from under her eyes and let out a joyful squeak.

The trio of girls remained silent as Tori turned her attention back to the contraption in her lap to continue to work on the connections, Cat looking out to the passing scenery and Jade getting the car onto the interstate highway to head for San Diego.

After a few minutes on the highway, Jade broke the silence with a surprisingly casual tone, "Do you think Beck and Carly were in on it on New Years?"

Tori dropped her screwdriver into the board and wire connections then looked to Jade with a shocked expression while Cat let out a slight squeak then tightly shut her mouth. Tori tried to speak several times, but her mouth would only open and shut.

Jade tilted her head to the left and rolled her eyes as the cool winter night breeze blew through her hair.

Tori slightly frowned and looked down at the science project to retrieve the screwdriver then looked back to Jade. Dusty's words about picking sides haunted her once again and this time she did mentally damn him because it looked like she was about to take a side. "Okay… but I want you to remember before I answer that I'm your friend and I'm saying this to you as your friend."

Jade spared her the quickest of glances then focused her attention back on the road. The word friend and Tori residing in the same connotation had always a contention proposition since the first day she met Tori rubbing on Beck after the coffee spill, but things had changed over the last seven months. The green streaked nodded her head and cautiously answered, "Okay, what do you think?"

Tori took in a deep breath then focused on the road ahead. She slowly let her breath to answer, "I think you're wrong. I don't think Beck would do that to you… I can't see him doing that to you… even if it looks like he wants you back."

Jade put on an impassive expression while keeping her eyes on the road and digesting the other girl's words.

Cat whispered out with a hesitant tone, "Neither do I… and I don't think Carly did either."

The pale singer looked over her shoulder for the briefest of moments to see Cat giving her a bashful expression. She focus was back on the road and she commented, "Been talking to Dusty?"

"No?" the redhead asked as her expressions shifted to one of confusion.

Tori spoke up as she shifted slightly in her seat to look at Jade. "Look, I'm not saying that to take his side and neither is Cat; we're your friends… we're taking both your sides because… well, we're your friends and I think it was one big misunderstanding."

Jade clenched her jaw tightly for a few moments then whispered out, "He's been talking to Carly the entire time."

"Yes he has, but… do you really think in your heart he would do that to you? You were with him for what?"

"Three years," Jade quickly supplied without taking the time to think.

"That's right, three years and looking back at all that time being together can you really believe he would purposely try to mess you and Freddie up?"

The green streaked hair teenager took several slow breaths then answered with a regretful tone, "People change… especially when life turns upside down in everything you thought you knew."

Tori looked out through the front windshield as she thought on those words and realized how true that must be for the fellow actress with everything that had happened over the last seven months. She cleared her throat and commented, "If you really think about it, I'm not surprised that he talked with Carly."

Jade spared her a harsh glare for a moment then looked back that the road.

Tori looked to Jade and continued, "He didn't talk about the breakup in Yerba and after we got back and you and Freddie getting together… I know he never talked to me about it and André or Robbie never mentioned him talking to them."

Jade slightly tilted her head down, but kept her focus on the road as she whispered, "Why do you think that?"

"Beck lost you… Carly lost Freddie…" Tori whispered out and let the statement hang in the air.

Jade clenched her mouth shut as she thought on that statement and a lot of other things.

The brunette let out a soft breath realizing that Jade wasn't going to respond then turned back to the science project.

She fiddled with it and checked over the connections and engaged in small talk with Cat over the next hour while Jade remained silent and kept her focus on the road.

The hamster started running on the wheel again as Tori checked one last connection. "C'mon, go hamster! Run! Make electricity ya fuzzy little beast!" Tori put on a frown as the hamster stopped running after his little sprint.

Cat curiously asked while looking over her friend's shoulder, "Why won't he run faster?"

Tori retorted with a slightly sarcastic tone, "'Cus you bought us a fat hamster."

Little Red continued to smile as she answered oblivious to the sarcasm, "He reminded me of Santa Clause."

Jade whined out with a tired and irritated tone, "My God, how much longer to San Diego?"

"Oh, I'll check my PearPad." Cat pulled her PearPad from beside her on the seat then tapped on the touch screen. She answered, "Uh... according to this map, we should be there in about sixty three more miles."

Tori looked to Cat then to Jade to happily comment, "Oh, good, we're more than halfway there."

Cat excitedly pointed out, "Hey, the hamster is running faster."

"Yeah, come on fat Santa. I don't understand why we're not getting any—oh my gosh. Look! Look look look look!"

The toy robot started lifting his arms and turning his torso and a small blue light started lighting up behind his plastic face mask.

Cat shouted for joy, "Yay, we made electricity! Go robot!"

Tori threw up her right hand and shouted in triumph, "He's aliiiiiveeee!"

Jade looked up as she felt a drop of moister on her right cheek and brushed it away with her middle finger of her right hand. "Ah ladies, I hate to rain on your parade, but I think it's raining on your parade."

Cat looked up and commented, "Ah oh."

Tori agreed as she looked up at the sky, "Yeah, it is raining." She started struggling with the back of her pink sweater while Cat pulled out a pink umbrella next to her and deployed it, however since the open top vehicle was traveling past sixty miles an hour, the umbrella was pulled out of her hands and out of the car.

Tori called out to her redheaded friend, "Hey Cat, I think I brought and umbrella; do you see it back there?"

Cat looked over her shoulder to see the flying umbrella and answered, "No, not really."

The few drops of rain quickly turned into a downpour within mere seconds and quickly soaked the trio of girls to the bone.

Tori shouted, "We got to pull over!"

Jade shouted back in disbelief, "I can't pull over on this freeway. There's no place to stop!"

Cat closed her eyes and tilted her head up, "I'm getting wet!"

Tori shouted behind her shoulder, "How do we put up the top?"

"Cat, where's the switch to put the top up?"

Cat pointed between the girls and towards the middle of the dashboard. "Right there—under the radio."

"Oh, okay," Tori eagerly acknowledged. She flipped the switch, but only several sounds were made by the vehicle as if something was jammed. Tori looked behind her shoulder and called out, "It's not working."

Cat shouted back, "I know, it's broken!"

Jade shouted once again over the rain, "How long until the next exit?"

"Ten more miles!"

Tori shouted in frustration, "Ah!"

Cat yelled, "What are we going to do?!"

Tori breathed out a loud breath then reached over to flip the switch for the windshield wipers. "There, that's better."

After only a few ineffectual swipes, the wipers snapped off and flew to either side of the car.

"Ah!" Tori shouted with Jade quickly following with her own shout of complete disheartening and surprise while looking over her left shoulder, "What?!"

"You got to be kidding me," Tori moaned as she held herself.

West Residence

Freddie was resting on his bed with his back propped up with his pillow as he looked over some lines on his blue Mark II pear shaped PearPad to the skit he was going to do for Sikowitz's class tomorrow. He had a feeling that Sikowitz wasn't really giving them an exam, but just having an excuse to have some fun on the last day since on Monday everyone was just going to come back for his Advance Acting II class with him.

As Freddie finished up reading a page, he heard a ping from his phone resting on the small dresser on the left side of his bed. He picked up the phone and saw an updated Slap posting from Tori and quickly read it: DRIVING with TOP DOWN in THE POURING RAIN = NOT FUN! FEELING: Drenched

Freddie blinked as he looked at the message then reread it as he didn't initially believe it the first time. He glanced out to his window and saw that a light drizzle of rain had started outside. He whispered, "Oh my God." He nearly leapt off of his bed as his mind started racing. He quickly dialed a number as he rushed to Jade's room. He reached one of Jade's drawer as the other end of the line picked up. He pulled out a pair of her jeans as he spoke, "Hey, Dusty? Do you want to do a favor for Cat?"

In route to San Diego

A thick layer of clouds drifted overhead, but the rain had ceased as Jade pulled the vehicle into a King Sized Gas station then brought it to a stop. She quickly turned off the ignition then she and Tori exited their respective sides of the vehicles while Cat gracefully leapt over the side of the driver's side of the car.

Tori commented as she got out of the car and glanced up to the sky, "At least it stopped raining."

Jade looked to Tori with an annoyed expression and retorted with a dry tone while shutting the door behind her, "For now."

"Well, we have to get the top up in case it starts raining again."

"Yeah, I'd hate to get all wet and disgusting," the dark brunette sarcastically commented as she pulled out her shirt away from her abdomen for a moment.

Tori ignored the negativity and turned to the collapsed frame of the roof. She started pulling on her side as she retorted, "Come on guys, let's try and pull up the top ourselves."

Cat whispered, "It's broken."

Jade snapped at the girl standing beside her, "We know that! Does your brother have any tools in the car?"

Cat pointed to the trunk and answered, "I think in the trunk."

"Open the trunk," Tori suggested.

Tori and Jade walked around to the back of the car then Jade quickly put the key into the lock. The trunk popped open and the girls jumped back in surprise with Tori instinctively grabbing Jade's hand while shouting, "AHHHHHH!"

Cat played with the ends of her hair as she looked to her friends with a somewhat innocent and confused expression.

Tori reached into the trunk then pulled out a vacuum sealed back of what appeared to be various colors of human feet. "Oh my God! What is this?"

"Don't worry, they're not real feet," Cat reassured them as she spread out her arms widely.

Jade quickly asked as she tried to process why such a thing would be in the trunk of the car, "Then why does your brother have a bag of fake feet in the trunk of his car?!"

Cat raised her hands up and answered in a manner to try to calm their concerns, "I'm not going to lie; my brother was pretty weird before he got better."

Tori blew out a breath and tossed the bag back into the trunk then reached in to grab a crowbar. "Let's just see if we can get the top up."

She walked around to the passenger side of the car and jammed the end of the crowbar between the collapsed frames of the top and attempted to pry it loose. Cat joined her on the other side and attempted to pull up.

Tori looked back to Jade standing next to Cat and implored, "Help me?"

Jade rolled her eyes then started to help Cat pull her side of the frame.

After several attempts, the joints loosed up enough to extend the frame. Tori called out, "Okay, okay, it's loose. Now let's pull up that top."

The girls gave it a good jerk and the frame opened up and unfolded into place. However, it was only the frame without the actual roof covering.

Tori and Jade looked on in surprise while Cat let out a giggle.

Jade asked her with mild disbelief, "What?"

Cat responded with a smile still playing on her face, "Our car is topless."

Tori shook her head in frustration then commented as she had lost the rest of her patience, "Y'know, let's just go back to L.A."

"Yes," Jade quickly agreed.

"No," Cat interrupted with a sad tone then desperately reminded them, "You guys promised me that we could go to Mona Patterson's house so I could light a candle and leave it by her front door."

"But Cat—"

Cat begged, "Please?"

Tori desperately tried to pursue her redheaded friend, "C'mon. It's already late and we need to get back to L.A. so we can finish our science project."

Jade folded her arms under her chest and held her elbows in her opposite hands and nervously asked, "Tori? Tori?"

"What?"

The brunette turned around then gasped at seeing a disheveled and frightening looking clown. His clothes were torn in places and overall, he was quite filthy with his face paint smearing around the eyes and mouth.

Jade closed her mouth tightly and tried to keep the fear off of her face as she immediately thought about a particular comment Dusty had told Carly in Seattle about all the things that he believed were actually real in the world: 'killer clowns that eat people'. Cat scooted so close to her that the redhead had her right arm pressed on the back of Jade's left arm and the dark brunette could feel a hint of Cat's fingertips beside her elbow.

The disheveled clown asked with a menacing tone, "Can I have a ride… _to your house_?"

Tori stuttered out an answer, "Um, no, we are driving our friend to San Diego."

"When are you going to San _Die_ego?"

She nervously answered, "You know… now!"

The three girls jumped into the car with Tori shouting, "Get in the car!" while Cat shouted, "GO! GO! GO!"

As soon as they were all inside, the car peeled away from the parking lot leaving the clown to start moving around in some strange mix of dancing and yoga moves.

In route to San Diego

"_Carry on my wayward son, they'll be peace when you are done, lay your weary head to rest, don't you cry no more…"_

Dusty nodded his head along to the song and started lightly tapping on the dash from the passenger seat of the Charger as the opening cords of the song started blasting from the upgraded speaker system.

Freddie passed a glanced over to his driving companion as he was resisting the urge to floor the muscle car as it traveled down the interstate highway, but was still going a good ten miles over the speed limit and sometimes greater when going over to the left lane to pass a vehicle in an effort to catch up as quickly as possible with the girls who already had a good sixty mile head start on him. He smirked as he asked, "A fan of the song?"

Dusty let out a laugh as he tapped on the dash with is right hand, "Oh, I love it. It has a lot of meaning to my family. My dad and uncle were on the road a lot in their twenties and my dad had an extensive collection of classic rock. My uncle always thought he should have updated his collection, but my dad didn't agree and since he's the older brother and drove…"

Freddie snorted out a laugh as he wore a soft smile and focused on the road. As his friend was jamming to the song, he casually commented, "I never got a chance to thank you for what you did last Saturday."

Dusty looked over with a curious expression as he asked somewhat confused by Freddie's comment, "And what was that?"

"Shielding Jade? She told me that when the quake started you pulled her to the ground to shield her."

Dusty looked back to the front windshield and shrugged a shoulder. "Like I told Jade, I was just standing closer to her than Cat. I would have expected Pretty Boy to do the same, which he did with Cat, but Shapiro…" He shook his head. "The boy just stuck his head under a table and he was just as close to Jade as I was… that boy concerns me."

"Be modest all you want, but thanks for watching out for her… and in Seattle as well. She's right…" Freddie paused as he mauled over his words then whispered out, "…I am afraid what Sam could do to her. I know that she could really hurt her… Sam is that petty… 'Mama plays to win'; she doesn't understand about being even and I don't put it past her to try to hurt Jade."

Dusty took a soft breath and gave him a sympathetic expression then answered, "That's a sentiment that I can actually agree with on loyalty, but… when Jade wanted to talked to Carly, Sam threatened to kill her if she tried to hurt Carly. I made it quite clear to Sam that I'd put her down faster than a rabid dog before I would let that happen."

"You think you could have beaten Sam?"

Dusty smirked as he looked back out to the road. He laughed out softly, "Sam has the strength and the rage, but she doesn't have the experience or the ruthlessness. I may not have figured out what she is _yet_, but I could have beat her, super strength or not."

Freddie softly chuckled out, "You really believe in monsters and all those things, don't you?"

"This coming from the guy that has his own angel watching out for him."

Freddie raised an eyebrow and slightly frowned.

The fellow L.A. immigrant softly laughed, "Jade made it a point to Carly that if I had broken Sam's hand when she was stupid enough to grab me than Jade doubted your angel would heal Sam up a second time. She was thoroughly pissed off with some other angel that apparently watches out for Carly and messed with you." He looked to the tech-producer and asked genuinely curious, "You asked the angel to heal up Sam too?"

Freddie tightly gripped the top of the steering wheel with his right hand and blew out a breath through his nose. "I guess you know now."

"You told me an angel helped you get back to L.A. quicker when you got back, so I already knew something."

Freddie let out a chuckle as he retorted, "I didn't think you'd really believe me; it's just something people say."

Dusty let out a hearty laugh that caught Freddie's attention away from the road for a moment then the Carolinian retorted, "True, but I'm one of those people that believe in _a very real_ God, _a very real _Devil and a lot in between."

They remained silent for a few moments as '_Carry On My Wayward Son_' finished playing then Dusty spoke softly, "Do you plan to tell André and Cat? I assume that your angel was responsible for that?"

"Yes she was, but no… I don't want them to think I'm crazy or just trying to take credit for it."

Dusty nodded along. "Yeah… I understand. People can believe in God, but if you tell them that angels really are real and actually do stuff in their lives, it kinda freaks them out."

"I guess you would get along with my mother in that area."

"I don't know; I didn't meet your mother when I was up there to find out."

"She wasn't home?" the tech-producer asked with a curious tone.

Dusty shrugged a shoulder and casually remarked, "I don't know, just that when I asked Jade why she didn't want to at least stop by to at least say hey, she told me she didn't want to see your mother…" he finished with a slightly annoyed filled voice, "…she didn't want to be called a whore to her face."

Freddie gripped the steering wheel tighter as he kept his focus on the road and subconsciously pushed a little more on the accelerator.

"It's none of my business how you and Angel Girl express your love for one another and I'm not judging you for it, but your mother shouldn't be calling her that."

Freddie sarcastically snapped, "Well, I can't exactly disown my mother for calling her that and I'm already limited contact with her to weekly phone calls and she has never called Jade that to her face. She behaved herself over Christmas."

"Then that just means you need to reassure Jade that your mother isn't going to actually do that in the future."

"I thought I had when I found out after Thanksgiving she called her that."

"I guess you need to do it again then, but now you have more options after Saturday."

Freddie spared a quick glance to the fellow teenager and asked with a perplexed tone, "What do you mean?"

Dusty asked with a tone that assumed the answer was yes, "You're going to be turning eighteen I assume?"

"Yes I am."

"Then you'll be an adult and remind her that you don't have to deal with her if she's not going to at least respect your girlfriend enough not to openly insult her."

Freddie rolled his eyes and subconsciously gave the muscle car a little more gas while responding, "That goes back to disowning my mother."

"There's a difference in giving your mother the silent treatment for a while and washing your hands of her. You need to deal with this now or you're going to put up with this for your entire marriage with Jade until your mother dies."

Freddie blinked, but he was able to maintain his attention on the road instead of giving his surprised expression to Dusty.

The leaner teenager tilted his head to the right and softly laughed out, "Okay, I know, statistically speaking, you're probably not going to marry her, but breakup sometime in college and that's where you'll probably meet your future wife."

He rolled his eyes and softly bit his tongue for a moment then responded flippantly, "Gee thanks."

Dusty leaned back in his chair and casually commented, "I'm just saying the odds aren't in your favor, but you never know. You might marry her one day… and have kids… and Dustin is a _fine name_ for a boy…"

Freddie snorted out a laugh at the last comment after not really caring for his other comments even if what he was saying was true. "I'll keep that in mind."

The webmaster smirked and looked out the front windshield as another classic rock song started playing over the radio. He took a breath then tried to ask with the most casual tone he could produce, "Freddie, how old is Jade?"

Freddie slightly frowned as he looked over to slightly taller teenager. He wasn't sure at first where Dusty had come up with the question, but the sympathetic expression directed at him that he could see from the corner of his eye made him start wondering. "She's seventeen, why?"

Dusty commented with an added sense of weight to his words, "So you're going to be eighteen, an adult on Saturday and she's still going to be a minor at seventeen? In the state of California?"

The former Seattleite focused back on the road as he realized what the Carolinian meant.

The pair remained silent and listening to the classic rock playing on the radio.

King Sized Gas

About half an hour later, Freddie pulled the Charger into the same spot that Jade had pulled Cat's bother's vehicle. The pair exited the vehicle and Freddie commented as he moved towards pumping station, "I guess this is where they stopped to get out of the rain."

Dusty glanced around the surroundings with a guarded expression and started, "I guess you're…" He stopped as he saw a filthy clown with the disheveled appearance walk around the right corner of the gas station to stand between it and him. The Carolinian snorted out dismissively, "Great, an evil clown that probably eats people…" He stared coldly at the clown and whispered loud enough for Freddie and the clown to hear, "You know those people that have phobias about clowns?"

Freddie kept his eyes on the creepy clown while he continued pumping the gas and slowly replied, "Yeah."

Dusty continued with a chilly voice, "I'm _not_ one of those people." The leaner and slightly taller teenager took a step forward to the clown. "Hey, have you seen three teen girls in a convertible around here in the last little while? One's a brunette, one's a redhead and the other one has raven hair?"

The clown was surprisingly coherent as he answered, "Yes… they were going to San _Die_ego."

Freddie called out from the other side of the Charger, "You saw them leave?"

"Yes…" he hissed out. "And in a hurry."

Dusty frowned deeply as he asked with a slightly impatient tone, "Why?"

He gave the slightly taller teenager an eerie glare as he answered slowly and in a menacing tone, "I asked them if I could have a ride to the brunette's house. I guess she didn't like that."

Freddie sucked in a sharp breath as he finished filling his car while Dusty glared at the filthy clown and hissed out, "You're a grown man asking underage girls for a ride home back to their place… You better not have touched any of them… especially the redhead or…" Dusty leaned down while keeping an eye on the clown and picked up the discarded crowbar he had noticed on the pavement. "…or you're going to get a phobia of me _real quick_ and I'm going to start with your damn kneecaps and work my way up."

"No, I didn't touch them," the clown hissed out.

He lifted the crowbar and placed the rounded part under the clown's chin and hissed out, "Good, but if I find out some little girl has been snatched off the street around here, it's not the cops you're have to worry about, because I'll be back to send you to Hell or Purgatory or whichever you'll go."

The clown apparently gained a moment of sanity as he slowly started to back away while Dusty kept his glare upon him. He eventually backed up a few yards then turned to start running away.

Freddie put the nozzle of the gas pump up and electronically paid for the gas. He leaned against the left side of the car and rested his forearms on the roof of the car. "Wow, the freaks really do come out at night?"

Dusty turned slightly to look over his left shoulder. He whispered out with a cold tone, "It's California; the freaks are out twenty-four/seven."

The Seattle native smirked and snorted out as she slightly shook his head. "Come on; we got to play catch up." Freddie stepped back from the car and opened the door to slip into the driver's seat while Dusty slipped the crowbar into the feet for the backseat then opened the door to slip into the passenger seat.

Freddie started the car after pulling on his seatbelt and asked, "You really going to do that? Come back if that happens?"

The taller teenager shrugged as shoulder and flippantly answered, "If not me, someone else. A monster is a monster, whether it has a human soul or not… you kill them before they kill you."

The brown eyed teenager thought on that sentiment as he put the car into gear then pulled out of the gas station.

Mona Patterson Residence  
San Diego, CA  
Thursday, February 2, 2012

Tori rubbed the sides of her arms as she started as the trio of girls walked through the entrance of the property, "I'm soaking wet—"

Jade had her arms wrapped around herself, "We all are; do you not hear of feet squishing?"

The three started lifting and dropping their feet on the large rectangular tiles that made up that pathway towards the front door of the house with the evident sound of squishing of their socks and shoes.

Tori motioned toward the front door of the house and commented, "There Cat, Mona Patterson's front door."

She turned to them and with a justified tone responded, "Yeah, there aren't any flowers or cards or anything, see? No one cares that she died."

Jade retorted with an irritated tone, "Yeah it's so sad. Now light your dumb candle and let's get outta here."

"'Kay, 'kay," she quickly answered as she trotted to the front porch.

Tori wiggled her fingers in front of Jade and asked sarcastically, "I though you were all psyched to breath in the fumes of Mona Patterson's lingering soul?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to enjoy it when my pants are soggy."

Cat lit a match to light her candle and spoke, "I feel like I should say a few words about her."

"Hurry," Jade verbally pushed her along.

Cat picked up the picture that she had set up on the porch and pulled it to her chest as she spoke, "Mona Patterson, I'm so sorry that you died. I used to love watching you on 'I Married My Mom' and..." She looked up at Tori and lost her words as the tears started streaming down her cheeks.

Tori looked to the heartbroken redhead and felt her own heart start to break.

Jade motioned her head to Cat and told Tori, "Go finish for her."

Tori started to voice her objection, but Jade opened her mouth and made several gapping noises (which if Freddie would have been present, would have sounded eerily similar to how Spencer sounded when mocking the trio when they wanted him to stop pranking them) to interrupt the fellow actress.

Tori blew out a breath then walked over and had a seat next to Cat and continued, "...and Mona, your memory will live forever in your work on television... where you showed us all how funny and awkward it is... when you marry your own mother."

"Amen, let's go," Jade whispered out with a soft sarcastic tone then started to turn away. "C'mon..."

Cat stood up and countered, "Don't you think we should just wait one more minute—"

A woman in her mid-to-late seventies walked out the front door and shouted, "Who's out here?!"

Cat turned in surprise and the girls shouted in unison in surprise at seeing the woman.

The redhead cautiously approached then waved her left hand in front of her face and whispered, "

Be gone the ghost of Mona Patterson! Go to the light!"

Jade walked up to Cat and whispered, "Cat… I'm almost sure she's not dead."

Cart raised her right hand and tried to poke her chest, but Mona shouted and swatted away her hand, "Don't poke that!"

"Why did you think she was dead?" Tori asked with a mixture of shock and disbelief.

The redhead turned and answered with confusion, "I read it on-line; it said Mona Patterson joined the dead."

Mona rested her hand fists on her hips and rudely retorted, "That's a new TV show you dip. It's a story about me getting cast in a show called 'The Dead'." She folded her arms over her chest and finished with disgust, "I play David Swimmer's wife."

Jade put on a confused expression while Tori smiled widely with an awkward expression.

Cat turned back to the actress and cheerfully introduced herself, "Well… nice to meet you, I'm Cat."

"Good, I have something nice for Cats…" Mona turned and headed back into her home while Cat looked to her friends with a cheerful expression and wiggled her shoulders.

The next moment Mona came rushing out with a huge colorful water gun.

Cat sucked in a breath and ran down the steps to stand beside Tori as she still clutched the picture of the actress to her chest. The lighter brunette raised her hands and shouted, "Whoa now just wait a second!" She then rested her hands on Cat's shoulders and continued, "This girl made us drive two hours through the rain in a topless convertible just because she loves you and your work. So would it kill you and be a little bit nice—"

Mona started spraying the water gun directly into Tori's face and started splashing on the other girls. Jade was the first to turn and run away followed by the redhead. Tori stood for a moment to try to block the stream. Tori shouted in frustration, "Can't you see we're already wet?!" She turned and ran after Cat and Jade as Mona shouted, "Get off my property!"

* * *

Jade wrapped her arms around herself blew out a tired breath as she rested her behind against the left fender of the 'rolling chizz box'. She reached up and palmed her forehead with her left hand while Cat looked at her with an apprehensive expression and played with the ends of her red hair.

Tori tried to fling as much water off of herself by flinging her arms downward as she came into view.

Jade slightly frowned as she looked back up at the soaked brunette. "Well that was a complete waste of time."

Cat sniffled as she looked down at the pavement while holding herself.

The pale girl let out a tired breath as even she felt that wasn't anywhere near appropriate thing to say after the obvious disappointment Cat must have been feeling with how Mona reacted to her.

Tori frowned and walked over to the redhead and wrapped her arms around her in a hug. She whispered out loud enough for Jade to hear her, "I'm sorry Cat."

"I'm sorry too," Jade spoke up with a broken voice.

The brunette turned and slightly pulled away from Cat while still resting her palms on the shorter girl's shoulders. She gave Jade a surprised expression as the darker brunette continued, "That's really janked up what she did…" Jade swallowed some of her nervousness as she was just winging what she had to say, "…coming down here to try to honor her memory and then her reacting like that. Any actor or actress would be lucky to have you as a fan."

Cat brightened up with a soft smile that caused Jade to form her own smile without realizing she was forming one.

The sound of roaring engine caught the attention of the three girls then the headlights of a '69 Charger. Jade instantly put on an even expression with a slight knotting of her brow as she looked over her right shoulder and pushed off the fender to look at the sight. She blinked and a disbelieving expression formed on her face at seeing the polished black vehicle pull up in front of the Cat's brother's car then a small smile started to creep up her face.

Freddie quickly stepped out of the driver side door then stopped at seeing her in such a mess. He gave her a soft smirk as he met her eyes and whispered, "Hey?"

She blew out a soft breath and answered, "Hey."

He finished crossing the distance between them and cupped her cheeks to softly kiss her lips. They held contact with one another for a few moments then their lips broke away and rested their respective foreheads on one another.

The brown eyed teenager whispered, "Hey."

Jade snorted out a breath and cracked a smile. "Hey."

He let out a soft laugh with is comment, "You're a mess."

She lifted her head off his forehead and looked up him with a slightly annoyed expression with a frown.

He whispered, "A hot looking mess."

She softly bit her bottom lip and shook her head. She hated it at time when he tried to cheer her up with a lame joke, but any feelings of holding that against him was swept away with the fact that he had came charging down here for her.

"That is so sweet, it gets you right here," Dusty softly joked and patted over his heart at witnessing the sight after exiting and walking around the car.

The couple turned and gave him a disapproving look.

His grin grew bigger from their look at him.

Tori let out a soft laugh as she asked, "What are you doing here?"

Jade turned slightly so Freddie could meet Tori's eyes and answer, "Ah, to take you home without having to drive in a soaked car and clothing."

Tori and Cat exchanged quick and confused glances at one another then the taller teenager asked, "How did you know what happened?"

Freddie let out a soft laugh, "You posted it on your Slap page."

Tori blinked as her mouth formed a small 'O' shape. "Oh? That's right…" Her face then shifted into a curious expression. "So you jumped in your car and drove down here?"

Freddie and Dusty spared a glance towards one another then the tech-producer answered with a soft laugh, "Yeah."

Cat curiously with a hint of concern in her voice, "How did you get here so fast?"

Tori's brow furled as she joined in, "Yeah, we had like an hour start on you."

Dusty shrugged his shoulders and laughed, "Oh, he just floored it most of the way. Lucky for us the traffic was light and there was no highway patrol." He spared a quick glance to all three girls and finished like it was an obvious answer, "It is a muscle car after all… and I'm glad it was because wow… you girls are pretty soaked, but it could have always been worst."

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and sarcastically asked, "How could it have possibly been worst?"

He laughed out jokingly, "You've could have been wearing white shirts."

The trio of girls looked to one another and Tori and Cat subconsciously crossed their arms over their chests while Jade pulled her arms closer to her body. Jade rolled her eyes and retorted, "You're right."

Dusty let out a solid laugh.

Freddie turned and headed back to the Charger then reached in to the backseat. He pulled out Jade's Gears-of-War bag and held it up. "Speaking of clothing, I brought you some extra clothes and we're going to stop by someplace and buy some for Tori and Cat."

Tori started to object, but Freddie quickly cut her off, "I'm not going to argue with you Tori. You're soaked. We're going to stop by the nearest place, give you a chance to clean up and dry yourself the best you can then get you some dry clothes."

The brunette and the brown eyed teenager stared at each other for a second then Tori relented with a smile, "Fine." Tori looked to Dusty and joke with an obvious question to her, "Why did you tag along?"

He smirked as he answered by directly looking at Cat, "Someone has to drive Frankie's car back and he'll owe me one."

The redhead broke into a grin as she eyed her ex.

Tori laughed out in disbelief and motioned to the topless convertible, "The car's soaked."

Dusty smirked as he casually replied, "I came prepared. I'm just going to throw a few towels in the seat and wear a poncho if it starts raining again. I'll be fine."

Cat nodded with a smile and lifted her heels and chin to kiss Dusty on the cheek.

The Southern teenager smiled warmly at the redhead. "You're welcome sweetheart."

She covered her mouth with her palms to stifle a giggle while he gave her a kiss on her forehead.

Freddie smirked as he wanted to pick at his friend, but realized that the situation was quite different as the pair was exes in comparison to him and Jade. However, Jade had no problem making a joke, "Yeah, you're here just to drive his car back?"

Dusty just smirked back at the pale actress.

In route to Los Angeles

Freddie glanced over to see Jade trying to snuggle into the seat to take a short nap after drying, washing off some of the grime from the rain, changing into the spare clothes and pulling her hair back in a ponytail. His eyes shifted to the rearview mirror to see that Tori and Cat had gotten comfortable in the backseat after the pair did the same (with the addition of buying some clothes) from their stop at a local Wanko's Warehouse.

Tori was looking out at the passing scenery while Cat was resting her head back as she had fallen asleep as well and held a small hamster carrying case in her lap that held 'Fat Santa' while they had placed their science project in the trunk.

Freddie quickly asked over the soft music for the sleeping pair, "Tori? You okay back there?"

She pulled her attention from the window and looked to the back of Freddie's head. She wearily smiled and answered softly, "Yeah, I'm just tired and hungry from the whole mess."

"You want me to stop by someplace and grab something to eat? There's plenty of time for you to catch a quick nap too."

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I just want to get home."

The brown eyed teenager passed another glance to the rearview mirror to look at her and answered, "I understand… can I ask you something?"

Tori put on a slightly confused expression, but quickly answered, "Sure, anything."

"Do you think Beck betrayed Jade?"

The brunette took a soft breath and hesitated in answering.

"Tori… please?"

"Jade asked me the same thing…"

Her starting statement caused him to raise an eyebrow.

"And I'll tell you the same thing: No, I don't think he did. I can't guess about Carly, but I can't see Beck going that far… even if he wants Jade back."

Freddie took a deep breath as he kept his focus on the road. "I can understand that regret. When I broke up with Carly after the accident, I asked myself what I had done as soon as I stepped into the elevator when I walked out."

She hopefully asked, "But the rest?"

He shrugged a shoulder as he stared at the darkened highway and the ambient light would pass across his face. He answered with a somber tone, "I don't know… I just don't know anymore… I'm not exactly unbiased about the whole thing with Beck and Carly. I have absolutely no reason to trust either of them… but I'm not too prideful to admit that I can be wrong and you're right, but…"

Tori waited for him to finished, but from her vantage point in looking in the rearview mirror she could see that he was losing himself in his own train of thought and needed a little pushing, "But what?"

His voice sounded hollow to Tori's ears as he answered, "I'm tired Tori. I'm just… tired. I'm tried that every time I turn around someone is trying to jank me over or put a knife in my back or it just looking like they might have done so. For a while I thought I had escaped from it when I moved to L.A., but… I just can't seem to run fast enough or far enough…"

Tori gave him a remorseful expression in the rearview mirror, but remained silent as she had no words of comfort while he focused all of his attention of getting the girls safely home through the cold rainy winter night.

Tori Vega: Finally back home with Cat, Jade and Freddie. Fat hamster is running. Yay. FEELING: Relieved 8)

Vega Residence  
Thursday, February 2, 2012

Tori was sitting on the couch towards the door after having showered, changed into pajamas and a robe with Cat mirroring her in those same characteristics on the other couch. Jade in her own sweats after having a shower was sitting next to Tori while Freddie was sitting on the floor between the couch and coffee table. The tech-producer concentrated with the screwdriver on double checking every electrical connection on the wooden board after drying it out. He was checking the last one as the hamster started running in the wheel.

Cat gleefully shouted, "Come on hamster!"

Tori excitedly cheered on, "Yeah baby!"

Jade rested back in the red couch and crossed her arms under her chest while letting a small smirk form on her face at seeing how Freddie in the course of twenty minutes put back together the girls' entire science project.

Mister Vega dressed in workout clothes walked from the second floor then asked the girls with a curious expression, "Hey girls… what was the name of that actress whose house you went to tonight?"

Tori looked up from the couch and answered cheerfully, "Mona Patterson."

Cat ran her fingers through her hair hanging over her left shoulder, "Why?"

He sadly shook his head as he commented, "She's on the news, channel six," then started back up the stairs.

Tori leaned forward and rested her hand on Freddie's right shoulder to brace herself to pick up the remote control. She straightened herself in her seat then turned on the television and turned it to channel six. A male television reporter appeared on the screen with a fire truck parked behind him and continued to speak_, "…But by the time firefighters arrived on the scene, Mrs. Patterson's house was already engulfed in flames and could not be saved."_

Cat looked to Tori and suggested, "My candle…"

"No, we don't know for sure. Lotsa things can start a fire," Tori nervously dismissed.

The reporter continued and held up a class container, _"The cause of the fire… this cinnamon bun scented candle."_

Tori and Cat immediately sucked in a breath and covered their respective mouths with their hands. Freddie blinked in surprised as his mouth dropped open while Jade tried to suppress a laugh.

"_Mrs. Patterson is now resting uncomfortably in Saint Billings Hospital. As for who left the burning candle at the door, police officials say the only clue comes from Mrs. Patterson herself, who dazed and confuse from smoke inhalation, was muttering something about a cat, apparently with red fur."_

Cat sucked in another deep breath and reached up to the left side of her head over her hair.

"_Of course we'll have much more on this story—"_

Tori quickly changed the channel to an episode of Hungry Girl and she was pointing to some concoction in a pitcher and speaking, "That's it. If I bring out—"

"Tori?" Cat whispered out with concern.

"Shhh…"

Jade finally snorted out a laugh.

Freddie glanced over his shoulder and up at her with a slightly disapproving expression.

She smirked and rolled her eyes then looked back to him. "Oh come on, sounds like justice to me. She acted like a gank to Cat who was her fan and wanted to honor her… and she sprayed us with a watergun."

Freddie squinted his eyes in disbelief which filtered into his voice, "But to have her house burn down?"

Jade uncrossed her legs and planted her sock covered feet on the floor so she could leaned forward to whisper to him with a sly expression, "She got that house because of her fans, so I see it as poetic justice that she lost it by the fans…"

Cat looked to Jade with a terrified expression.

The pale girl looked up with a surprisingly sympathetic expression and whispered out awkwardly, "…even it if was an accident."

Freddie chuckled out as he shook his head then looked over his left shoulder to Cat. "Cat?"

"Yes?" she whispered out with a fearful voice.

He let out a breath with a soft laugh, "Maybe you should go back to your natural hair color for a while?"

Cat sucked in deeper as she threw her hands up to claw at her hair.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed my take on this episode. I hope to get the next chapter out in two weeks or it might be sooner because I think there will be at least a short one before the next big one of 'Tori and Jade's Play Date'. Thanks for reading and don't be shy in reviewing and telling me how lousy a writer I am :P

Special Guest Star: Shirley Jones


	11. Chapter 11: Happy Birthday!

Happy Thanksgiving my dear readers. I hope you enjoy this chapter. This was originally going to be a short chapter, but surprising even me, it turned out far more entailed than expected.

Be sure to tune in for the final episode of iCarly on Friday, November 23 at 8 PM on Nick and a new episode of Victorious this Saturday at 8 PM titled 'Cell Blocked'. On iCarly we're suppose to finally see Colonel Shay. I know I'll be watching to see how Dan handles him.

Special Guest Appearance by Jennifer Connelly as Ruby West

At this point I would respond to reviews, but I believe I PM'd reviews to each person and some were especially extensive (green aura and Bucio who raised a lot of very good points) and would take up a considerable amount of space if I posted some of them here (Bucio's alone turned out to be like 2,000 words). If I missed anyone in responding, I'm sorry and will try to do better in the future. Thank you all for such reviews, I appreciate them and you don't know how much they help me improve this story.

Now on to the story.

* * *

Chapter 11: Happy Birthday!

West Residence  
Friday, February 3, 2012

Freddie wore a small smile on his face after the surprise pre-birthday dinner and while resting his back against the cushioned headboard of his bed. The surprise dinner from Mrs. West was actually the second pleasant surprise that day as his manager at the Pear Store gave him the afternoon and evening off for his birthday with pay. Of course the best part of the day was that he wasn't actually alone on his bed watching television, but Jade sitting across his lap and them sharing some couple time together.

The dark brunette had already changed into her evening wear of one of his old Penny-Tees (which he personally enjoyed seeing on her and thought about ordering some more from Socko's sister Penny for that express purpose of her 'stealing' more from him) and some sleeping shorts as she sat in his lap with her legs hanging over his left leg and her right hand resting on each of his left shoulder, her head resting on his right shoulder while his laced finger hands rested on her right hip.

The couple had done nothing but sat like that at first for several minutes that stretched into a half an hour. Neither spoke as neither felt words were necessary while enjoying each other's presence. They were just being together.

He was the one that finally broke the silence with a smile and a soft whisper, "I'm going to be eighteen in a few hours."

The faintest of smiles formed on the pale brunette's face as she whispered in return, "Yep, happy birthday." She lifted her head from his shoulder and gave him a quick, soft peck on the lips.

He smiled in return as she pulled back to meet his eyes. "Thank you, but I'm bringing it up for another reason…" He took a nervous breath then slowly let it out then whispered out, "I'm going to be eighteen tomorrow and you're going to still be seventeen…"

She raised her pierced eyebrow and slightly turned her head while maintaining eye contact with him. She slowly questioned with a hint of a laugh, "So…"

He slightly bowed his head then let out a nervous laugh, "So… I'm going to be an adult… don't have to worry about my mom trying anything or any kind of guardian… but you're still going to be a minor… and adults and minors are not suppose to do certain things together…" He looked up to meet her eyes and finished with a regretful tone, "…things that get the adult put in prison."

Jade gave him a confused expression for a few moments trying to figure out his cryptic answer, but then it quickly fell then she sucked in a quick breath as she understood his meaning. She slowly let out a breath and a slight frown formed on her face. She bowed her head slightly down and she felt the peacefulness she felt in his arms become a sinking feeling in her stomach.

Freddie waited patiently and silently for Jade to take in his meaning and process the change however temporary in their relationship. She looked up and quickly asked, "Do you want to—"

He shook his head and quickly interrupted with a hushed tone, "That's not why I brought it up for us to have one last… well you know until you turn eighteen, I just…" He nodded along, "I just wanted to let you know, not spring it on you after the fact and have us deal with it then."

She sadly nodded along. "Right."

The couple remained silent for a few minutes as each internally processed with it being out in the open.

Freddie finally let out an awkward laugh as he commented, "Thinking about it, it's kind of funny how little we actually do that, but now—"

There was a sadness to Jade's eyes as she whispered, "Since we won't be able to if the moment comes up, it makes it a little different in looking at it."

"Yes it does… it being our way to say what we didn't know how to say to one another that night, but…"

She lifted a corner of her mouth and was intrigued by him trailing off with his words. "But what?"

"But as much as it means to share that with you and expression how we feel when we need to at that deeply… it means more that I can say I love you Jadelyn West. As long as I can say that to you… it doesn't matter what gets in our way…" He started softly shaking his head and growing more confident in his voice, "…this, Carly, Beck or if the entire world gunning for us."

She looked into his eyes for a few brief moments then lifted her hand off of his shoulder and cupped his cheek to bring him into another kiss. He closed his eyes and eagerly returned the kiss. They each traded dominance in the kiss for several long seconds until they needed to catch their breaths.

They pulled apart to meet each other's eyes and catching their respective breaths. Jade whispered out just above their breaths, "I love you too Freddie Benson."

His eyes lit up and he grinned so widely that Jade thought for a moment that he just might break his face. The grin only faded a tiny bit as he whispered out, "Would you like to spend the night with me? I'd like the first person I see as I wake up into adulthood to be you."

She smirked as she softly laughed out, "That's kind of cheesy."

He leaned forward close enough for their noses to touch and whispered, "You don't fool me Jade; you're a romantic and you appreciate every little silly gesture."

She looked down and almost bumped his nose with her forehead. She whispered with a bit of tease in her voice, "No comment."

He grinned then kissed her left cheek bringing a soft laugh past her lips.

The pale teenager rested her head back on his right shoulder and they turned their attention back to the television. She asked, "See if you can find us a good horror movie."

He smirked as he reached for the remote and answered, "Okay… hey, maybe I can find 'The Scissoring'?"

If possible, she brightened up more with a smile as the pair settled in together.

West Residence  
Los Angeles, CA  
Saturday, February 4, 2012

Jade only had a few minutes before everyone was going to start to arrive for a not so surprise birthday party and she was still desperately searching through her closet for one more article of clothing.

After her shower, she had put in her blue highlights; a black athletic tank top; Freddie's favorite skirt on her, the black pleated skirt with the four buttons on the front with the addition of a studded black belt; black leggings; and her black steel toed boots, but now she couldn't find that last piece to complete her outfit. She knew it had to be in the closet as she had borrowed it so many times, she knew it couldn't be back in Freddie's closet.

She smiled as she finally put her hand on the shirt. She had found the shirt, the _shirt_: Freddie's blue and white flannel patterned shirt he wore on their first day at the workshop and the one she put on after the first time they made love and of course ironically it being the same one that he wore during the school lock-in when Sam revealed her 'feelings' for him.

He thought blue was definitely her color and she wasn't going to disappoint him.

She pulled it off the hanger and quickly put in on as she heard Freddie's voice call out from the hallway, "Hey, you in here?"

She turned and called out while straightening the collar around her neck, "Yeah, I'm in here."

Freddie stepped into her room and she immediately started blinking at seeing his appearance. Jade subconsciously rubbed under her own chin as she looked to her boyfriend in surprise. "You got rid of the beard?"

Freddie softly laughed as he rubbed his clean shaven chin and jaw line. "Yeah, I decided that I think I irritated you enough with it."

She crossed the distance quickly and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him into a deep kiss while he slipped his hands under the flannel patterned shirt to rest on the small of her back. She pulled back a few moments later and smirked at him while meeting his eyes. "I like it. I'm not tickled anymore."

"Good, cause I know how you hate to be tickled—" He pulled his hands away from the small of her back and started tickling her sides.

She let out a sharp, loud squeaking sound in surprise from the sensation of his fingers on her sides then shouted as she tried to twist away from his hands, "FREDDIE!"

He only tickled her for only a few brief moments before letting his hands rest on her hips. He wore a small smirk on his face as she looked up at him with a slightly disapproving expression.

"Not funny birthday boy," she stated with a hint of steel to her voice.

He gave her a devilish grin and asked, "Oh really?"

"Oh don't you dare give me that lo—"

She of course was interrupted with him tickling her sides again and her shouting once again.

* * *

Mrs. West pushed opened the door to the kitchen door from the garage and allowed Mrs. Benson to enter the kitchen before her. The drive from the airport was surprisingly pleasant between the mothers. A piece of the raven beauty assumed it was because Mrs. Benson knew that if she got out of hand that the West Matriarch would have turned the car right around and back to the airport. However, she was hoping everything would be fine since Mrs. Benson hadn't caused any real problems during her Christmas visit.

Once the mothers were in the kitchen, they stopped in front of the landing to the stairs as Mrs. Benson curiously looked up the stairs at hearing a high pitched laugh coming from the top of the stairs. The next moment she saw Jade was laughing as she trotted down the stairs with Freddie right on her heels.

The teenagers immediately stopped as they reached the kitchen floor at seeing their respective mothers and wore expressions as if they had been caught with the preverbal hand in the cookie jar.

Mrs. Benson frowned slightly as her eyes darted back and forth between the teenagers. "What's going on?" she asked with a tone mixed with worry and admonishment.

Freddie looked to his girlfriend then back to his mother and answered casually, "I'm tickling my girlfriend who really doesn't like it and she's running away from me."

Mrs. Benson wore as disapproving expression as she glanced to Mrs. West who in return just rolled her eyes at the woman that apparently had a problem with her son being innocently affectionate with her daughter.

The auburn haired woman slightly shook her head at seeing she wasn't going to get any help from the raven haired beauty then forced a smile on her face as she stepped over and pulled her son into a hug.

Freddie smiled as he patted his mother on the back. "Hi mom."

She pulled back and rested her hands on his shoulders. "How has my Freddie been doing?"

Freddie gave a patient smile as he answered, "We talk every week mom, you know how I am: I'm fine."

She gave him a patient smile while answering, "I still worry." The Benson matriarch turned to the pale teenager with a reserved expression on his face and greeted her with a soft, curt tone, "Jade."

Jade wore a tight smile as she answered, "Mrs. Benson. How have you been?"

Mrs. Benson slightly frowned and mildly bit back, "I'm fine, but… you would have known that if you would have stopped by when you visited Seattle a few weeks ago. I had to find out from Spencer and Carly."

Jade answered with a tight smile. "I'm sorry, but I was on a tight schedule that day and I didn't want to miss my flight back."

The Seattle mother asked smugly, thinking she had the teenager on the defensive, "You left just enough time to see Carly? You couldn't spare the time to see me? Is that what you're saying?"

Jade slightly frowned then glanced to Freddie as more a courtesy than permission then looked back to Mrs. Benson and snapped back, "Honestly, I didn't want to see you to give you the chance to call me a whore to my face. You won't say it in front of Freddie, but without him with me, I don't know if you'd take the chance to say it."

Mrs. West deeply frowned as she recalled the call from Barry Dorfman the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Mrs. Benson looked slightly embarrassed and mumbled, "He should have minded his own business from the start."

Ruby looked to the slightly younger woman in mild disgust, "You called her that right in front of Barry and Mister Shay. Of course one of them was going to tell me. We have a history."

Marissa looked back at her in return with an equally frosty expression.

The pair of mothers stared at one another for a few seconds until Mrs. Benson turned her attention back to Jade and asked in an accusing manner, "Is that the same reason that you couldn't tell me that Freddie's leg was healed? Or about the others ones that happened that you told Carly was because of Freddie's 'angel'?" She looked to her son and asked, "Is that true? Is your leg completely healed?" She looked back to Jade and accused, "Or is that some sick joke you told Carly to try to hurt her?"

Mrs. West's eyes narrowed and she slightly frowned in confusion.

Freddie glanced to Jade and the pale girl looked down embarrassingly. Freddie gave her a soft smile and reached over to give her right hand a gentle squeeze then looked back to his mother. He answered in a surprisingly calm voice, "Yes, my leg is healed. The plate and pins are gone. I have them in my room if you want to see them. She also did those other healings…" Freddie looked to Mrs. West and finished, "Including your father Mrs. West."

His mother blinked and her face fell in shock while Mrs. West looked on in disbelief.

Mrs. Benson shouted in complete shock, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Freddie shrugged his shoulder and replied with a nonchalant tone, "I know you wouldn't doubt God could or would do it, but… it's another thing if it's me telling you. It's not like you ever really took my word seriously."

Mrs. Benson's eyes opened like cliché saucers, but frowned at the backhanded insult. She stuttered out, "How? Why?"

"You'll have to ask Carly for her end, but I asked her to heal everyone else and she just threw in me as a Christmas present."

Mrs. West looked down for a moment then looked back up to Freddie with an unsure expression. "Would you excuse me for a moment?" She didn't wait for an answer as she turned to towards the living room and walked away.

Jade looked to her mother's retreating form then back to Freddie. He wore a look of surprise and had nothing to offer in support. She quickly started after her mother while Freddie let out a soft breath through his nose.

He motioned toward the other end of the kitchen and offered to his mother still processing what happened, "Let me get you something to drink."

* * *

Jade stopped at the doorway to the master bedroom to see her mother sitting at her vanity and from her vantage point, looking at a small picture frame. The teenager whispered out in concern, "Are you alright mom?"

The West Matriarch turned in her seat and looked at her concerned daughter. She put on a faint smile and answered, "I'm fine. It's just a little shocking to actually have more of an explanation for what happened with your grandfather."

Jade slightly bowed her head and replied, "Yeah, it was a little… overwhelming to learn what happened." She let the statement hang in the air for a few moments then looked up to meet her mother's eyes and asked, "Are you going to tell grandfather and grandmother?"

The fellow pale woman took a breath and hesitated in answering for a few moments before admitting, "I'm not sure… when did you know?"

Jade shrugged her right shoulder and answered, "He told me that night the day after Christmas after we…"

Her mother pursed her lips to prevent herself from laughing at the awkward expression forming on her daughter's face.

Jade shook her head then answered, "…never mind, I noticed the screws from his leg on his nightstand; I asked him about them and he told me everything happened."

Mrs. Benson slightly frowned as she asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

The blue streaked hair teenager smirked as she coyly answered, "Probably the same reason you're not sure you want to tell grandfather."

Ruby cracked a smile and let out a soft laugh. "I guess the details aren't exactly important and probably complicate matters more. All that matters is he's fine… he's whole." She stood up from her seat then motioned past her daughter. She smile as she asked, "How about we get back before she really starts driving him nuts?"

* * *

Mrs. Benson looked over the dinner table to see all the variety of party food. She slightly frowned as she didn't look impressed with the choices: pizza, various chips, some variety of cookies and a meat and cheese party platter except for the fruit party platter.

Ruby and Jade walked up behind the mother and son from the kitchen and the matriarch calmly pointed out, "The food is fine Marissa."

"How do you know how much they'll eat? They could just keep eating and ea—"

She patiently smiled as she answered, "I'm not their mother and they are nearly adults, some of them actually are. They need to be making their own decisions. If they over eat then they will have to deal with the consequences."

Freddie glanced to Jade and the dark brunette rolled her eyes at his mother's overbearing behavior.

Thankfully before any further argument could erupt, the doorbell rang and Freddie called out, "I'll get it." He exited the dining room and into the foyer to make his way to the front door.

Freddie opened the door to see Tori, Trina, André and Cat standing on the other side. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Cat shouted and nearly jumped onto Freddie. The tech-producer laughed out as he caught the excited redhead pulling him into a tight hug.

"Thanks little red," he whispered into the excited teenager's ear then sat her back on her feet.

She giggled as she stepped back and started playing with the end of her hair. "Your beard is gone," she stated matter-of-factly.

He chuckled and rubbed his clean shaven chin and jaw line. "Well, I thought it was time for a change."

Freddie turned to his songsmith friend and André smiled and the pair engaged in a quick one arm hug with his right arm as he held a wrapped box in his other hand. "Happy Birthday," he greeted his friend as he took a step back to allow Tori to step inside the foyer.

Freddie wore a small smile on his face as he answered, "Thanks," then looked to Tori.

The younger Vega sister took another stepped inside the foyer and opened her arms for a hug, but trying not to poke him with the corners of the large gift bag in her hands. Freddie softly chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her slender frame.

"Happy Birthday," the songstress warmly greeted him.

"Thanks," he returned as she slipped out of his grasp. He looked to the elder Vega sister and she wore just as bright a smile as her sister and pulled the tech-producer into a hug then gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. She pulled back and gave him a huge grin.

Freddie softly chuckled, "Thanks Trina." He turned to his mother that had walked up behind him and politely made introductions, "I believe you've all met my mother."

Cat laughed out innocently as she looked to the auburn haired woman, "I haven't."

Trina averted her eyes looking at the Benson Matriarch as she mumbled under her breath, "Lucky you."

However, it was loud enough for Mrs. Benson to hear and immediately put on an irritated expression. Trina ignored the woman's expression and put on an obvious forced smile as she greeted Freddie's mother, "Hello Mrs. Benson."

She answered with a strained voice and a tight smile, "Trina, it's so nice to see you again."

Trina laughed back in clearly false tone, "You too Mrs. Benson."

Tori put on a polite smile, but her eyes showed her concern that things were about to blow up between her sister and the Benson Matriarch, but thankfully Freddie spoke up and motioned towards the dining room. "How about we some snacks while we wait for the rest and you can drop off my presents?"

The younger Vega sister laughed, "I hope you like our gift."

Trina snorted out with a soft roll of her eyes. "I hope so, all I got from her last time was a song."

Tori snapped her head and glared at her older sister as snapped, "André and I wrote that for you, performed it and you turned around and sold it and now everybody thinks it's a Beyoncé song."

She breathed out a breath, "Tori, you just got to let some things go."

Freddie laughed at the sisters' spat and instructed, "You two can fight in the dining room." He turned to start leading everyone to the few feet to the left into the dining room.

Jade narrowed her eyes and looked to the older Vega sister with a questioning expression before the comedic actress took any steps. "What's the deal with you and Mrs. Benson?"

The brunette with blonde highlights had the inclination to answer the pale girl with a smirk, "We had words when we went up to Seattle, because she really didn't want to let us in when we got to the apartment. Tori slipped inside to see Freddie while we 'talked', so I don't think she likes me."

Jade wanted to immediately comment that no one liked Trina, but for once she was going to keep her mouth shut because if she wasn't being liked because she mouthed off to Mrs. Benson for her and Freddie's sakes then that was a perfectly good reason not to be liked. Instead, the pale teenager responded, "She doesn't like me much either."

Trina smirked as she retorted with a trademark sarcastic tone, "I mean why wouldn't she like you? You only took her precious baby away from her."

Jade frowned and brow furled in anger.

She smirked and rested a hand on the darker brunette's right shoulder. "Relax, I'm just kidding."

The singer hissed out as she crossed her arms under her chest, "Others don't mean it as a joke… and what did I tell you about never touching me?"

Trina dropped her hand and pursed her lips. She replied with an apologetic tone, "Sorry… I forget you have to deal with ganks like that."

The dark brunette took a breath and gave an accepting nod. She nodded back with her head and commented, "Come on, let's get something to eat."

The gathering of friends weren't even a minute into surveying the party food when the doorbell rang again. Freddie smiled and offered, "I'll get it."

He headed to the door and quickly opened it to reveal Sinjin and Ava standing on the other side. He greeted the couple with a warm greeting, "Ava, Sinjin."

The brunette smiled and gave Freddie a quick hug as she answered, "Freddie, Happy Birthday."

He softly patted her on the back and answered, "Thanks Ava."

She softly laughed looked down for a moment then back up at him to awkwardly comment, "I hate to do this, but my sister asked to pass along her birthday wishes to you too."

Freddie softly chuckled, "Why do you hate to do that?"

She rolled her eyes and blew out a tired breath, "Twins, unless you're one, you'll never understand."

The tech-producer laughed, "I'll take your word for it." He looked to the taller teenager and laughed, "Hey Sinjin, thanks for coming."

"Not a problem. You know how I love a party."

Freddie recalled the authenticity of that statement from the first party at Kenan's house. "Fortunately you won't be flying out a window this time."

He nodded while answering, "Yeah, but it was a splash."

Freddie smirked and looked to a concerned Ava then back to Sinjin. "You almost went splat on top of Jade and Spencer."

He shrugged a shoulder and nonchalantly answered, "It's all good."

Freddie softly laughed as he shook his head then motioned for them to join the rest in the dining room. Pleasant introductions were made between the new guests and his mother. Ava had to suppress a smirk at finally meeting the woman behind some of the stories she heard from her twin at Ridgeway.

The group started enjoying there food since there was plenty for the rest and didn't feel the need to wait. At some point some music started playing form a PearPod docking station and a few minutes later, the doorbell rang again and this time Jade called out, "I got this one!"

She quickly exited the dining room and reached the door. She opened it with a smile on her face to greet whoever was on the other side.

Dusty laughed out seeing her, "Hello Angel Girl."

The pale singer let out a soft laugh at his nickname for her then raised her pierced eyebrow at seeing his appearance. He was in his typical black hooded leather jacket and blue jeans, but his new Penny-T was literally eyebrow rising with the yellow text on the grey shirt: Jeddie/Fade Shipper.

She pointed at his shirt and spoke one word, "Explain?"

He bowed his head down and let out a laugh. He blew out a breath then answered, "There's Creddie, Seddie, Cam and Spam, so you two need a name, but I'm not sure which one it is yet; people are debating it online."

The teenager wasn't sure if she should be outraged that her and Freddie's relationship could be reduced to a combined name like the rest or be weirdly touched for the visible support. She decided to go for the latter in Dusty's case, "Thanks, but…"

He slightly turned his head to the right and slightly downward as he asked, "What?"

She questioned with a visible confused expression, "What's Spam?"

He chuckled while answering, "It's Sam and Spencer… as in a couple."

Jade's mouth dropped and her eyes widened as she uttered, "Spencer's thirty."

He shrugged his shoulders with a laugh. "I don't think they care."

She shook her head as she didn't want to think about that and stated, "Okay… we got food in the dining room."

He looked around her right arm to peek into the dining room to see most of her group of friends. "So your gang is all here?"

"Yeah, except for Robbie."

He took a step to stand beside her and smirked to her while softly commenting, "Let's see if I can avoid being a wet blanket this time?"

Jade smirked as she closed the door then patted him on the shoulder and led him to the dining room.

The group looked to see the Southern teenager being led by the singer and in with a course of voices greeting him. However, the first person he greeted with a respectful nod to the Mistress of the home, "Ma'am."

Freddie motioned to his mother and started, "This is my mo—"

"I know who she is; I've seen her on the show." Dusty politely nodded his head. "Mrs. Benson, people call me Dusty."

Cat called out, "Or SOAPY!"

Dusty leaned over to his right and shouted around mother and son, "Only you sweetheart." He smiled as he looked back to Mrs. Benson.

"So you used to watch iCarly?"

He softly smirked. "Still do; I'm a fan, what can I say? I think Carly's cute."

Mrs. Benson gave a questioning look as she glanced to Freddie. He just gave her a soft grin as she commented, "I don't remember ever being on iCarly."

Dusty's smile became an even expression as he clarified with the faintest hints of disgust in his voice, "I do." He looked to Freddie for a brief moment then back at the Benson Matriarch, "But that's for another time…" He looked back to Freddie and shouted, "Happy Birthday man!" He lifted up a red enveloped birthday card. "It's small, but I think'll appreciate what's inside."

Mrs. Benson gave a questioning expression of being put off for another time, but Freddie smiled and took the card. "Thanks; I appreciate any gift." He motioned to the large dining room table and offered, "Help yourself."

Dusty took him up on his offered and walked with him and his girlfriend to the table to start helping himself to the food.

Mrs. Benson put on a disturbed expression at seeing the teenagers reveling in the laid out food and suggested in what she believed was a motherly tone, "You should watch how much you eat. It's important that you eat proper portions."

By this time, the teenagers had taken seats around the large rectangular table and looked to one another with questioning and embarrassing expressions. Freddie shook his head and instinctively looked to Jade for support as she put on an irritated expression at the woman potentially derailing the party before it really got started.

Trina gave a particular deep frown as she looked at the woman and was about to say something, but was beat to it by Dusty mumbling out and shaking his head, "Oh my God."

Mrs. Benson turned her attention and looked to the teenager with a disapproving stare.

Dusty looked up to meet her stare. He slightly tilted his head wondered for a moment as to the reason for the stare then he started chuckling as he looked down at his plate in his hand where he held his pizza.

"What young man?" she questioned as if he was her child.

He smirked in returned as he retorted, "Oh, I'm just remembering your appearance on iCarly… quite frankly ma'am you should be ashamed of yourself."

André let out a sharp whistle as the others continued to wear embarrassing expression. Trina on the other hand was grinning as she was impressed with his straightforwardness with the Seattle woman even if she didn't know what he was talking about.

If possible, Mrs. Benson's frown grew deeper as apparently she was recalling her appearance in front of the camera and she stared at the young man next to the table. "How dare you young man question my parenting? Your mother should have taught you some manners about respecting adults."

If possible, the teenagers looked to one another in greater shock at the her bringing up a subject she probably had no familiarity.

Dusty smirked as he calmly replied, "Oh, my mother taught me the important things ma'am: loyalty, forgiveness, love, the importance of chocolate cake… _sex_. She covered all the important stuff and dad filled in the rest." He looked to Freddie and eagerly asked with a grin, "Is the birthday cake chocolate? I could really go for some chocolate cake."

Freddie gave him a shocked expression from the sudden turn in his disposition.

Cat interrupted with confusion lacing her tone, "I thought Angel Food Cake was your favorite?"

He happily answered, "Oh it is sweetheart, I just have to remember the importance of chocolate cake."

Mrs. Benson retorted with a dismissive tone, "So she forget respect? Maybe she should teach you that before it's too late?"

Dusty softly laughed as he replied, "You know what ma'am, on her next trip down from Heaven, I'll ask her about that."

Mrs. Benson eyes went wide from going into a potentially insensitive matter.

Maybe as a sign from the teenager's mother, the doorbell rang to interrupt a discussion that was quickly becoming a full blown argument.

Mrs. West offered with a smile, "I'll get it." As she passed Marissa, she whispered, "Behave."

Ruby reached the front door with a welcoming smile, but it quickly dropped when she saw one of the pair on the other side of the door. She ignored Robbie holding Rex standing beside the handsome actor and questioned in surprise, "Beck?"

The actor stuffed his hands in his pockets and cracked a nervous smile while looking at the raven beauty. "Hi Mrs. West."

Her surprise quickly shifted into a look of annoyance as she asked, "Why are you here?"

"I invited him," Freddie answered from behind her.

Mrs. West turned to see Freddie had walked up to her right side and looked to him as if he had lost his mind. Her expression turned into a questioning expression while he remained silent while matching her stare in the hopes that she understood the gravity of him inviting Beck to his party. After a few moments, the raven haired woman apparently did understand and looked back to Beck and frowned as she stated in no uncertain terms, "This is my home Beck; Freddie may have invited you, but I decide if I let you inside."

Beck cleared his throat in nervousness as Mrs. West took another breath then with an undertone of threat to the beauty's voice, she stated, "Behave yourself." She stepped aside as a gesture to invite him inside. Beck let out a nervous laugh seeing where Jade got her steel while she gave Robbie a polite smile as he followed the actor inside and stated, "Hello Robbie."

The curly haired teenager smiled as he replied, "Thank you Mrs. West."

Rex laughed out, "I'm hoping for a blast Freddie."

Freddie softly chuckled as he led the pair to the dining room, "I hope not to disappoint you Rex."

Jade instantly put on a shocked expression at seeing Beck as he entered the dining room. She looked to Freddie with a questioning expression that he returned with a soft smile.

The others looked surprised at Freddie's reaction of leading the pair while Dusty slightly frowned in concern.

Freddie laughed out, "Enjoy and mingle and let's have some fun."

That was exactly what they did: eat, converse and listen to music. Jade had decided to hook up her PearBox to the living room flat screen, but she didn't necessarily have 'party games' for the system. However, that didn't prevent her from renting some for the party. It wasn't exactly something she would get into as she would have preferred to blast away at each of them in any variety of shooters, but even she realized that might spoil the party if she humiliated with her skills.

Freddie sat on the left armrest of the couch while Cat ate a cooking and sat at the far left of the couch next to him and Tori sitting further down as they watched Jade and Trina playing a tennis game. The pale girl surprised herself at how much fun it was as a challenge to play against Trina on the tennis game. The older Vega sister may have been horrible on the dancing game, but she had the reflexes for the tennis. André was sitting from a recliner that was cattycornered to the right side of the TV from the viewer's perspective. The rest of the teenagers were scattered between the kitchen and dining room snacking and chatting.

Freddie leaned over and softly laughed his question to Cat, "So I see you decided to keep the red?"

She snapped her left hand up to the crown of her head.

Dusty chuckled behind them and Freddie looked over his left shoulder while Cat turned in her seat to look over her right shoulder. The Southern teenager continued, "I saw that on the news… I laughed my butt off. Something about 'A cat with red fur', hilarious."

Freddie was still surprised at how someone could be so nonchalant about her house burning down and let it slip in his voice as he commented, "Her house burned down."

Dusty slightly threw his head back and blew out a purposely overdramatic breath, "She's not going to die, so it is a little bit funny. She treats them like crap in being concern for her and she sprays them with water? I call that Divine justice."

Jade called out with a laugh from her spot in front of the television, "I called it poetic justice."

Dusty motioned his hand to the dark brunette with an expression of 'see, I'm right'.

André's brow furled as asked completely befuddled, "What are you talking about?"

The girls (other than Jade) and Freddie looked to one another as if they were quickly deciding if they were going to tell the truth about what happed or make up some story. Cat was the one that decided to speak first: "Me, Tori and Jade went to San Diego to leave a candle for my favorite actress, Mona Patterson, in her memory. I left my candle, but it turns out she didn't die. She was very mean and sprayed us with a watergun."

Jade picked up with a soft as she continued to play, "And the candle burned his house down."

André's mouth dropped open as he looked to Jade then to the rest. Trina even stopped her play to turn to look at the others, which allowed Jade to get an easy score.

Trina's mouth dropped open and she questioned in shock, "Her house really burned down?"

Cat desperately pointed out, "It was an accident."

Tori shook her head and commented with a confident voice, "I don't think the candle really did it."

The redhead looked to her friend and asked, "You don't?"

"No, it was just sitting there in the glass container. How could it set anything on fire?"

Freddie patted Cat on her shoulder and smiled down at her and picked up for the singer, "It was probably a lightning strike after we left. It started raining again on our drive home."

Dusty let out a good natured laugh, "Oh don't I know it."

Jade squinted her eyes as she turned to look at the Southern teenager and asked with mild confusion, "How did you not get sick?"

"I guess the same way none of you did… and I had a poncho; it was alright."

The younger Vega sister started again, "So Cat, it wasn't anyone's fault."

The shorter girl nodded along, feeling better about the situation with a soft smile forming back on her face and starting back on her cookie.

Trina spoke up with a slightly annoyed voice, "Good, now that's done, I want a rematch."

Jade smirked and replied, "With pleasure."

The girls turned back to the television and started playing again.

A minute or so later, Beck walked into the living room and had a seat to see Beck taking a seat next to Tori and starting to chat it up with her and Cat. Dusty glanced over with a slight frown at the actor having a seat and called out louder than necessary (and almost directly into Freddie's left ear), "I need a refill. I feel tired just watching you two."

Freddie cracked a smile as he got up from his seat on the armrest and followed the teenager to cut through the kitchen to the dining room. Robbie, Rex, Sinjin and Ava were at the other end of the table engrossed in some story Rex was telling, so they didn't pay much mind to the two boys.

Dusty poured himself some more Peppy Cola into his plastic red cup while Freddie smirked to him several steps away. He asked innocently in a hushed voice, "You wanted to tell me something?"

The Southern teenager looked back to his friend after finishing pouring his drink and while screwing the top back on the two liter bottle, softly chuckled but not loud enough to catch the other three's attention, "You invited him?"

Freddie shrugged a shoulder and indifferently answered, "You're the one that believes him, why the concern? You are concerned?"

He took a sip from his cup then answered dryly, "Because I believe Carly, but I'm more surprised than anything else with you inviting him."

Freddie nodded along to the position Dusty had held from the start. "I'm taking a chance that I'm wrong and maybe everyone else is right."

The webmaster smirked as he commented with a hint of jest, but underlining remorsefulness, "So I guess they finally took a side…"

Freddie remained silent to the statement as Dusty continued, "Have you heard from her today?"

He gave the slightly taller teenager a questioning expression.

Dusty raised a corner of his mouth and answered, "It is your birthday after all. I would think she would at least try to contact you in some way."

The tech-producer looked down at the table and shrugged a shoulder. "No, I haven't heard from her."

The leaner teenager glanced at this watch and commented, "There's still a good ten hours for her to call."

Freddie blew out a soft breath through his lips as he thought on whether or not he wanted to be confronted with an attempt of Carly trying to contact him.

Mrs. West happily announced as she walked from the other end of the kitchen with Mrs. Benson and holding a large cake plate with a chocolate cake, "Okay, it is time for some birthday cake."

The other teenagers made their way back to the dining room to take their seats around the table as the cake sat in the center of the table. Freddie took his place on the other side of the table to the exit to the foyer in front of the cake with Jade by his right side.

Mrs. Benson looked like she was going to freak out at any moment at watching Mrs. West lighting the eighteen candles; however, she remained silent as even she knew when not to push her luck, especially with Mrs. West.

Cat eagerly shouted from the other side of the table, "Make a wish!"

Dusty stood beside the redhead and laughed out, "Just be careful, you just might get it."

Freddie smirked to him then turned back the cake. He closed his eyes for the moment of apparent thought then opened his eyes to blow out the candles.

The teenagers gave him a round of applause then the girls started singing him happy birthday and with the singers being from such talented performers, it was quite a sound to hear. After they finished the last line of the song, Jade grabbed Freddie by the cheeks and smashed her lips against his lips.

Beck wore a crooked smile at seeing the affection while Dusty wore a guarded expression eyeing the actor.

Mrs. West started handing out small plates to the teenagers then offered a knife to Freddie to cut the cake. Mrs. Benson looked frightened again but this time over Freddie handling a knife as she used to have a fear of him having scissors. She remained silent again as Freddie started cutting pieces of the chocolate cake and placing them the individual plates.

Dusty smirked with a mouthful of cake as he motioned his fork to the cake and commented, "Good cake."

After the group ate some cake with the treat of ice cream, they started presenting their presents for their friend. Tori, André, Cat had theme gifts for him: André got him a high-end licensed wireless mouse to go along with Worlds of Warlords and Tori and Cat got him the latest expansion for the game with an extra month subscription thrown in with the gift.

Trina got him a card, but with it was a month membership to a pretty good fencing studio. The pair shared smile as Freddie knew the expense of just a month at any legitimate place.

Dusty gave him was a card poking in a friendly way about being a tech-geek and a hefty gift card to a high end auto shop. He joked and said he'd explain the significance later.

Sinjin and Ava pitched in to get him some rare, Galaxy Wars figurine which he was quite happy to display to the rest and almost went off on a tangent explaining its significance which most wouldn't have understood.

Beck was the odd man out with just a last minute card and some cash, but willing to show up was gift enough.

The final gift was from Jade and it was big surprise for Freddie: she had found someway to have several of Galini's Coconut Cream Pie to be shipped overnight which he knew the pair was going to enjoy over the next several days.

After the gift giving and finishing his two more pieces of cake, Freddie excused himself to the bathroom then returned a few minutes later to stand just outside of the dining room in the kitchen and looked around to see his friends were having a good time just socializing around the table with one another.

He saw Robbie and André having a friendly argument about something, but laughing the entire time with Rex making the occasional comment.

Trina was going on about something with Cat being enthralled with whatever the young woman was saying while Tori shook her head.

Dusty and Sinjin were discussing something while Ava sat closer to the Southern teenager looking confused about what the pair were talking about, but the webmaster leaned over and whispered something into the brunette's ear apparently filling in on what they were discussing. A moment later, she burst out laughing and actually had to hold on to his left arm to keep her balance from falling out of the chair she was laughing so hard.

Jade was talking to her mother about something and let out a genuine laugh as mother and daughter talked.

For the first time since New Years (outside of Jade), he felt the truest sense of peace and that brought a genuine smile to his face. It was a good birthday.

Beck strolled up behind Freddie then to his left. He held the red plastic cup as an apparent comfort and gave an awkward grin as he asked, "Thanks for the invite, but… I'm a little curious why you'd invite me."

Freddie cracked a grin yet his eyes reflected a guarded posture as he answered the taller teenager, "Let's just say I'm willing to give you some benefit of the doubt for the moment then go from there… you wouldn't be the first guy that was played by Carly."

Beck slightly frowned as he defended the brunette, "Carly didn't play me."

Freddie took a soft breath and slightly bowed his head. "I'm not going to debate that either way with you on my birthday. I'll worry about that on another day, but in the meantime…" He blew out a breath then continued with a smile, "Let's just deal with our problems another day?"

Beck cracked a smile and nodded his head. "Sounds good… Happy Birthday."

"Thanks."

The actor walked off to rejoin the rest of the teenagers as they were unwinding.

As the teenagers continued to converse while wrapping up the last of their eating and snacking, Mrs. Benson slipped beside her son and asked, "Can I talk to you?"

Freddie turned his head and looked to his mother with a surprisingly relaxed expression. "As long as it doesn't involve convincing me to go home with you."

She gave him a disappointed expression, but answered, "No, it doesn't."

"Okay."

He let his mother lead him to the living room and Mrs. Benson had a seat on the couch. He took a seat across from her in the seat previously occupied by André earlier in the afternoon.

Mrs. Benson spoke with a concerned voice, "Now that you're eighteen and you'll start your last semester on Monday, so what are your plans after graduation?"

Freddie softly smiled as he answered while resting his hands on his knees, "I need to discuss with Jade what her specific plans are after graduation, but I intend to follow her… wherever she decides to go."

Mrs. Benson frowned as she tried a surprising amount of tact in her voice even if it could be considered a hostile statement, "So you're going to put your life on hold for her acting career or whatever she decides to do?"

Freddie blew out a breath and tried to explain, "I'm going to adapt my plans to give hers priority. Wherever she wants to go, I have the grades and the money to go to the nearest college to study and I can always take online courses."

"Have you thought about attending college in Seattle?"

Freddie took a deep breath and put on an impassive expression. "I'm not sure what acting opportunities Jade would have in Seattle and I know she's not too thrilled with Canada, so I don't have much confidence that she wants to work in Vancouver."

Mrs. Benson pursed her lips as she saw from Freddie's eyes that any further discussion on the matter would be pointless, so she decided to end it before she really start irritating him. She stood up and smiled as she instructed him, "Well, you should get back to your friends."

He gave her a small smile then headed back to the dining room.

The afternoon was finally winding down along with the party and the guests started making their departures. André laughed while patting Freddie on the shoulder, "That was fun man; we got to find an excuse to do this again real soon."

"Yes we do. Have a safe drive my friend." He looked to Tori and the slim girl pulled him into a hug then smiled warmly as she bid farewell, "Happy Birthday again. I'll see you on Monday."

"See ya Tori."

Cat grinned nearly ear to ear as she opened up her arms wide for a hug. The muscular teenager scooped the childlike teenager up into a hug and actually lifted her off of her feet causing the girl to laugh out in joy. "Thanks for coming Cat." He sat her back on her feet and she continued to laugh as she walked out with the Tori and André.

Trina stole another kiss from his cheek then waved at him as she exited the door.

He shook his head and smirked then looked to the other couple. "Sinjin, Ava, thanks for coming and let your sister know that I appreciate the birthday wish.

The short girl smiled as she replied with a laugh, "I will… I think it'll make her day. Take care." The couple then headed out of the door.

Dusty was the next to leave with a pat on Freddie's back. He looked to the couple and stated with a good cheer, "I'll see you two around. I hope the rest of your day's great." The Southern teenager looked to Mrs. West and smiled as he gave a polite nod. "Ma'am, thank you for the hospitality." He did likewise for Mrs. Benson, but the smile was somewhat forced.

As he was heading out the door, Freddie called out, "I love the shirt."

The webmaster laughed as he turned and replied, "Thanks, you want me to get you one?" He laughed and turned to go before the teenager could answer.

Rex laughed as Robbie walked with him to Freddie, "Wasn't as big as Kenan's, but it was a blast."

"I'm glad you weren't disappointed."

The puppet laughed one more time as Robbie bid his farewell and made his way out the door to wait for Beck.

Beck paused with an awkward smile before the couple. "Happy Birthday and thanks again for the invite."

Freddie answered with a somewhat guarded tone. "You're welcome." He passed Jade a glance and the former couple exchanged a look then he turned to head out with a somewhat relieved expression.

The blue streaked haired girl turned her head to look at Freddie and whispered, "Did you have a good time?"

He grinned as he turned his body to her and answered, "The best." He wrapped his around the small of her back and brought her into a surprisingly chaste kiss.

About an hour later after helping up with clean up and dropping his gifts off in his room, Freddie took a relaxing breath while sitting on the front pourch swing with his right arm wrapped over Jade's shoulders and her head snuggled into the crook of his neck. The blue streaked hair teenager wore a content smile on her face holding him and her legs curled up on the swing.

They were a near mirror of how they were about eighteen hours ago along with an equal amount of contentment.

However, that was interrupted when Mrs. West stepped out of the front door to walk in front of the couple rested against the banister of the front porch. He smiled up at her and greeted, "Hello Mrs. West."

She smiled in returned and offered a small gift wrapped box. "I have a present for you."

Jade sat up in her seat as she was curious to what her mother could have gotten Freddie.

Freddie put on a slightly embarrassed smile as he replied, "You didn't have to do that Mrs. West."

She gave him a knowing smile. "It's not from me." She handed him the small box to the teenager and he graciously accepted it.

He carefully opened the top and pulled out a framed picture. He blinked as he saw was an older picture of him and Carly. Jade held her tongue for the moment at seeing that Carly would send him a gift.

The brown eyed boy read the accompanying card: "I hope you have a Happy Birthday and that you'll keep this as one good memory, Carly."

Freddie let out a tired breath while Jade gave him a supportive expression and placed her arms around his shoulders. He studied the picture and specifically the smile the pair shared. It really felt like a lifetime ago and in a way, it was.

Mrs. West softly smiled as she commented, "If you can reach out to him, you can reach out to her…" She pushed off the banister then leaned forward to leave a soft kiss on his forehead then whispered with a heart filled tone, "Thank you for my father." She stood up then headed back inside before the brown eyed teenager could respond.

Freddie remained silent as he turned his attention to the photograph in his hands. He reached up with his right hand and placed it over Jade's left hand resting on his left shoulder. Jade gave him a soft kiss on the cheek then rested her head on his shoulder as she let him battle with the torrent of pain, anger, regret and all the other emotions in his heart that surrounded his past love and role in his life.

She whispered out, "Whatever you decide… I'll be here."

He cracked a soft smile as he pulled himself out of the emotions to meet her welcoming blue eyes. "Thank you… thank you for making this the best birthday I've ever had."

She lifted her head once again so she could give him another kiss. "You're welcome."

Freddie placed the picture back in the box and held it in his lap as the couple settled back to rest with one another and wait for the sun to set as they did in San Francisco weeks ago.

Author's note: Thanks for reading. If anyone thinks I'm being a little picky with Mrs. Benson in the food, she really has been shown to be that picky with food in a recent iCarly episode. Next update should be my interpretation of Tori and Jade's Playdate in two weeks. Take care.


	12. Chapter 12: Tori and Jade Playdate

Author's note: Happy December everyone! I'm posting this chapter a week early because I got it done early and the particular Victorious episode this week. I'm going to save my opinions on what I know so far about it. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Agent-M-0167: It's a relaxing chapter, but with some important groundwork laid for the future. There is no such thing as a filler chapter. Of course, you never know when the next footwear will drop.

EddieVF: I'm glad you got the chance to catch up and have enjoyed the story. I'm sorry that I have spoiled you with my writing. Also, from my understanding, the reason the finale seemed rushed was because it was originally just going to be a half hour, but Dan decided to make it an hour to get more humor in… I would have squeezed every bit of wrapping up any loose ends that the last season didn't do… which it didn't in my opinion, but that is for another discussion.

PD31: Maybe Ruby is, maybe not. It depends on what Fate wants. Freddie only having temporary peace? Knowing me as an author, what do you think?"

Jeremy Shane: Okay, another chapter for you. Thanks.

darck ben: Character development? Of course because there are no filler chapters. Dusty's shirt of course served a purpose of showing support and adding the iCarly touch with the Penny-Tees since he's still a fan. If I get the time, I would like to try my hand at a Tori/Freddie story.

Challenge King: You hope Freddie will talk to Carly? :D Dusty's interaction with Marissa was just another demonstration of loyalty to Freddie and if Marissa tones down mother hen mentality, she'd probably quite readily approve of him as a friend to Freddie.

Twilight Warrior 627: Thanks, I can't have the story constantly being high drama because I would be too emotionally draining to read and write. About the 'What if', like I say in that story, it is up to you as the reader if the story or any element of the story relates to 'WLEO', so I can't really comment.

Special Guest Star Miranda Cosgrove

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Chapter 12: Tori and Jade's Playdate

Sikowitz's Advance Acting Class II  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Monday, February 6, 2012

The bell rang as Sikowitz quickly walked into the classroom cupping a coconut in his left hand and tapping on it with his right fingers on the first day of the new semester and his new class. He quickly reached the stage of the classroom and turned to look at the filled class with almost all the same students as last semester (but a noticeable one or two were missing) and greeted them with an exaggerated pirate voice, "Good morning, little mutants."

He quickly tossed his bag to the left side of the stage and sat his coconut down then started, "Alright, now it's time for… bad news," he finished with a sad voice and cupped his hand together in front of him.

Rex spoke up from Robbie's lap as the pair sat together to Freddie's left, "They found out coconut juice makes your hair fall out?"

Sikowitz sucked in a breath for a high pitched laugh then quickly answered with a slightly irritated filled voice, "_No_." He released his hands and casually paced to his right. "We're going to do an acting exercise about giving bad news."

Jade was leaning back in her usual chair with Freddie on her left and looked up to the eccentric teach and asked with a tired voice and soft voice, "Why?"

Sikowitz mocked in return, "Why?"

The class looked at each other with slightly confused expressions, but Sikowitz ignored them as he continued, "To teach you that acting often involves making choices about how to say things. For example, how do you give someone bad news and make it seem not so bad?"

Cat's right hand shot up and excitedly answered, "By telling them in a language that they don't understand?"

Sikowitz happily answered as he quickly pointed at her, "No Cat!" He clapped his hands and motioned for the redhead to come on stage. "Just come up on stage here. Robbie, you too, up up." He clapped his hands as he stepped off stage and the pair took their positions on stage.

"And now your partner in this little acting exercise…" He walked to the back door of the classroom and opened the door as he finished, "Tanner—come in!" He rested his right hand on top of a young boy that entered the classroom. The acting teacher then introduced the child, "Everybody, this is Tanner, a young boy who lives next door to me."

The class eagerly greeted the boy to make him feel welcomed with various greetings and waves as Sikowitz directed him to have a seat in Cat's former seat. The teacher then walked to the stage behind the teenagers to continue, "All right, Cat and Robbie—here's a card with some random bad news for you to give to Tanner."

The teacher quickly walked off stage to stand behind Tanner and let the teenagers take a look at the card with Robbie acknowledging, "Got it," with Cat voicing, "Oh, okay."

"Good, now improvise a scene where you have to give Tanner that bad news in a way that doesn't upset him."

"Uhmm…" Cat started the lifted off of her heals to whisper into Robbie left ear.

Robbie took a step back after hearing her suggestion, "Ooh, that's good!" The ventriloquist turned to walk to the left side of the stage and quickly picked up an acoustic guitar and put the strap over his shoulder. "A?" he asked the redhead as he started drumming the strings.

She nodded her head then the pair turned to Tanner. Robbie started singing, _"This kind of news is always hard to tell someone…"_

Cat picked up, _"And we really hope it doesn't break your heart…"_

The pair picked up together, _"But somebody ran, yeah, somebody ran, a woman or a man, maybe in a van, somebody ran over your go-cart."_

Robbie shouted as he played the final note, "And it got crushed!"

Cat shouted joyfully as she threw out her arms, "It's unfixable!"

The class started clapping at the pair's performance.

Sikowitz cheerfully praised the pair, "Yes, now that's how you give bad news. See, the boy's smiling." He dashed off to the back door of the classroom as Tanner commented, "Yeah, that was really cool. You guys just made that song up, right now?"

Cat and Robbie nodded with the curly haired boy answering, "Yeah, yeepidy-do"

Sikowitz pushed in a dolly with a large cardboard box to the boy and started, "And now Tanner, this is for you."

He stood up and saw that the box was filled with parts to a go-cart. He picked up the detached steering wheel and started, "My… my go-cart."

The teacher began to apologize with an awkward tone, "Sorry, but at night, your parents' driveway looks a lot like mine." He patted the boy on his right shoulder and started leading him out the back door as he continued, "Now off ya go. There ya go… scooch along… there's the door… drive safely…"

Tanner exited and Sikowitz quickly closed the door behind him and pressed his back to the door while placing his left balled fist to cover his mouth in embarrassment.

Tori asked with complete shock, "Wait, you really ran over the boy's go-cart?"

He embarrassingly answered, "Three times. I thought it was a raccoon." The eccentric teacher instructed the pair on stage to take their seats as he took the guitar from Robbie. He put the guitar back on the stand and happily began, "Now let's talk about the new play I'm directing."

Jade dryly interrupted, "Do I get to star in it?"

André turned in his seat to look at the pale girl and countered, "Uh, I think it's my turn to star in one of Sikowitz's play."

"Why are you talking?" Jade countered with a slightly furled brow.

A number of students started arguing among themselves and Sikowitz interrupted with a loud voice, "There, y'see? Every time I cast a new play, you all get your panties in a pretzel. So this time…" He turned and picked up an old small shipping box with various US Postal Service stickers on it. "…you people will choose your own roles."

He walked to André and offered the box to him and instructed the songsmith, "André, pick a role."

He reached into the box and pulled out a folded piece of dark pink paper. He read it out loud to the class, "Tommy: ten year old identical twin brother of Carter."

Sikowitz started making noises of a race car and turned to Beck sitting to André's right in the front row and offered him the box. "Beck, pick a role."

Beck licked the tip of his right pointer finger then reached into the box. He picked out an orange piece of paper and read it out loud, "Carter, ten year old identical twin of Tommy." He looked over to André and commented, "I guess we're twins."

André snorted out a laugh, "Momma's got some explainin' to do."

A soft laughter came over the class then Sikowitz started up his noises again as he walked around to stand between and behind Jade and Freddie. He offered the box to the dark brunette and instructed, "Jade, pick a role."

She picked out folded yellow piece of paper and started reading, "Uhm… Nancy—loving wife of astronaut Walter Swain."

Freddie reached up to pick his part, but Sikowitz quickly pulled the box away from him as he continued to make his noises. Robbie intended to grab out of the box as well since he was next in line, but Sikowitz dodged the ventriloquist's hand as well and walked over to placed the box in front of Tori.

Jade glanced over hesitantly to meet Freddie's eyes as he wore a perplexed expression at the teacher skipping him and Robbie for a part.

Tori gave the balding an awkward smile then hesitantly pulled out a slip of paper. She cautiously read the note, "Astronaut Walter Swain, husband of Nancy." She looked to the acting teacher and was about to ask for confirmation, but Jade interrupted, "I'm suppose to play her wife?"

Tori turned back to the box and attempted to put the green piece of paper back into the box. "I'll just pick another card."

Sikowitz pulled the box away from the teenager and started his way back up the stage holding it up as if it was a trophy. "No, my box has spoken."

The girls looked to each other with confused expressions as Freddie sat there dumbfounded.

A rattle coming from the cardboard box caught André's attention and literally pointed out, "Ah, Sikowitz, I think I just heard something move in there with the go-cart parts."

The acting teacher cautiously approached the box while remaining on the stage. A raccoon poked its head out then jumped out of the box.

Sikowitz cheerfully shouted, "I knew it!"

The class looked dumbfounded and Cat sucked in a breath as the animal scurried away.

Hollywood Arts High School  
Monday, February 6, 2012

Jade walked down the stairs to head for her next class. She felt a little odd heading to her next class right after Sikowitz's class because they use to have the last lunch of the period then have forth period last semester, but for some reason this time around they had first lunch. She was going to have to adjust eating an hour and a half earlier.

She made her turn as she reached the bottom of the stairs and turned just in time to see Tori distractingly approached her. The pair stopped in front of one another and Jade dryly commented, "I don't want to be your wife in the play."

Tori sarcastically snapped back as she rested her left hand on her hip, "I don't want to be your husband in the play."

"Ohh…" Jade replied sarcastically then walked past the brunette.

Tori turned her head to look at the passing dark brunette and mocked in return, "Ohh…" She shook her head then headed up the main stairwell.

As Jade continued on her way down the hallway, she passed Ava heading into the opposite direction. Seeing Sinjin's girlfriend triggered a thought, so she quickly stopped and called out to the shorter girl, "Hey Ava?"

The brunette stopped and turned at the sound of someone calling her name. She smiled at seeing the pale girl and happily answered, "Hey Jade."

The actress wore a curious expression as she asked, "Hey, I didn't see you in class; what's up?"

Ava slightly frowned and bowed her head as she commented with a somewhat regretful tone, "Oh, I didn't sign up for his class. I got into another acting class with a different teacher."

Jade's brow knotted as she asked with a perplex tone, "Why?"

The shorter brunette shrugged her shoulder. "I'm just tired of being ignored by him so I thought what was the point of signing up for his class when he's just going to pick Tori to play the lead again in all of his plays." She looked back up to meet the taller girl's eyes. "He's never going to give me a shot or anyone else. How many times has he passed over you for Tori?"

Jade instantly frowned at her pointing out one of the major problems she had with Tori in the past then her expression turned into one of surprise at Ava feeling the same way. She knew the shorter girl's feelings in general about being passed over for roles since Halloween, but never involving Tori's name.

The fellow actress continued as her voice steadily filled with irritation with her light skin increasingly becoming flushed, "I want to get some productions on my résumé and application letter before we graduate and I'm not going to get that in Sikowitz's class if he just keeps picking Tori for everything and getting her auditions. I heard about the time he got his casting director friend to give Tori an audition for a movie. Did he go through that trouble for any of us that have been in his classes since we were freshmen? I heard he even practiced with her so she could help land that new movie role she got. Has he ever done anything like that for you? He certainly hasn't for me or anyone else in our classes that I know."

Jade nodded along with the girl as she couldn't find anything to disagree with her and could sympathize with her outrage. A part of her was glad that someone else could finally see (other than Freddie) the favoritism that Sikowitz showed for Tori, but on the other hand it pricked at her that Ava wouldn't be in their class anymore; she found during the play she produced that Ava was quite the capable actress and regretted she wouldn't get to play off of her in class before they graduated. "I understand, oh do I understand; you have to do what you have to do."

The shorter girl gave a slight nod of her head and answered, "Thanks. So you decided to stay?"

Jade blew out a tired breath, "Yeah, I guess I just like him too much even if Tori's his favorite. At least I got a lead role this time."

The fellow dark brunette's brow shot up as she asked, "You did?"

The pale teenager softly rolled her eyes and commented with a dry tone, "Yeah, but so did Tori. We have the leads."

Ava laughed out softly with a hint of sarcasm, "Well what a surprise with Tori."

"Yeah, anyway we're playing husband and wife… I'm the wife."

The shorter girl raised an eyebrow and curiously asked, "Why didn't he get one of the guys to play the husband or why not just let Freddie play the part or just have her play the wife?"

Jade softly shook her head as she pulled her Gears-of-War bag tighter on her shoulder. "I don't know. He actually skipped Freddie because he had a box and we picked our own roles. Tori was the last one and got Walter the husband."

"He skipped Freddie? Why?"

Jade blew out a tired breath and answered as she was lost for an answer, "I don't know."

The shorter girl softly laughed, "Well, good luck with that. It should be an interesting performance… you and Tori as husband and wife."

She narrowed her eyes on the girl and slightly frowned.

Ava just laughed louder from the pale actress' facial expression.

Jade frowned deeper and clenched her jaw tighter in what she hoped would have been a more intimidating expression.

The shorter actress smirked as she questioned, "What are you going to do to me? Destroy me socially? I'm dating Sinjin, remember? How lower can I go on your stupid scale?"

Jade rolled her eyes then shook her head as the girl made even more good points. She let out tired breath, "I got to get to class, see ya around."

"See ya later Jade," Ava replied with a soft smile then turned to head for her own class.

In route to West Residence

Freddie was behind the wheel of his Charger driving him and his girlfriend home after school as he shook his head and muttered out with a regretful tone, "So Ava signed up for another acting class because she was sick over being overlooked for parts?"

Jade turned her head to his direction and nodded as she commented, "I can sympathize."

"I know you can… it's funny I pointed that out to Tori after she landed her part for the movie. Sikowitz and his blasted favoritism… speaking of Sikowitz, what was the box thing all about? Am I missing something?"

Jade shrugged her sweater covered shoulder while answering, "Your guess is as good as mine. That's the first time he's done that."

"He should have just picked roles; he's the teacher. He's supposed to be teaching us and picking the best roles for us that are going to help us. I wished I would have pointed that out to him during class or that he should be paying for Tanner's go-cart."

Jade softly rolled her eyes as she turned her attention to the front of the car. "That would make far too much sense for him."

Freddie slightly cocked his head to his right and casually commented, "But then again, he did pick Tori. He knew there was one role left, so pick her and skip me and Robbie? Why does he want Tori to play your opposite?"

She softly shook her head, "I don't know, but it's still an interesting question." Jade rolled her eyes and blew out a breath at thinking about the possibility of who else could have played her husband. She snorted out with mild disgust, "I wouldn't want to play Robbie's wife."

Freddie chuckled, "I don't know. That would be an interesting performance to see."

She slightly frowned and snapped her head to look at him.

The hint of a smirk with the raising of the right corner of his mouth was the only acknowledgement of her stare as he continued, "Then there's me. It might have been a little awkward for us to play husband and wife."

She crossed her arms in front of her and leaned back in her seat with a playful smile. "I don't know. It might be a little interesting to see us all domesticated?"

Freddie chuckled as he kept his eyes on the road, "Aren't we already sort of domesticated? We're heading to the same home."

She ran her tongue underneath her bottom lip then pointed out with a grin, "You're the one that's made it a point that we don't 'live together'. We don't share living space… we have our own rooms, our own bathrooms, we only share the living room and kitchen, we do our own laundry and we don't share every dinne—"

"Your mother does your laundry and I cook almost half the time and you enjoy every meal."

She slightly frowned as she had to admit, "Okay on those points, but not the rest." Her frowned turned into a hopeful expression, "I'm just saying it's different, just like you… we aren't making a home together. It might just be interesting to pretend for a play… how it would be to be husband and wife…"

Freddie remained silent for a few moments that Jade grew a little bit of concern with the direction she had taken the conversation until he whispered out with an affectionate tone, "With children of our own?"

She cracked a smile to his question and whispered back just over the sound of the driving, "Yes."

He let the faintest of smiled stay on is face as he whispered, "Hopefully I'll give my recessive gene instead of the other one and our daughter will have your eyes?" He let out a soft laugh, "Do you think she would be upset if we named her Sapphire if she does have blue eyes? Or do you think two generations are enough for precious—semi-precious stone names? Then again I don't want her nickname in school to be _Sap_."

Jade bowed her head and did everything in her power to suppress a smile. After a few moments, she answered, "I think we have plenty of time to figure out names for a girl." She looked up to see that his eyes were on the road, but could tell that a piece of his mind was continuing to debate on the name and to an extent of a life with her. She let the smile form on her face and remained silent as to not divide his attention any further from his driving.

SBI Studios  
Hollywood, CA  
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Freddie rested his bottom against the left fender of the Charger parked in the underground garage to the office building as he waited for his friend to exit the building in the late afternoon. After the un-noteworthy day at school and the second rehearsal of Sikowitz's play, Freddie gave Tori a ride to the studio after dropping Jade off at home. He expected Tori down any minute after her wardrobe fitting and getting a copy of her script for the movie.

The minute didn't take long to pass as he spotted the smiling brunette exiting the garage's elevator. She spotted him a moment later with a huge grin on her face and waved a pack of paper in her left hand he assumed was the script to the film as she made her way over to him.

The brunette was so excited as she approached, once she was in arms length of the former Seattleite, she pulled him into a hug.

Freddie laughed out, "Oh, someone's excited?"

Tori's smile was a bright as she saw him as she pulled back and rested her hands on his muscular biceps (while still gripping the script in her left hand). "You wouldn't believe how excited I am. I got to meet some of the other cast members and the fitting went great."

Freddie gave a quick sideward nod of his head as he pushed off the finder of the Charger and take a step backwards further down the car as a signal that they could continue the conversation on the road. "I'm certainly happy to hear that," he told her as she walked around the front of the car towards the passenger side.

Freddie hated to kill the good mood the girl was feeling, but he felt he had to voice his concern to his friend, "Do you think you can work on both?"

Tori smiled as she tried to reassure him and dissuade his fears, "Sure, rehearsals don't start until mid-next week and we're only doing the play on Monday and Tuesday. I think we're doing great so far even if I can tell Jade is kind of uncomfortable about the whole thing, so I can go ahead and start learning some lines now."

"Okay, I just don't want you to overdue it and get stressed out." He softly laughed, "I'm not looking forward to seeing a stressed out Tori… I've seen it before, it's not pretty."

Tori gave him a half smile and teased him while she looked over the top of the vehicle to meet his eyes, "Freddie, has anyone ever told you that you're too sweet?"

Freddie chuckled as he opened the driver's side door to the Charger and slipped inside, "I think a few ladies may have mentioned it."

The slender brunette snorted out a laugh and slipped into the passenger seat.

The brown eyed teenager started the ignition and soon the pair was on their way.

The drive was pretty smooth and without much delay on the surprisingly light road traffic. Tori went on about the cast and when they would start shooting and how they were going to work around her schooling in the hopes she wouldn't miss much or hopefully none at all. After she caught him up with everything, he curiously asked, "About the play, why do you think Sikowitz skipped me and Robbie with his box auditions?"

Tori slightly frowned and blew out a soft breath as she thought on the question. "I don't know. I thought it was kind of weird when he wouldn't let me pick another role, but I haven't given it much thought. Just go ahead and go with it to get it out of the way."

Freddie nodded along and glanced away from the brunette. "Yeah, I can understand that. You have enough going on right now without having to worry about a fight with Sikowitz over a part in one play, but I think it's kind of weird too."

The brunette turned her head to look at his profile as she asked, "Were you hoping to play the husband?"

Freddie nervously laughed, "No—not really, I didn't give that part much thought when he was doing it, just… excluding me and Robbie to specifically let you be in it. I found that kind of… odd."

Tori bowed her head slightly with a somewhat embarrassed expression and responded with a hint of shame in her voice tone, "I guess he was just playing favorites again… I heard that's why Ava dropped his class and got into another one… I know some others are whispering about it and aren't happy."

The muscular teenager blew out a breath and partially rolled his head as he retorted, "That's not your fault. He's the one doing it for some reason."

Tori turned her head to look at the passing businesses and whispered out with a tone filled with uncertainty and regret, "It didn't matter to Jade for a long time, so why should it to them?"

Freddie took a soft breath and remained silent for a few moments as he focused on the road. He finally answered, "Maybe it won't, but I know the truth and Jade finally realizes it and if Jade can, they'll eventually realize it."

The younger teenager turned her gaze back to him and let a small relieving smile form. She whispered in return, "Thanks."

Freddie chuckled as he countered, "You can thank me by getting us tickets to the red carpet premiere of your movie."

The actress let a joyful laugh out then responded, "Deal."

West Residence  
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Jade was sitting quite comfortably in her burgundy chair with her laptop resting in front of her, but just because she was sitting comfortably didn't mean she was comfortable. The blue/greenish eye girl wore a frown as she looked upon the screen of her PearBook waiting for the other girl to accept the chat invitation.

The chat request was finally acknowledged and a window quickly opened to reveal the familiar brunette from Seattle, Washington.

Jade lifted her chin up just enough and gazed downward at the screen as if she was royalty and looking down at a peasant. At the moment, Jade needed that emotional distance between them if she was going to keep her anger in check with dealing with the brunette.

Carly looked back to hesitantly and started simply, "Hi."

"Hi," Jade was able to acknowledge with a calm voice.

The fellow brunette wore a timid smile as she asked, "How are you doing?"

Jade held her tongue for a moment debating if the girl was just being polite as that would be the expected thing to say or if she was mining for information if the girl was planning something else. She found paranoia was a useful trait to have in dealing with the Seattle teenager. She briefly wondered (and chilled her heart) if there was any one else spying for the girl as spying was exactly what she assumed the girl had used Beck to accomplish whether he was aware of it or not.

The pale teenager finally answered with a guarded tone, "I'm fine, no _real_ complaints at the moment… Freddie got your present."

"Good, I'm glad. I was worried that he wouldn't get it."

Jade frowned as the backhanded insult directed at her mother even if it wasn't intention from the fellow dark brunette. "My mother wouldn't just hold on to it and not give it to him… you're still her best friend's daughter… even in death." Jade may have been a little cruel in throwing out the 'death card', but she wasn't going to let the girl get by with the insult, intentional or not.

Carly took in a soft breath as her brown eyes stared hard into blue eyes.

The singer broke the potential staring contest before it started, "So how are you doing?"

Carly's momentary bit of anger was swept aside as she put on a nervous smile then laughed off, "I'm doing alright… same old crazy adventures… we just got Sam back."

Jade raised her pierced brow as she questioned, "From where?" She naturally wouldn't be curious as to where the dirty blonde had went (other than straight to Hell) since her mind logically assumed juvie, but remembered that Colonel Shay told them that he wasn't going to be paying for any bail money, so her a piece of her mind wanted to know.

Carly softly rolled her eyes as she answered, "She accidentally got flown to some South East Asian country."

The pale girl blinked in surprise and cautiously asked if she was questioning the other girl's sanity, "_How?_"

"It started when we got her a ticket to tour the Canadian Fat Cakes factory. It's her favorite food… after meat. She, Brad, Spencer and Gibby went up there for the tour, but when they were coming home, somehow Sam didn't have any ID on her to prove she was an American, so they wouldn't let her back in." Carly nodded her head to the side as she continued, "Gibby came up with a plan to use his suitcase to hide her and get over the boarder, but someone else grabbed it and she was accidentally flown around the world."

Jade was surprised at how fast the girl could start rattling off as if they were the best of friends trying to catch up. She briefly wondered if it was the technique that the web-hostess had used to ensnare Beck into thinking he was friends with the girl. She however was not going to be taken in by the sweet and pleasant demeanor (as if she was under any other circumstances). "Canada? She so stupid she couldn't sneak back over the _Canadian_ border? It's _Canada_; you can cross the border at places without realizing it."

Carly frowned at the insult and countered, "Spencer didn't think of that—"

"I'm not blaming Spencer; I'm not trashing him, I'm talking about Sam. The great Mary Sue couldn't cross an _undefended_ border? The girl's obviously lost her touch." Jade shook her head with disgust at the stupidity of the blonde. She didn't think it was possible for her opinion to go lower for the girl, but even she was surprised.

Carly slightly bowed her head and asked with a hint of offense in her voice, "Could you please not start with the insults about Sam?"

"You're right, it's too easy with a girl who hasn't grown out of elementary school," Jade snorted out dismissively. She glanced off to the side for a moment then looked back with a somewhat bored expression as she asked, "Where were you all this time?"

The web-hostess looked down embarrassingly and muttered out, "I was at the apartment… I was getting ready for a date…"

"So? What's so embarrassing about that?" Jade sarcastically finished, "You're going out with a guy, good for you."

"I'm not embarrassed," she countered with a sharp tone.

Jade nodded upward with her head and countered, "Then what's with the flush on your cheeks?"

One of Carly's hands shot up to rest her fingertips over a cheek as her eyes widened. She dropped it a moment later and clarified, "I'm not embarrassed on going out on a date… it's just what happened before the date."

"And that was?"

Carly glanced away and answered in a hurry, "I got my big toe stuck in the faucet when I was taking a bath."

The Los Angeles teenager raised her pierced eyebrow and questioned, "You did what?"

The lighter brunette snapped her head and quickly answered, "I was watching an episode of 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' on TVLand and his wife stuck her toe in the faucet. I didn't think it was possible, so I tried it… and it got stuck. I couldn't get it out and had to spend my date in the bathtub while they were cutting off the faucet."

Jade held her tongue for a moment then questioned, "You had your toe stuck in a faucet and continued to have your date? While being in a bathtub?" She let the question linger for the slightly older girl to realize what she was alluding.

Carly quickly frowned and snapped slightly impatiently, "I had a sweater on and he didn't see anything with the soapsuds."

"I'm guessing Spencer wasn't too happy with that."

The teen star looked down and mumbled out, "He doesn't know that part… could we please not tell him or my dad?"

Jade slightly laughed, "Are you asking me to keep a secret?"

Carly looked back up to meet the bluish/green eyes and whispered, "Yes…"

Jade slightly frowned as she contemplated the significance of her requesting such a thing and the ramifications and… the opportunity from granting it. She forced an innocent smile as she calmly answered, "Yes, I'll keep your secret."

"Thanks," Carly blew out a grateful breath.

The pair grew silent for a few moments until Jade asked, "If we're done with catching up—"

Carly quickly interrupted with a slightly concerned tone, "You haven't told me anything happening with you."

The pale teenager took a sharp breath through her nose and responded with a restrained tone, "I don't have to; I'm sure Beck's filled you in on everything… since the beginning."

Carly didn't blink an eye at the revelation. She calmly replied, "He doesn't spy on you two if that's what you mean."

"Then what does he do for you?" Jade asked with a tone filled with accusation.

The Seattleite softly bit her bottom lip for a moment then answered, "He's my friend."

Jade waited for the brunette to continue for a few seconds until she realized for the Seattle girl that summed up everything for between her and Beck. She snorted out then countered, "A friend that you failed to mention you had the last time we talked or when we saw each other? Afraid I'd realize that you took advantage of him when he went to you for some comfort? Afraid I'd figure out that you'd turn around and used what he told you to sabotage me and Freddie?"

Carly's brow furled and her mouth became a thin line. "I did no such thing… and that's funny you accusing me of such a thing when you accused him of being in on it with me."

Jade returned with a harsh frown and countered, "Even you have to admit it looks pretty bad when he admitted that he had secretly been talking to you for months behind my back and what happened over New Years. It just took me a little while to remember that Beck really wouldn't do such a thing and how manipulative you can be of guys with good hearts."

The Seattle brunette looked at the Los Angeles girl with a harsh glare, which was quite surprising on the innocent face, and replied, "I never manipulated Beck. He has always been loyal to you and neither of us ever planned anything underhanded against you."

The actress stared at the web-star for a few moments before she answered the challenge, "I guess we'll see."

Carly's harsh glare turned into one of confusion. "What do you mean?"

Jade slightly frowned as she debated a risky idea that had rattled around her head since Freddie's birthday and the picture. She questioned the Seattle girl with a hint of doubt, "So… you're going to have the _entire week_ off for President's Day?"

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Friday, February 10, 2012

The last two days were busy for the group of friends with their various projects and such: Tori, Jade, André and Beck were busy with rehearsals with Sikowitz every afternoon (include later this afternoon); Tori finding time to learn some lines to her movie with Freddie taking the time to practice with her including Wednesday afternoon when André didn't feel up to their guitar lesson after rehearsals; and Cat and Robbie making money off delivering bad news to people after some of the other students in class realized how well they did it.

Cat and Robbie were doing that as the time ticked just past three in the afternoon of singing to a shorter, dirty blonde curly haired student just in front of the main stairwell, "...And we don't mean to make you feel sad, but sometimes you smell really bad."

The younger student replied with an awkward smile as he gripped his skateboard in front of him, "Wow. I'm bummed that people think I smell... but good song."

Cat happily suggested, "Just try taking more showers."

He smiled in return and nodded his head. "I'll do it." He turned and started on his way as Lane approached the pair with an awkward smile. The guidance counselor started, "Hey, you guys are really good at giving people bad news."

Robbie smiled as he answered the guidance counselor, "Thanks."

Cat smiled as she added, "We do it through song."

Lane asked as he turned and pointed to a tall and muscular teenager further down the hall, "I know, so ah, you see that big boy over there?"

Robbie asked, "Randy Bronson?"

"Mmumph," Lane answered.

Cat asked with a curious expression, "I thought he was in jail for spanking a cop?"

Lane quickly answered nervously, "He was, but now he's back."

Robbie laughed off, "You know he has a beautiful singing voice?"

Lane snapped, "I don't care. He's dangerous. Since he got three F's this semester, I'm the one that has to tell him he's expelled."

"Oh my gosh," Cat fearfully whispered in response.

Robbie asked with worry and dread, "What if he spanks you?"

Lane replied with instant worry on his face, "I know, so maybe you guys can give him the bad new for me?"

The curly haired teenager looked a little dubious of the requested until Lane held up a bill. "For fifty bucks?"

Robbie took the bills and stuffed them in his shirt pocket.

Cat patted Robbie on the arm and suggested, "Let's go sing him the bad news."

Lane offered with a motion of his hands in front of him at chest level, "Word is he has a thing for Calypso music."

Robbie looked to Cat as Lane walked away. The curly haired teenager looked to the red velvet haired teenager with a confused expression as he asked, "Calypso?"

Cat leaned forward and cupped her hand over Robbie's right ear to whisper her answer. She softly laughed as the pair approached the taller boy's back.

Robbie called out once they were in earshot of the muscular teenager, "Randy?"

The taller, muscular teenager turned away from talking to two other students with an impassive expression on his face.

Robbie started drumming on his guitar and started singing, _"Me say Randy, me say Randy, me say Randy."_

Cat picked up, _"You got three F's and you're gonna go home."_

Robbie joined with her near the end of her verse then Cat continued, _"Hey mister Randy man—"_

"—_Scary Randy Bronson"_

The taller teenager started walking towards them and they instinctively started backing up.

"_You got three F's and you're gonna go home."_

Randy wore a stern expression on his face as he continued to approach in a scarily calm manner.

"Hey!"

Randy stopped in his tracks and looked over his left shoulder.

Dusty stared back coldly with his jaw set tight.

The two students formally with Randy cautiously took several steps away.

"You need to step back from her," Dusty warned with a slight edge to his voice.

The singing pair stopped their backwards walking to see the scene about to unfold. Cat put on a worried expression at the idea that Randy could start spanking Dusty.

Randy frowned as he turned to stare down at Dusty. He took a few steps forward, "Or what? I'm not that scrawny boy Beck you dumb country hick."

Dusty slightly frowned as he stared up at the more muscular teenager. He whispered out coldly, "No you're not… you'll be more fun putting down if you want try, but all you have to do is stop walking to her and walk away."

Randy smirked as he started, "I'm getting kicked out anyway, so I'd actually like to see you—" pulled his right arm back and swung wide at him.

Dusty threw up his left forearm and jammed it in the inside of the elbow and threw up his right hand over the crook of the right side of the taller teenager's neck and gripped tightly that collar area. He pulled Randy down and jammed his right knew hard just under his diaphragm and instantly knocking the breath out of the more muscular teenager. The blow also sent the teenager hunched over and Dusty followed through with a hard smash on Randy's shoulder blades with his right forearm, instantly sending Randy to the ground.

The kicked out student struggled to catch his breath, wrapping his arms around his stomach while squirming on the floor.

Dusty let a soft smirk form on his face then looked up to the other teenagers to laugh off, "I guess I haven't gone as soft as I thought."

Robbie blinked in shock while Cat looked on dumbfounded until she saw the smile Dusty was directing to her then started softly giggling.

Lane ran up from the hallway behind Cat and Robbie and his mouth dropped opened at seeing Randy on the ground while Dusty stood over him.

Dusty smirked to the guidance counselor and commented, "I guess you needed more of a Northridge touch than a Hollywood Arts touch to let him know he's done than a song?"

Tori Vega: Rehearsing a play. I have a MUSTACHE… and I think I like it :{) FEELING: Hairy-Lipped

Black Box Theater  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Friday, February 10, 2012

Jade, André and Beck were on the stage set of a typical living room of the 1960s with a leather couch on the right side of the stage with a matching leather chair on the left. An old fashion ironing board was standing off to the side of the leather chair with a few globes and model rockets were lining the back of false brick lining under a false window.

Jade was dressed all in black with her spaghetti strapped tank top under a sheer black shirt, her standby short black pleated skirt (Freddie's favorite), black legging with her black boots. The only reason any of that was worth noting was because of the yellow flowery patterned apron tied around her waist and hanging in front of her skirt in order to get into the role of a sixties housewife was quite a stark contrast.

The blue streaked haired teenager started sobbing in her hands and had a seat on the leather seat.

André and Beck knelt down at the crying actress. André asked with childlike sympathy and curiosity, "What is wrong mom?"

Beck followed up in just as much childlike wonder, "You seem awfully upset."

Jade took a soft breath through her nose to try to cover her sobbing and brushed some of her hair away from her face and off her forehead. She looked at the two kneeling teenager and replied, "Don't you understand? Your father is an astronaut. It's his dream to walk on the moon, but now that may never happen because of his narcolepsy."

Beck curiously asked, "What is narcolepsy?"

She sniffled quickly then answered, "It's when you are always falling asleep even when you're not tired."

Sikowitz turned in his seat in the audience and pointed back to Sinjin holding a keyboard in his lap. "Car door sound effect."

The curly haired teenager quickly complied and pressed a key at the end of the keyboard.

Jade sniffled as she brushed a tear from her right eye. "I just heard your father's car." She stood up and the boys followed with Beck quickly grabbing a hold of the flowery yellow apron as if he was a small child. The actress continued, "Now boys, no matter how narcoleptic he is you pretend you don't notice." Jade brushed Beck's hands away, "Don't touch mommy."

Tori walked on stage with a navy blue blazer and wearing a mustache. She forced her voice deep and greeted them with a smile, "Nancy, boys, I'm home."

Jade wore a bright smile as she greeted, "Hi honey."

André greeted his father, "Hi dad."

Beck joined him, "Hey dad."

Tori softly tapped André on the arm and started, "Hello Car—" She fell over to her right and onto the couch with her legs flaying into the air.

Jade motioned for the boys to step away from the couch as she approached the acting teenager. "It's alright boys. It's alright boys. Honey—"

Tori jumped up into a sitting position on the couch and shouted, "I'm up." She looked to Beck and asked, "So Tommy how was school today?"

Beck pointed to himself and answered, "I'm Carter."

André followed up, "I'm Tommy."

Tori dropped her mouth open and started looking towards Jade, "Ah! What kind of father am I? I'm so darn narcoleptic I can't tell my twin sons apart!"

Jade gently grabbed Tori's upper right arm and attempted to comfort her, "It's not your fault, they're identical. Look at them,"

"Oh, Nancy you're so—" Tori dropped her head on Jade's upper left chest.

Jade's mouth dropped open, "Ah, ew…" She forced out with mild irritation as she pushed Tori off of her, "Sweetheart, darling."

Tori lifted her head Jade and shouted, "Blastoff!"

The dark brunette motioned with her right hand and forced a smile as she spoke, "No, no, you were saying I'm so…

"Right, ah… you're so good, gentle. How can you love like a sleepy loser?"

Jade force a smile as she answered, "You're no sleepy loser. You're an astronaut."

Tori gave a small smile and whispered, "I love you."

Jade cleared her throat and forced out from her lips, "I love you."

Sikowitz shouted from the front row, "Oh no you don't." He sat his copy of the script down in disgust next to his seat and stood up. He looked at the girls with a disgusted expression as he folded his arms in front of him.

"Light a candle Burf, this play stinks."

Burf answered with mild confusion, "I don't' have a candle."

Sikowitz snapped his head around and shouted, "Then get a better haircut!"

He furled his brow while Sinjin softly patted him on the shoulder, "Shake it off Burf."

"You girls are ruining this play."

Tori asked with a confused expression, "Why?"

He dismissively instructed the guys, "André, Beck—take five."

The pair turned and walked off to the back of the stage without a word of objection.

"This is our fifth rehearsal, and you two aren't getting any better at playing a believable husband and wife." The teacher quickly turned and shouted back, "Burf, be quiet!"

Burf shrugged his shoulders and looked at the acting teacher with a confused expression after taking a bite out of his yellow bell pepper.

Sikowitz turned his attention back to the girls and continued, "You girls meet me for dinner at Nozu—tonight—seven p.m."

Tori countered with a higher than normal pitched voice, "But, I don't wanna go—"

The action teacher cut her off, "Nozu."

Tori attempted again, "But why, you can't—"

He interrupted again, "Nozu!" He started making random noises then turned and started walking towards the back entrance of the theater.

Jade started, "At least us—"

"See you both at Nozu at seven p.m.!" he shouted back as he exited the theater.

The girls looked to each other with a perplexed expression then each simultaneously shook their heads.

Asphalt Café Parking Lot  
Hollywood Arts High School

The blue streaked haired girl blew out a breath as she settled in the seat of her car and pulled out her PearPhone from her leather jacket. She hit the speed dial button for the familiar number than waited for the other end to pick up. After the second ring, she was surprised that the other end picked up as she had intended to only to leave a voice message. "Hey," Freddie's sweet voice greeted her.

"Hey? Sorry, I thought I would just leave you a voice mail to check on your break."

She heard him softly laugh at the other end, "It's okay. It's a slow afternoon, what's up?"

"I wanted to let you know I'll be at Nozu at seven. Sikowitz wants me and Tori to meet up there for some reason."

Jade could almost feel Freddie smile on the other end of the phone and he spoke, "Okay… if I didn't get off so late, I could meet you there and we could have dinner."

She regretfully smiled while answering, "That's a thought, but I'm going to be out of there _long_ before you get off."

A soft laugh came from the other end, "Too bad… it would be the cherry on top to a very good week for everyone: you're starring in a play, everything's going great for Tori's movie, Cat and Robbie are actually making money off their bad news singing… I hear even Trina has a date with some guy named Seth tonight from her Theatrical Makeup class…" He finished with a purposely over the top flirtatious tone, "…you're wearing that skirt today."

Jade laughed as she mocked him in a good natured tone, "You certainly love this skirt; do you want to steal that from me?"

"You mean like you've stolen my flannel shirt or a couple of my Penny-Tees? No, you wear all of them far better than I do."

Jade let a smirk form and tried her best to withhold a laugh from his flirting. On the other end of the phone it didn't sound like he was bothering to try then seconds ticked by and he calmed himself to ask, "Anyway, why does he want you to go to Nozu?"

The pale singer rolled her eyes and glanced up at the roof of her car and answered with a slightly irritated tone, "He doesn't buy the fact that I can't convincingly make people believe I love Tori or Walter in this case or him in this case."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone for a few seconds that made the blue streaked hair girl question whether or not the call had been dropped until she heard Freddie nervously question, "I don't mean to question your acting abilities, but how do you do that anyway, regardless of who the other person is? Act well enough to convince someone… the audience you love that person? If one could just act that way so convincingly, how does the other person ever know it's real when you mean it?"

Jade lost her smile as an icy stab went into her heart. She knew in her soul that he wasn't questioning whether she was truthful in saying that she loved him, but bringing up the point in abstract was still chilling for her heart. She swallowed down the chill and took a soft breath to give her a chance to gather her thoughts for an answer. She finally rallied her thoughts enough to at least start muttering them out, "It's like any other type of scene you're trying to bring to life or someone: you classically act it out or you draw from your own emotions… and I'm not drawing on how I feel about you or how I felt about Beck for this part… there's nothing wholly unique about it and any other one. Not everyone whoever watches you ever believe you've pulled the part off…" She let out a nervous laugh, "That's kind of the point for those stupid award shows. You're only nominated because they think you've pulled the part off convincingly."

The other end of the line went silent again and caused her to worry further, but Freddie spoke up a few seconds later to brush that aside with a soft laugh, "And you hate it when they're surprised that they could have won when they've known for months they've been nominated? You know after you've made it, you need to go back to Hollywood Arts to be a guest speaker… like that's Squires guy. They need to hear you."

His statement brought out a laugh from the pale actress that soon settled into a sweet smile as melted away the threatening chill over her heart.

He laughed again, "Oh, well, I have to go. A customer actually needs me. See you at home. Love you."

"Love you too, later," Jade bid farewell with a regretful tone then pressed the end call button.

Nozu Japanese Restaurant  
Los Angeles, CA

Tori had arrived on time to the Japanese Restaurant, but neither Jade nor Sikowitz had shown up for their meeting or whatever Sikowitz was calling this get together. She decided if she had to wait for the pair, she might as well get something to drink, so she ordered from the waiter, "Iced green tea."

He smiled in return and quickly filled her order and handed her the glass.

The brunette thankfully took the glass and answered, "Thanks." Looking at the green beverage peek her curiosity and she asked him, "Hey... what makes green tea green?"

The waiter smiled as he answered, "Ahhh. Ancient Japanese secret."

Tori sweetly asked with a small, coy smile, "Oh, c'mon, you can tell me."

The waiter responded as he pulled out a plastic wrapped box from under the bar and placed it on the bar in front of her, "I just did. That's the brand of green tea we use."

He turned away to help another patron as Tori started on her tea. Unbeknownst to the singer, Sikowitz was quickly making his way behind until he shouted over her right shoulder, "Bwaaahhh!"

Tori shouted in frustration as she looked down at herself to see if she spat or spilled any tea on herself, "AHH I hate when you do that."

Sikowitz softly laughed as he took a seat next to the brunette, "I know, everyone does."

The pale actress hesitantly entered the restaurant and glanced around looking for Tori and the acting teacher.

He threw up his hand and shouted excitedly at seeing the darkly dressed teenager, "Ah, there's Jade. Jade!"

The eccentric acting teacher looked down and saw a dark liquid sitting in front of him and asked, "What is this dark little beverage?"

"Soy sauce."

Sikowitz proceeded to drink the liquid without second thought with Tori trying to hold back a look of nausea.

Jade answered with an irritated filled voice as she had a seat on Tori's left and sat her purse in her lap, "Okay, I'm here... why?"

Sikowitz patiently explained as he rested his right forearm on the bar, "Because you two need to learn to play a husband and wife believably."

Tori whined out, "What does that have to do with Sushi?!"

The balding teacher blew out a tired breath, "Listen, I once did a show where I had to play a man in great pain, so to prepare, I threw myself down a flight of stairs." He looked away as he finished, "You wouldn't believe how many times I hit my head."

Jade rested her chin on her closed right fist and nodded along as she answered with mild sarcasm in her voice, "Yeah, we would."

Tori nodded along as she agreed, "We really, really would."

Sikowitz continued, "Now, to prepare for your roles, you two must date. So have fun." He quickly got up from his seat and started to round the bar, but Tori called out stopping him in his track, "With what?"

The turned and quickly answered, "Your date."

Jade asked, "What date?

He pointed to the pair and answered, "This one." He looked to his watch-less arm and continued, "It begins now at seven o' twelve P.M. You two will stay here eat, drink, chat until the restaurant closes at midnight."

Jade got up from her seat and stated outraged, "Forget it, I'm leaving."

"Yep me too," Tori joined in the objection and stood up.

Sikowitz took a step forward to the girls. "A, if either one of you leave before midnight, you both get an F for the semester."

Tori whined, "Sikowitz."

Jade whispered, "He's not going to know when we leave."

"Oh yes he gonna, I have two spies watching you." He pointed to two teenagers, "Sinjin and Burf."

Sikowitz smirked with a self-confident smile as he departed, "Happy dating."

The acting teacher turned and quickly walked out the restaurant.

The girls in turn retook their seats. Tori looked over the counter and respectfully asked, "Excuse me, my date and I would like to know if you have a flight of stairs that we could throw ourselves down?"

He smiled politely in return then the girls quickly gave their orders. Once they finished, he turned away to prepare them while Jade blew out a breath of disgust and reached into her purse and pulled out her phone.

Tori looked over and curiously asked, "Who are you texting?"

Jade closed her eyes for a moment then looked to the lighter brunette and frowned. She debated whether to answer her or not for a few seconds then decided to answer, "I'm texting Freddie to let him know that he's actually going to beat me home for a change on a Friday and tell my mom that I'll be out past curfew. God… Freddie'll be in bed before we even leave and I probably won't see him until late tomorrow."

"You don't see each other in the morning?"

She focused on her phone as she casually replied, "He has to be at work by nine and doesn't like waking me up in the morning."

"Yeah, but he lives with you. I mean, how do you two not see each other in the morning?"

Jade frowned as she looked up from her phone and to her fellow singer. "Do you all think we sleep in the same bed? We have separate rooms. You've seen our separate rooms."

Tori looked somewhat embarrassed as she tried to respond, "I'm just… well you two are… intimate with one another or have been… and it's the weekend, so… well it's not out of the realm of possibilities that you two could wake up together and see one another?"

Jade looked back to finish sending her texts then back up at the brunette then asked, "Did you forget his birthday was last weekend?"

The younger Vega sister blinked from the sudden turn in conversation. It took her a few seconds to finally respond, "Ah, no."

The pale actress sat her phone on the counter and asked, "Then you remember how old Freddie is?"

"Yeah, he's eighteen, so?"

She nodded her head along hoping the other teenager would get her point, "I'm seventeen…"

She put on an awkward smile and shook her head. She laughed out hesitantly with a curious expression playing on her eyes, "Still not getting it."

Jade pinched the bridge of her nose and blew out an irritated breath. She looked back to Tori and explained as if she was a very stupid child, "Freddie is eighteen, an adult and I am seventeen, a minor. If we are intimate in that way before I turn eighteen in the summer, he can be arrested for statuary rape and get some jail time." She snorted out sarcastically, "I know my dad would love to see that."

Tori's eyes shot wide open.

The pale actress finished ignoring the other girl's reaction, "So we can't be intimate anymore that would lead to waking up together. God, for a girl whose father is a cop, you sure don't know much do you?"

Tori looked away embarrassed as the attendant came back and sat their respective plates down in front of the girls.

Jade finished with a cold whisper, "And if you ever tell your dad or any of his cop buddies about what Freddie and I _might have done _before or might do after his birthday, you will learn an entirely new definition of pain from me."

Any other time the younger Vega sister would have been fearful of such a threat, but she felt more insulted than anything else with Jade thinking she would betray either of them to the point of Freddie going to jail. However, the sheer seriousness of trouble Freddie could get in just being intimate with Jade made her realize why Jade would be so concerned and fearful, especially with how she knew Jade still had mixed feelings in regard to Beck's 'betrayal' with Carly and at least in her mind be justified with a little paranoia.

So, Tori let the threat go without saying a word and started sipping on her soup while Jade turned to her rice with red chopsticks in hand.

After a few bites from her rice, Jade turned to look at her with an irritated filled expression and was about to say something when Tori sat her bowl down and quietly asked, "I'm sorry. I… I guess that must be hard not being able to be that close especially after everything."

Jade turned her head and looked to the brunette with a slightly furled brow in surprise from the statement. They looked to one another curiously and unsure about the other then turned back to their respective meals.

Tori cautiously whispered out, "What's it like?"

"What?" the pale girl asked with a raised eyebrow.

Tori looked down embarrassingly at the bar countertop then took a sip from her tea.

Jade opened her eyes wide as she understood what her rival was asking. She stabbed her chopsticks into her rice and stated with a hint of offense in her voice, "I'm not going to discuss what I and Freddie may have done."

"I didn't mean…" Tori shook her head and whispered out, "Forget it." She quickly turned back to her soup.

Jade felt an odd twinge of sympathy for the girl that got on her nerves as it looked like she was genuinely curious and not attempting to be curious in a perverted way she thought Robbie or others might have been. She guessed Tori's wanted to know a little more than whatever her parents had told her about the subject and a piece of her hated to admit it, but she could understand the sentiment. Her mother had not been shy about talking to her about the 'birds and the bees' when the time came to have the conversation. Her mother thought that she should be prepared with as much information as possible and the various consequences of her choices.

The pale dark brunette started poking at her rice and quietly answered, "It hurts."

Tori turned in surprise. "What?"

She cocked a quick eyebrow as she answered, "You asked what it's like. It hurts the first time… in the very beginning and not in the good way even if he's being a gentle as he can be. It's not his fault so don't blame him, but reassure him that everything's okay unless he's a real gank that doesn't care then that's on you for being stupid enough to go with someone like that. After that… it feels _really_ good and better than whatever you do in private—if you do—and…" She paused for a moment to think of the best words to describe the rest from her point of view. She softly continued, "…you lose track of time as the two of you are in your own little world and there's nothing outside of that."

Tori looked to her enthralled with what she had to say.

Jade looked to her rice as she continued speaking, "You… the feeling of being safe takes on a whole new meaning and it needs to be because… it's the most vulnerable you'll ever feel." She took a sip of her drink then started back on her rice. "So make sure you pick a good one and not some loser."

Tori gave her a grateful nod and whispered, "Thanks."

"Whatever," Jade responded with a brushing off tone.

Tori rolled her eyes, but cracked a smile anyway.

Two male teenagers casually walked around the bar then separated to stand on either side of the girls. Suddenly the pair shouted, "Babe sandwich," then each leaned to their sides to press against the girls, pushing them together.

Jade shouted with a disgusted look forming on her face, "And this night actually gets worst."

Tori pointed to Jade then herself with her chopsticks and spoke as she ate a piece of fish, "Guys, we really want to hang out alone."

The blue shirt wearing shorter teenager motioned across the four of them and answered, "We are alone…" The taller teenager picked up, "Just the four of us."

They fist bumped and shouted, "Bejonk!"

The girls simultaneously spoke, "Oh my God."

The taller teenager with the open collar grey shirt asked his friend standing next to Tori, "So, Doctor Chad, how's the patient look?"

Chad looked down at Tori then back up at his friend to answer, "She looks like she has a chat infection."

His friend quickly answered with a loud tone, "There ain't no cure for a chat infection."

Chad pointed to himself and answered while Alan wrapped his arm around Jade's shoulders, "I guess she's stuck with me."

They fist bumped again and shouted, "Bejonk!"

Jade attempted to brush and shrug his arm off of her shoulders and upper back.

Tori Vega: Worst "date" of my life. JadeWest, if you're reading this tweet, Good.

Jade hadn't read Tori's tweet, but she did look down at her phone on the counter and let the text message on her phone continue to display: 'I'm on my way'.

As they sat listening to an African-American female and Caucasian male karaoke sing, 'The Joke is on You', Jade held back her growing irritation at knowing that Freddie was taking off work early to show up in wanting to deal with the irritating pair. He was giving up two hours of work to deal with these two knuckleheads bothering them. Once the pair was finished singing, the patrons started to clap except for Jade. They walked off the stage and another teenager walked on stage and spoke with a heavy Japanese accent, "Okay, two minute break then more karaoke at Nozu's."

The taller teenager started making a funny cooing sound as he gently brushed the underside of Jade's left cheek with the side of his left index finger and asked, "Are you ticklish? Are you? Are you ticklis—"

She jammed her elbow just under his sternum and hunched over as the wind was knocked out of him and cutting him off.

Chad motioned over the bar and asked Tori, "Can I buy you a soda?"

She shook her head and quickly answered, "No."

The taller teenager in the grey shirt pulled himself off the floor and leaned against the bar beside Jade and asked, "Where do you go to school?"

Jade decided to humor him, but answered with a cold, irritated tone, "Hollywood Arts."

The pair of boys shouted, "OHHH!" Chad motioned back and forth between him and Tori and commented, "Hey, I bet we got here a couple of song birds here, huh?"

"You guys sing songs?"

Chad laughed out, "Sing us a song."

The grey shirt wearing teenager leaned closer to Jade but looked to his friend as he commented, "We'd like to here a little songy, song action."

Jade looked to Tori and commented with a hint of a smile, "They'd like to hear a little songy, song action."

Tori smiled as she got Jade's nonverbal message. "Okay, we'll sing you a song."

"OHH!" the boys shouted in celebration.

The girls got up from their seats and headed over to the karaoke stage as the boys took their seats.

Tori smiled as she approached the sitting Japanese teenager and greeted, "Hey DJ."

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and snapped with an annoyed tone, "Breaks over."

"What do you guys want to sing?"

Tori leaned down and held some of her hair back behind her left ear with her left hands as she used her right pointer finger to scroll down the list of songs. Tori smiled as she pointed to the song then spoke, "T-Three O' Five."

He smiled at the pair and nodded in approval, "Alright."

The music started playing and the two annoying teenage boys shouted together, _"_Yeah!"

Tori started with a wag of her finger, _"Why am I always hit on by the boys I never like?"_ She saluted over her brow as she looked around. _"I can always see'em coming from the left and from the right."_

Jade picked up, _"I don't want to be a priss, I'm just trying to be polite, but it always seems to bite me in the—"_

Tori continued, _"Ask me for my number, yeah you put me on the spot."_

The lyrics switched to Jade, _"You think we should hookup, but I think we should not."_

Then back to Tori, "_You had me at hello, then you opened up your mouth—"_ Jade joined in raising her left arm in the air, _"And that is when it started going South oh!"_

The pair continued singing as they walked off the stage and around the bar to the two teenage boys, _"Get your hands off my hips, before I punch you in the lips. Stop your staring at my—"_ Jade swung her hips at the taller teenager of the pair as she emphasized, _"Hey!"_

"_Take a hint, take a hint."_ Tori wagged her finger at Chad as she sang, _"No you can't buy me a drink," _then rubbed the top of his head with her left hand, _"let me tell you what I think."_ The lighter brunette waved her hand in front of her nose, _"I think you could use a mint… take a hint, take a hint."_

Tori started around the bar then had a seat and crossed her legs at the bottom of the semi-circle. She picked up, _"I guess you still don't get it, so let's take it from the top."_

Jade strutted over with an extra swing in her hips with a sexy smirk feeling comfortable being the center of attention. Tori propped her feet up on the neighboring stool, but Jade shoved her feet off and had a seat in the stool as she continued, _"You asked me what my sign was and I told you it was stop."_

Tori sang, _"And if I had a dime for every name you just dropped." _Both girls sang in unison,_ "You'd be here and I'd be on a yacht!"_

Both girls stood up and started crossed each other to start walking around opposite sides of the circular bar as Jade saw Freddie walk into the place with André and Dusty. Jade approached her surprised boyfriend still wearing his Pear Store shirt and ID badge hanging around his neck. She paused for a moment to cup Freddie's left cheek and pull him into a hard and deep kiss. A whooping of shouts came from the rest of the patrons the she pulled away just as quickly and started singing again as she continued to walk around the bar, _"Get your hands off my hips before I punch you in the lips. Stop your staring at my—hey! Take a hint, take a hint. No you can't buy me a drink. Let me tell you what I think. I think you could use a mint."_

Tori walked over to Burf and picked up his walkie-talkie as she sung, _"Take a hint, take a hint."_ The afro wearing teenager did pass a quick glance at the brunette's behind as she walked away.

The girls circled the bar and met up at the opening with Tori taking the lead. _"What about 'no' don't you get?"_

Jade leaned forward on the other side to stare at the two unwanted teenagers, _"So go ahead and tell your friends—"_

The picked up together, _"I'm not really interested!"_

Tori sang the next line, _"It's about time you're leaving."_

Jade started her part, _"I'm going to count to three and—"_, then twirled around and raised a hand up in the air.

Tori opened her left palm them pointed at the pair, _"Open my eyes and you'll be gone."_

The pair of boys stood up from the seats and tried to start to walk away, but he girl got in their way and forced them to start walking backwards until their respective backs were against the bar railing.

Jade raised her left pointer finger, _"One."_

"_Get your hands off my—"_

Jade raised her left hand and her pointer and middle finger as she continued to count, _"Two."_

"_Or I'll punch you in the—"_

She raised three fingers to finish, _"Three."_

"_Stop your staring at my—"_

Jade jammed her palm hard into the taller of the pair just under his right shoulder and shouted, _"HEY!"_ She grabbed him by the open collar for a moment then shoved off of him as she continued to sing, _"I am not your missing link. Let me tell you what I think, I think you could use a mint!"_

The pair of girls then quickly jogged back to the platform and finished triumphantly, _"Take a hint, take a hint!"_

The crowd started shouting and cheering as the girls clamped hands together and took a bow.

The girls quickly trotted off stage then Jade immediately walked to Freddie. She wrapped her arms behind boyfriend's neck and pulled him into a tight embrace as she smashed her lips against his while he rested his hands on the small of her back.

André and Dusty shared a knowing smirk then the songsmith turned his attention to the brunette. "That was fantastic."

"And hot?"

The non-romantic couple looked to the odd guy out with awkwardly questioning expressions.

He shrugged his shoulders and innocently asked, "What?"

The Pear Store employee ignored his two friends and directed a glare at Alan, the taller of the pair of teenagers. He whispered out angrily, "So… you're feeling up on my girlfriend?"

He cracked a nervous smile at seeing the angry look in Freddie's eyes.

Chad attempted to take a step in front of them and started, "Hey pal, she didn't say she was—" Chad didn't get to finish his statement as he suddenly found the side of his face planted on the countertop.

Dusty had his right hand around Chad's right wrist holding his arm up his back and his left hand clamped over the back of the annoying teenager's neck pressing the teenager's face hard against the countertop. The Southern teenager whispered out with a grin, but cold tone, "That's still not an open invitation to put you hands on either of them… and you shouldn't interrupt their conversation."

André's eyes shot open at the aggression and the rest of the patrons interest shot up at about what the majority of them thought was about to go down.

Chad's other arm went flaying about as he tried to spit out, "Hey, get your friend off me!"

Freddie slightly turned his head to look down at the face planted teenager. He asked with a disturbingly cold tone that put a bit of worry into Jade, "Why should I?"

The teenager's face fell in concern that Freddie was going to let Dusty hurt him.

After giving him a few moments to squirm, the tech-producer smirked then graciously asked, but didn't demand of Dusty, "I think that's enough?"

Dusty commented with a mockingly disappointed tone, "Ah… I was looking forward to getting into a good old fashion bar fight." He stepped back, letting go and allowing the shorter teenager to stand up and started brushing himself off.

Chad took several breaths then asked with an outraged tone, "But three-on-two? That's real fair."

The Southern teenager frowned as he dismissively answered, "Life's not fair."

Freddie motioned his head back towards the exit. "I don't want to hear your whining. Now, you two losers get out of here before I change my mind and we do settle it that way."

The pair of friends looked to the three then to each other then scurried passed the Hollywood Art students.

André leaned slightly over and whispered to the webmaster, "Were you really going to hurt him?"

Dusty's brow slightly knotted as he answered, "Well yeah, I was. What did you expect was going to happen when he called you up and he needed you here _now_? We were going to ask them nicely not to try to feel up the girls? Were you just going to sit on the sidelines?"

"No… but that's not how Freddie rolls. He's not just going to go beat the chizz out of someone right off the bat."

Freddie turned his head to left and commented to André with a bit of bite in his voice, "Steven, Nora and Nevel made me learn the hard way that's exactly how you need to 'roll' in that kind of situation."

Before André could reply from his shocked expression, Freddie turned and walked towards the table Sinjin was seated and looked the taller teenager with a cold stare straight in the eyes. He whispered out coldly, "Call Sikowitz."

Sinjin swallowed fearfully looking up at the teenager. Freddie continued to stare and if possible looked even angrier as Sinjin delayed making the phone call.

"NOW!"

The curly haired teenager finally snapped out of it and reached inside his pocket to dial the teacher's number. The phone rang twice then the acting teacher could be heard asking on the other end, "Hello?"

"Sikowitz, it's m—"

Freddie yanked PearPhone away from Sinjin's grip and pulled it to his ear. "Yeah, Sikowtiz, it's Freddie. I'm taking Jade home and I don't care that the night's not over. I'll see you first thing Monday morning in Helen's office… if you have _the spine to show up_." He didn't wait for a response from the acting teacher as he pressed the end call button and dropped the phone on the table.

The tech-producer leaned over and looked the glasses wearing teenager in the eyes. Sinjin swallowed as he was struck with a moment of true fear that he had gotten on Freddie's side. The brown eyed teenager whispered with a cold tone, "Now I'm going to go and pretend that you didn't stab us in the back with going along with Sikowitz with this instead of telling him where he could have shoved it with his plan, _but_… you are on your own with Ava. I'm going to try my best to pretend this didn't happen, but no promises okay?"

The curly haired teenager nodded along in understanding as Freddie continued to look at him as if he was about to be on the receiving end of Freddie's wrath. However, Freddie stood up straight and started his way out of the restaurant, leaving a surprised Jade behind.

The blue streaked hair teenager called out, "Freddie—"

He stopped in his tracks and took a deep breath. He turned his body slightly to better look over his shoulder to the pale teenager.

She took in a sharp breath at seeing the coldness of his eyes and instantly recalled seeing an expression like that on his face was just before he took off to track down Beck after finding out that her ex had attempted to drag her into the janitor's closet.

Freddie remained silent for a few more moments as he held the gaze then turned to start his way out of the restaurant. He whispered out, "I'll meet you at the car."

Jade looked to the rest with a near helpless expression and all they could do in return is give them sympathetic expression in return.

Dusty whispered out with a surprisingly fearful voice, "This is _bad_…"

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that I hooked you for the next one. However since I went ahead and posted this one, the next one won't be for three weeks, but then that is on December 21, the Mayan date for the end of the world… I'll post it on the 20th.

The Randy part (before Dusty's intervention) is actually a cut scene from the episode that can be seen on TheSlap.

Later, OneHorseShay


	13. Chapter 13: Driving Freddie Mad Part 1

Author's Note: Hello everyone. I hope everyone had a great week. If you've noticed, I'm getting this out a week ahead of schedule. While writing this, I realized that I had enough for about two chapters, so I split it up to go ahead and give you the first chapter and the second half on the 20th/21st. I hope you enjoy. Also, as you can see by the title, it is a play on 'Driving Tori Crazy' since this chapter starts covering that episode as well.

Some things I need to mention from the last couple of episodes: the outfit that Jade wore in 'Cell Block' when the lost little girl showed up at Tori's house, that is the exact outfit she was wearing during Freddie's birthday party except of course she was wearing the blue and white patterned one from 'iOMG' and two, the way Trina was talking to André's grandmother in 'Tori Fixes Beck & Jade', that's how she gets in Mrs. Benson's face :P

Thank you all for the reviews and let me hit some of the major things instead of a full response to each point (As I think I've personally responded to them all, let me know if I haven't):

Twilight Warrior 627: Dusty didn't know that Lane put them up to it at that point.

darck ben: Thank you… I now have an idea for a Tori/Freddie fic, but if I really get started, it'll put me further behind in everything else and I'm already too far behind, but with Christmas break soon… don't be surprised with a lot of updates on January 1st including maybe something with them.

Challenge King: Jade won't let Freddie slip into Perdition without a fight and won't let her pride get in her way.

PD31: Certainly not be the time to tell him.

Jeremy Shane: Thanks

Fanfic-Reader-88: The thing is, Sikowitz isn't anymore janky in the last chapter than he was in the episode. He skipped Robbie in the episode as clear as day, so skipping Freddie too wasn't any big deal.

green aura: What Freddie said to Sikowitz on the phone was actually the edited line I changed at the last minute. In the original line I wrote, he doesn't say spine, but something else.

That was my take on a cut scene (that is on TheSlap), so I had Dusty appear because it is an important element to _Cat's_ story. I'll let you in on a little secret; Dusty is used for a plot device nine times out of ten to further the main characters' story (and the tenth time is to provide viewer commentary since he is an in-universe iCarly fan).

All three showed up at Nozu because Freddie called them for backup. He was expecting a straight up fight when he arrived and he wasn't going to play nice by having it a fair fight. As he pointed out, experience has taught him that the only way to deal with such threats is to bring more firepower to the table to settle it his way.

Bucio: I think it is kind of hard to blame Freddie for becoming a little paranoid about the world gunning for him since the world _is gunning after him_ as it is a story convention in iCarly such as Sam being able to eat like a pig yet not gain a pound and her superhuman strength or somehow Carly can't get a decent guy even though she looks identical to Miranda Cosgrove and she's somewhat famous. It is a story element that Dan has put into the series.

Agent-M-0167: I surprised you. Watching someone break affects their love ones, especially when it looks like there is nothing that can be done for them. Of course Jade doesn't believe that as a future chapter will show.

Happy Reading.

Special Guest Appearance by Jennifer Connelly as Ruby Lynn West

Rating: T for some Language

* * *

Chapter 13: Driving Freddie Mad Part 1

Principal's Office  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Monday, February 13, 2012

Worrying was not an activity that Jade usually directed a lot of her attention or energy into, but for most of the weekend and this morning, that was exactly what she had been doing in regards to Freddie and now that they were sitting on the couch in Helen's office, she felt that worry had been quite justifiable. He had worked overtime on Saturday to make up for the lost time on Friday night that cut in on their time to see one another, but then had as little conversation with her as possible. What was even more concerning for her was that he had not came back from his and André's morning strength training routine and said that he had last minute plans for the entire day and wouldn't say where he was going or would text a few cryptic words back when she called to check on him.

Freddie not wanting to talk about Friday and being practically gone for the weekend got her nearly to the point of freaking out. She realized that Dusty was making an understatement when he said things were bad.

As the blue streaked hair teenager tried to suppress her worry, she and Freddie were not the only ones in the office other than Helen; Mrs. West in impeccable business attire was sitting in one of the chairs in front of Helen's desk and she didn't look all that pleased either. The other seat was left vacant waiting for their 'guest' to arrive. Her mother had remained silent on what happened on Friday night and surprised her with coming to school this morning to have this meeting. She knew Freddie hadn't bluffed about seeing Helen, but she didn't expect her mother to join the meeting. In all honesty, she didn't expect to be at the meeting herself.

The quartet didn't have to wait long as the door to the office open and Sikowitz was nearly pushed inside with Vice-Principal Dickers' hand on a shoulder. The Vice-Principal wore an irritated expression at apparently being an errand boy, but gave a respectful nod to Mrs. West and Helen before turning and heading back out of the office.

Sikowitz glanced around and laughed nervously as she saw Mrs. West turn in her chair to look at him over her shoulder, "Mrs. West… always a pleasure…"

The raven haired beauty frowned with a look of disgust on her face at meeting the acting teacher's eyes.

He looked over to the sitting teenagers in the hopes for a warmer reception as he greeted the couple, "Freddie, Jade…"

He was disappointed as Jade tried to remain relaxed, but her face betrayed her slight nervousness for the teacher and Freddie wore an impassive expression as he had his arms crossed over his chest, but his eyes told Sikowitz that the young man was still quite displeased with him as he was with the brief words he spoke to the teacher before hanging up on him Friday night.

Sikowitz turned his attention to the former child actor and asked, "You wanted to see me?"

Helen's mouth was a thin line while she gave Sikowitz a cold stare as she instructed, "Sit down."

Sikowitz pursed his lips for a moment and took a soft breath as he had a seat next to Mrs. West.

Helen began with an irritated filled voice, "I think you know why you're here."

Sikowitz nervously laughed, "Look, Principal Dubois, I think there's been a lit—"

She was quick to snap in interrupting, "You threatened to give Fs to two of your students for the _entire semester_ if they didn't _go out on a date_… I'm taking it quite seriously and considering what kind of disciplinary action I'm going to take against you."

Sikowitz frowned at the prospect that she was actually going to try to discipline him over something he considered silly, but the look on the principal and Mrs. West's faces showed that they didn't find it funny.

Freddie spoke up with disgust, "You're shocked that some of us would be upset over your stunt?"

Sikowitz turned in his seat to look at the stern faced young man who continued unabated with venom filling his voice, "After all they've done for you since being here: helping your friend out with performing as the Diddly-Bopps, Tori taking you to a play to celebrate your ten years of teaching when all they gave you was a one cup coffeemaker then jumps through hoops to cheer you up when your ex-girlfriend left and took the three legged cat, Tori and Jade helped making a float to perform in your next girlfriend's parade so you could impress her, _but_… you apparently didn't appreciate none it at all if you could just readily threaten to mess up graduation and college with an F for a semester that just started last week. So yeah, someone just might be _pissed off_."

Jade tried to go unnoticed as she focused on the floor. She liked Sikowitz, but Freddie's points about what they had done for him yet he was so casual about threatening to flunk her without any hesitation was a wakeup call. She was hesitant to call it for what it was, but she couldn't ignore the feeling with Freddie's recap of what they had done for Sikowitz (even if they had gotten something out of it): betrayal. It was a sickening feeling she thought she was putting behind her in regards to Beck, but it came roaring back to the forefront of her heart and mind. It was not something that she ever really wanted to feel again.

Sikowitz laughed out nervously trying to relieve some of the tension in the room, "I may have gone a little overboard by threatening to flunk them for the semester, but it was only an acting exer—"

Mrs. West snapped, "You sure as Hell went to far!"

The acting teacher cleared his throat and attempted to continue, but Mrs. West wasn't finished, "It was not an acting exercise. You rigged your so-called random acting assignments as soon as Jade pulled out her part. You knew only the husband part was left and you purposely skipped over Freddie sitting next to her then skipped the Shapiro kid so that Tori could get the last part." She snorted out a quick breath then continued, "You didn't tell them to method act out a date as their characters, Nancy and Walter, like you did at you stupid little sleepover—that I wasn't thrilled about by the way when my daughter came back from it with a _bandaged hand_—so they could get comfortable playing the parts; no, you told them to be themselves under the idea that it would help them play a convincing married couple. Sounds more like you were trying to force some kind of romantic relationship on my daughter with Vega from the start."

Sikowitz's mouth dropped opened and eyes nearly bugged out of his eye sockets.

Ruby still hadn't finished laying into him with one last comment, "The only one who is going to choose my daughter's sexual orientation is my daughter; not me, not anyone else and sure as Hell not you and as you can tell for the moment, she's already chose one, so butt your damn nose out of my daughter's personal life before I _cut it off_ along with some other parts of your anatomy."

Helen looked down at her desk for a moment as she was hoping that Mrs. West would have not pointed to the elephant in the room that the date he had force on had been between two apparently heterosexual female students. She nervously commented, "That's a pretty… inflammatory accusation to make."

Ruby ignored the acting teacher and looked Helen in the eyes and stated with absolute conviction, "If he had tried this with one of the gay, lesbian or transgender students with a gender not compatible with their orientation, people would be demanding that you get him out of here right this minute for trying to impose heterosexuality on those students. It doesn't matter what his motivations were, it's how it looks and it looks like that is what he was trying to do. Perception _is_ reality for people and I should know; I make a living off of it in the advertising industry."

Sikowitz cleared his throat and began, "Mrs. West, what I was attempting to do… what I was hoping was that the experience would have them get along better. Jade and Tori have had problems for a long time and—"

"It's none of your damn business how my daughter gets along with your little _pet_."

Jade's ears perked up with that description of Tori and Freddie snapped out his perpetual annoyance with equal surprise at Mrs. West's statement.

The acting teacher shut his mouth quickly and turned his head slightly to hear better out of one ear then asked, "Pardon?"

"You heard me: _your pet_. There's a reason why she doesn't like Tori: your constant and blatant favoritism of her over my daughter."

She turned to Helen and continued, "Since Tori Vega was admitted in this school, he and the other teachers have repeatedly given parts in performances to her over my daughter. I can perfectly understand and support the idea that all the students, if they have the ability, are to be given the opportunity to be the lead in a performance, that's the point of this _being a school_. That's not my problem; my problem is that Jade hasn't been given any leads _because_ of the Vega girl. It is always her and no one else and the other students are starting to notice they are getting passed over for her as well. Heck, when my daughter tried to do something on her own, he canceled a preplanned performance so that Vega could have the venue to throw her last minute prom."

Sikowitz cleared his throat as he looked as if he was caught by the assertion. "Mrs. West, I believe you are misinformed. I have done other productions where Tori has not been in the lead."

"I'm aware of your play where you had André and Shapiro as the leads, but they were all male roles. It would have been far too obvious to everyone to what you were doing… except for this one."

Mrs. West shifted in her seat and rested her right forearm on the armrest as to look him straight in the eyes. "Name the last production you did where little Caterina was in the lead? Name me one of your productions where the female lead wasn't Tori?"

Helen asked curiously, "Caterina?"

She passed a quick glance to the former movie theater manager and answered, "The short sweet redhead."

"OH…" she responded as if she was tasting something bad in her mouth she wanted to spit out.

Ruby frowned as she asked with a hint of annoyance, "You have a problem with her?"

Helen cleared her throat as Jade may have scared her, but the mother could be terrifying. "No… she's sweet."

The pale woman snorted out then looked back to Sikowitz. "Well?"

Sikowitz cleared his throat. "I can't recall."

"Because there haven't been any." She looked back to Helen as a bit of flush was forming on her pale cheeks at the outrage she was feeling for the acting teacher. "He's finally gotten to the point where he's threatening my daughter's grade because she won't bow down and kiss the Vega girl's ass and thinking she is the greatest thing that's happened for this school like he wants everyone else to think." Ruby snorted out in disgust, "You probably just want to sleep with Vega."

Sikowitz mouth dropped open then he retorted in outrage, "Ma'am, I take offense to that accusation."

She cocked an eyebrow and challenged the acting teacher, "Be offended all you want. Do you have another reason why you favor her so much that you would like to share with the rest of us? Or are you going to attempt to insult my intelligence and deny you're doing it? Think carefully about the last part before you say anything."

Sikowitz kept his mouth shut as she stared him down. He saw where Jade got her ferocity from and he would admit it scared him a little.

Helen saw that tension were running way to high for them to maintain any kind of civil conversation for much longer, so she asked to cut to the chase, "Mrs. West, what can I do to satisfy your complaints?"

Ruby held her gaze at the man that attempted to manipulate her daughter then looked back to Helen. "You mean short of having him fired?"

Jade sat up straighter and instantly put on a look of shock. Freddie wasn't surprised at all from the suggestion and he couldn't feel any real sympathy for the man that put his girlfriend in the crosshairs.

Sikowitz sucked in a breath at realizing that Jade's mother was outraged enough over everything that she wanted him out of his job.

Helen slightly frowned then spared a glance towards Sikowitz. She looked back to the pale woman and answered, "He's been here ten years and it's…"

Mrs. West waved her off, "Yes, I understand the difficulties of getting rid of lousy teachers. My…" Ruby paused as she recalled bittersweet memories. "My late dear friend was a school teacher and the safeguards to protect her from false allegations or incompetent administers are the same ones used to prevent getting rid of incompetent fools like him. It's a double edge sword and all."

Sikowitz began, "Now madam, I resent that too—"

Mrs. West snapped her head to look at the balding teacher and hissed out, "I don't give a damn what you resent. I have sat on the sideline far too long because you're her favorite teacher, but no more. I will not let you mistreat my daughter and attempt to screw up her future plans."

Helen spoke up before the pair could get into a verbal match, "What can I do?"

The dark haired woman took a calming breath then looked back to Helen to answer, "He does not get final say in my daughter's grades. I want someone double checking to make sure he isn't finding any excuse to give her a lower grade if he can get by with it. I don't want anyone in the actually performance part of the school double checking the grades because I think they are in it together. I want one of the academic teachers… a math or science teacher."

Sikowitz spoke up, "They don't have the experience to—"

"They are certified teachers and you must have some grading rubric to grade your students objectively. They can go by it just as easily as you. You have been grading your students objectively, right? Even Taylor had one to grade kindergartners' finger-paint and she had a Masters in Art History and a successful artist who's opinion alone would have been enough to grade them, but didn't."

The balding teacher kept his mouth shut.

Ruby shook her head, but remained silent.

Helen interrupted the potential staring match with a curt tone, "Done, anything else?"

The hippy teacher tried to hide the shock that she had agreed to such a demand. Now he would have to deal with another teacher looking over his shoulder in his grading.

Mrs. West quickly answered, "There will be no retaliation on Jade or Freddie from him. If I find out about it, I'm suing him and _you_ personally and I have a very good lawyer… my ex-husband learned that the hard way. So you need to keep him on his leash."

Helen looked over to Sikowitz and stated in no uncertain terms, "I'm not losing one cent over the account of you, so you better behave yourself or I will have you fired and I don't care how much support you get from the Union, it will not take me _years_ to get rid of you."

Sikowitz kept his mouth closed and actually looked like he was getting angry from his facial expressions.

Helen snorted out a breath and asked with a curt tone, "Anything else?"

"Yes there is one other thing."

"And that is?"

"An apology. He owes my daughter an apology and one to Freddie for having to miss work. Whether he gives one to the Vega girl is none of my concern, but he will apologize to them."

Helen looked to Sikowitz as the acting teacher frowned.

The acting teacher slightly frowned then got up from his seat to stand in front of Jade. He cleared his throat then started, "Jade… I'm sorry. It was wrong for me to threaten you like that. It was wrong and out of line."

The actress gave her favorite teacher a nod of her head and answered softly with a small smile, "It's okay."

Sikowitz let a relieved smile form on his face at her apparent forgiveness. He looked to Freddie and took a breath at seeing the less than friend disposition on the young man's face. He began with a somewhat apprehensive tone, "Freddie, I'm sorry."

The tech producer nodded along for a moment then stood up to look Sikowitz straight in the eyes and he calmly replied, "Well… you can shove that apology up your ass, because I know you really don't mean it."

Sikowitz took in a sharp breath and the rest were equally surprised. They would be more surprised as Freddie continued with a cool voice, "You don't think you did anything wrong and even if you did mean it, I would tell you the same thing. I let the whole Christmas thing go… I chalked it up to a one time thing, because we all mess up. I certainly know I have in my life, but this stunt showed me who you really are…" He took a step towards the teacher so he couldn't break eye contact. "You're no different from Briggs or Howard who enjoyed torturing me at Ridgeway. You just do it with a smile on your face to make people think you're the nice teacher while you insult us to our faces and behind our backs, play favorites with Tori and just play us off one another if it can pay off for you in someway." Freddie took a deep breath and finished with a confident smile, "You are my enemy and I'm not going to pretend you are anything but that."

Jade bit her tongue as she listened to the harshness of the reply and to the comparison he was making to the teacher he had told her about during the summer.

Freddie snorted out in disgust then turned and headed out of the door leaving behind a stunned Sikowitz. Jade instantly chased after her boyfriend out the door, but Mrs. West waited a moment. She turned to look at the acting teacher in the eyes and whispered coldly, "I mean it you baldheaded freak; you try to mistreat my daughter or Freddie again and I'll let Steven Shay know. I believe you've met him before?"

She turned and started on her way not waiting for an answer as Sikowitz swallowed in fear.

Helen whistled then commented, "You really wazzed off the wrong people Sikowitz…"

* * *

Two class periods later and Freddie Benson was still nursing a cold fury towards the acting teacher. He was thankful that he had lunch before having to go to Sikowitz's third period class for some additional time to cool off before having to deal with the man and at least act civil to him. However, before he met up with Jade and the rest of his friends, he had stopped at the bottom of the main stairwell with a group of concerned classmates currently and formally in Sikowitz's class that heard the news. They were obviously curious at the news they heard in regards to Tori and Jade and the morning meeting with Helen.

Dusty rested his right forearm on the guardrail of the stairs and shook his head and softly laughed, "I'm trying to get over the fact that bleeding heart liberal hippy tried so blatantly to impose homosexuality on them."

A lovely sandy blonde girl standing one step above the floor on the stairs snorted out in disgust and gave the Southern teenager a harsh frown.

Dusty looked up and retorted before she could say anything, "Oh don't give me that look Paige; you'd be pissed and saying that he was trying to impose heterosexuality on you if he had told you to date me under the notion that it was for an assignment or he'd flunk you and you know what? I think your _girlfriend_ would kind of be pissed off too. Teachers should not be trying to get us to choose a sexual orientation. I think we can do that all on our own."

She opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it and slightly bowed her head as she apparently saw his point.

Freddie shouted in frustration, "This isn't about heterosexuality or homosexuality!"

His tone and loudness caught everyone's attention so he could continue, "This is about him threatening to fuck over my girlfriend because she doesn't bow down and kiss Tori's feet. _It's not Tori's fault_ and everyone better remember that, but we all know he plays favorites and Friday he crossed a line and now he knows it…" His angry expression turned into one with a devious smirk, "…and I still have one more surprise for him."

The students looked to one another and passed nods and mumbles of agreement. They also passed along with their looks that they are remembered for after the former famous web-critic Nevel Papperman was carried way: jank with Freddie and Jade at your own risk.

Freddie finished with a curt tone, "If you'll excuse me… I'd like to eat a peaceful lunch before having to see him again." He didn't wait for anyone to speak as he turned and headed for the Asphalt Café.

The rest started dispersing with Dusty shaking his head in worry for his friend. Paige hung around for a few more moments and leaned down to whisper in Dusty's right ear, "I would have been pissed along with my girlfriend out of principle… but not on a date with you."

He raised his right eyebrow in confusion.

She coyly commented as she walked passed him, "I don't wear labels," then winked at him over her shoulder and headed down the hall.

Dusty shook his head and muttered, "Thanks dad… I didn't think I inherited that from you."

Black Box Theater  
Hollywood Arts High School  
3:45 PM, Monday, February 13, 2012

Jade, André and Beck were back on the stage set near the end of their performance with the Black Box filled to capacity.

The scene was set in the same typical living room of the 1960s with the same leather couch on the right side of the stage with a matching leather chair on the left. The old fashion ironing board was standing off to the side of the leather chair was still in place along with a few globes and model rockets were lining the back of false brick lining under a false window.

Jade was wearing a blonde wig that went just passed her shoulders to her royal blue vest over a red dress that reached her knees with white squares in a pattern over her dress.

The blonde teenager sobbed in her hands and had a seat on the leather seat.

Carter (Beck) and Tommy (André) knelt down at their crying mother dressed in blue collar shirt and red pants. Tommy asked with childlike sympathy and curiosity, "What is wrong mom?"

Carter followed up in just as much childlike wonder, "You seem awfully upset."

Nancy took a soft breath through her nose to try to cover her sobbing and brushed some of her hair away from her face and off her forehead. She looked at the two kneeling teenager and replied, "Don't you understand? Your father is an astronaut. It's his dream to walk on the moon, but now that may never happen because of his narcolepsy."

Carter curiously asked, "What is narcolepsy?"

She sniffled quickly then answered, "It's when you are always falling asleep even when you're not tired."

Before she could say anymore, she was interrupted with the sound of a car door shutting and locking.

Nancy sniffled as she brushed a tear from her right eye. "I just heard your father's car." She stood up and the boys followed with Carter quickly grabbing a hold of the hem of her flowing summer dress as if he was a small child. The actress continued, "Now boys, no matter how narcoleptic he is you pretend you don't notice." Nancy brushed Carter's hands away, "Don't touch mommy."

Freddie walked on stage in full Service Dress, but was missing the mustache Tori wore during rehearsals. He greeted them with a warm smile and confident voice, "Nancy, boys, I'm home."

Jade, André and Beck were stunned for a moment in seeing Freddie instead of Tori walk on stage. Sikowitz's face fell completely in shock sitting in the front row at the replacement as did the audience, but they waited in baited breath at seeing Freddie being a surprise substitute. Lane sitting beside the acting teacher put on a concerned expression.

Freddie as Walter took another step forward to 'Nancy' and continued to smile warmly to her and meet her eyes.

Jade quickly replaced her surprised expression and slipped back into character with an equally pleasant smile as she returned the greeting, "Hi honey."

André picked up without a missing beat, "Hi dad."

Beck joined him, "Hey dad."

Walter softly tapped Tommy on the arm and started, "Hello Car—" He fell over to his right and onto the couch with his legs flaying into the air.

Nancy motioned for the boys to step away from the couch as she approached her husband. "It's alright boys. It's alright boys. Honey—"

Freddie jumped up into a sitting position on the couch and shouted, "I'm up!" He got back on his feet and brushed his uniform jacket down to look at Carter and asked, "So Tommy how was school today?"

Carter pointed to himself and answered, "I'm Carter."

Tommy followed up, "I'm Tommy."

Walter dropped his mouth open and started while looking towards Nancy, "Ah! What kind of father am I? I'm so darn narcoleptic I can't tell my twin sons apart!"

Nancy gently grabbed Walter's upper right arm and attempted to comfort her, "It's not your fault; they're identical." She motioned to her right to the teenagers and finished, "Look at them."

The boys awkwardly smiled towards their father and the reaction brought out a soft laugh from the audience.

"Oh, Nancy you're so—" Walter stopped speaking and dropped his head on Nancy's upper left chest.

Nancy brought her right hand up to the back of his head and softly stroked it with a gently brushing of her fingertips. She turned her head just enough to press her lips on his forehead then tenderly whispered blurring the line between actress and role, "Sweetheart, darling, wake up."

Walter lifted his head off of Nancy so fast that this hat went flying off of his head and shouted, "Blastoff!"

The blonde motioned with her right hand and patiently as she spoke, "No, no, you were saying I'm so…"

He rested his hand on her upper left arm as he answered, "Right, ah… you're so good, gentle. How can you love a sleepy loser like me?"

Jade took a soft breath because it was more than just a line of dialogue to her. Nancy whispered with the gentle and unyielding support of a lover and finished with a sense of admiration, "You're no sleepy loser… you're an _astronaut_."

Walter gave a small smile and whispered, "I love you."

Nancy smile and tenderly whispered, "I love you."

Walter moved in and Jade expected the hug as was rehearsed, but he slightly tilted his head to the right and away from the audience as to allow him to softly capture her lips and rest his hands on her hips.

Jade sucked in a soft breath through her nose in surprise, but quickly returned the kiss and rested her hands on his shoulders.

The crowed already started clapping before the couple could even pull away from their kiss. Beck did everything he could to remain in character and not frown at the sight.

The couple (on stage and off) pulled away a few moments later then locked hands together to take a bow. André and Beck quickly joined them in a bow as the audience started clapping louder with Dusty in the back row let out a sharp whistle of approval.

Sikowitz wore a sour frown and tightened his crossed arms in front of him.

The actors turned to their right and slipped off stage as the audience members' applause waned and started to get up from their seats.

Once they were off to the side of the stage, André and Beck gave the couple some privacy to talk and to meet up with the rest in the audience. Jade grinned to her boyfriend and blew out a breath to comment happily, "That was a surprise."

He softly chuckled in return, "I hope it was a pleasant one," then stole a quick kiss.

She laughed and quickly licked her lips to taste him then replied, "Yes it was… but how? How did you pull that off? I didn't know you had looked at the script."

"I practiced with Tori for most of the day yesterday. That's why I was so evasive to tell you where I was. I really wanted to surprise you."

She smirked and softly bit her bottom lip before replying, "Well you did a great job. You nailed it perfectly."

"Thanks."

She brought her right pointer finger to stroke over his upper lip. "No mustache?"

He smirked in reply, "Your mom explained to me that Walter wouldn't have a mustache; it's against Air Force regulations." He took a step back to motion over his uniform. "She even double checked to see if the uniform was correct… and I made myself a lieutenant colonel for the trouble. Your mom said that the insignias use to belong to Colonel Shay."

"So she was in on it too?"

The tech-producer chuckled as a response then looked over his left shoulder and nodded backwards. "Think your fans would like to see you."

They walked out into the auditorium with a few audience members still making their way out while their friends congregating around and congratulating Beck and André. Freddie even spotted Tori as she had joined them after changing (Freddie and Tori of course had not worn the same costume). The redhead was the first one to notice the couple and quickly dashed to them. Cat giggled and brought Freddie into a quick hug then pulled away to comment, "You were great." She quickly turned to Jade and did the same, "You too."

Jade's eyes widened for a moment then put on a hesitant smile and patted her friend on the back.

Freddie smiled warmly at his younger friend and answered, "Thanks Cat."

Lane smiled and gave Freddie a quick pat on the left shoulder. "Fantastic Freddie. You slipped right in there without a problem. That's impressive."

The tech-producer slightly bowed his head and laughed out, "You're too kind Lane. I'd love to say that it was just falling back to improve skills, but it's everyone else should be getting all the credit." He looked to André and Beck as he finished, "That was amazing how you guys picked right up when you were expecting Tori. I just had a few lines."

André chuckled as he retorted, "Now you're just being modest walking in there cold and not missing a line."

Freddie smirked as he passed Tori a quick glance. "Oh, I didn't walk in cold; I rehearse with Tori on Sunday."

The brunette countered with a playful smile, "You got it down in the first hour; I'm not sure why you thought you needed the entire afternoon."

"I needed to make sure I nailed it and understood the character enough to improvise if showing up really threw everyone off and I know you appreciated the extra rehearsal." He let out a soft laugh, "At least I didn't have to put on one of Trina's dresses to _really_ get into the role of Nancy."

The joke brought out a laugh from the rest of the teenagers.

The laughter was soon interrupted with Sikowitz clearing his throat as he swept his gaze across Tori, Jade and Freddie. "That was… a nice job Freddie. It was a good surprise for the audience."

Freddie wore a coy smile as he replied with a faintest hint of dismissiveness in his voice, "Yeah, it was… Tori's a _great teacher_."

Sikowitz slightly frowned at the sly insult from Freddie (and he was taking it at a jab at his teaching ability). "But, it was Tori's grade and rol—"

Freddie lifted a corner of his mouth to interrupt with a chilling tone, "It was _my role_. You skipped me and I wanted it back—" he shrugged his right shoulder as he finished, "—so I got it back. If you have a problem with that, we can go see Helen right now."

The cheerful camaraderie was quickly extinguished from the potential standoff between the teacher and student. Lane wore an awkward smile as he debated on how he should diffuse the situation.

Sikowitz decided to take the decision out of Lane's hands and commented with a curt tone, "Good show everyone." He quickly turned and made his way out of the Black Box.

Everyone looked to Freddie with awkward and embarrassing expression in being put in such an uncomfortable position.

Freddie wore an even expression as he answered them all without shame or fear, "He started it… and he's the one that needs to take the step back, but if he doesn't, I'm finishing it on _my terms_."

The group of friends quickly passed each other looks to try to gage what the other was thinking while Lane looked on with a worried expression.

The tech-producer threw them for a loop as he suggested with a bright smile, "How about we go to Nozu and celebrate?"

Tori was quick to speak up to help shift everything to a positive mood, "That sounds like a great idea." The others quickly agreed with the idea with a trading of nods and mutterings.

Freddie glanced to Jade then André and Beck as he commented, "We'll all meet out in the parking lot after we change? Sounds good?"

The other actors agreed with the rest going along and were about to start on their respective ways, but Tori suggested while pulling out Freddie's digital camera out of her jacket pocket, "Did you forget about the pictures?"

Freddie spoke up, "Yes, I almost did. Thanks Tori."

Jade smirked and drew herself closer to Freddie. She raised her right hand up and let her fingertips barely touch under Freddie's chin and pucker her lips to kiss him on his right cheek, but stopped just before her lips touched him.

Tori took a quick snap then another one just in case then the actors gave several more poses along with Beck and André.

Once finished with the pictures, they started separating to meet up in the parking lot and head to the dressing rooms. As Freddie and Jade turned, Lane called out, "Freddie, can I talk with you?"

Freddie stopped and looked over his left shoulder at the concerned guidance counselor with a guarded expression. He passed a quick glance to Jade then back to Lane to answer, "Another time."

Lane opened his mouth and looked as if he was about to argue, but so decided against it with a nod of his head.

The couple then went on their way passed the stage and to their respective dressing rooms, but just as they were separating behind the stage, Jade pulled Freddie to a stop and asked with a wicked and playful tone, "So you practiced falling on each other's chests all afternoon?"

Freddie slightly tilted his head to the side and smirked as he whispered in the authoritative voice he used for Walter, "Is my sweet Nancy jealous? Are you saying you're the only girl whose heart I can rest my head on?"

Jade was about to answer when he interrupted with a hushed tone in his own voice and by leaning in so close that their noses almost bumped, "It's a rhetorical question. The answer is yes. You are the girl whose heart I rest my head on."

Jade wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him in for a deep kiss. He smiled into the kiss and rested his hands on her hips.

* * *

Dusty was bringing up the rear of the group of friends exiting the rear of the theater, but he stopped and noticed a familiar girl seated on the last row and second to last seat on the end, but couldn't see her face as she had her head down and brunette hair covering each side of her face.

He had to take a moment to put on a worried expression then called out to the rest, "I'll meet you there."

Cat laughed and waved to acknowledge that she at least heard him.

Dusty scooted down the last row and had a seat on the left of the arms crossed girl. He whispered out in concern, "Hey?"

The girl looked up and immediately saw that it was Ava.

She quickly responded in surprise of his presence, "Hey?"

He slightly frowned and asked with a deeper tone of concern, "Cohen, are you okay? You look… kind of out of it."

She looked out around him and saw that they were alone in the theater. She questioned in concern, "The show's over?"

Dusty's eyes widened as he hesitantly answered, "Yeah it's over. What's wrong?"

She turned her eyes to the lean teenager and questioned with a curt tone, "Who says anything's wrong?"

He cracked a wide grin as he commented/questioned, "You didn't realize the show was over?"

The brunette took a breath and leaned back in her seat so her bowed head would let her eyes line up with her jean covered knees. "Nothing's wrong."

"Has anyone told you that you're a bad liar?"

She snapped her head up and gave him a cool stare.

He shrugged his right shoulder and commented dryly, "Just saying."

She turned her head back to look towards the stage and tried to ignore him.

"I'm not expecting you to talk to me about—whatever, but do you really want to wallow in whatever this is or maybe you want to come with the rest of us to Nozu?"

She softly rolled her eyes as she answered, "I don't like sushi."

He cracked a smile as he followed up, "I don't care for raw food, but they want to be all celebratory, so why not join in?"

She glanced away from him and awkwardly asked, "Is Sinjin going to be there?"

Dusty's brow slightly furled and his mouth became a thin line as he answered hesitantly, but truthfully, "I don't know, but I guess so."

Ava tightened her arms around herself and snorted out a breath.

Dusty bowed his head and quickly pursed his lips before trying to nonchalantly ask, "Ah, so that's the problem? Wasn't he sitting with you during the show?"

She turned her head to meet his eyes and stated, "I didn't come with him, not really. I wanted to support Jade."

"So Freddie guessed right? Van Cleef is in the doghouse with you?"

She snapped her head away to focus her eyes on the exaggerated size moon in the background of the set. She shook her head and whispered out with a hurt filled voice, "I can't believe Sinjin would go along with Sikowitz in that stupid stunt. He knows how the man is. He made fun of his sister Courtney for God sakes and he's dismissive of him, he knows how I feel about him, and he knows how much Jade's done for me, so why? I wouldn't have put it passed Sikowitz in trying to flunk them, so why would he do that? And why would he just sit there while they were harassed by those horny dogs?"

Dusty took a slow breath and looked out to join her gaze on the moon. He opened his mouth in attempt to give her an answer, but no sound would come out of his mouth.

She caught the gesture from the corner of her right eye gave him a questioning expression as she watched him try again to answer, but aborted the attempt.

The webmaster snorted out dismissively then finally answered, "Aw to Heaven with it, I can't make any excuses for him. He should have known better for all the reasons you just gave."

Ava lowered her head and let a soft frown form on her face. She whispered out, "What would you have done?"

He raised an eyebrow and commented with levity in his voice, "What would I have done? If I was Freddie, I probably would have knocked him out right then and there."

She cocked her head to the side and curtly responded, "No, I mean—"

"If I was Van Cleef?" he quickly interrupted and shrugged his right shoulder then answered his own question, "I would have told Sikowitz what hole he could have put it in."

Her abrasive expression yielded to one quiet wonder as she whispered, "And if he said he'd flunk you if you didn't?"

Dusty smirked as he dropped his voice to her soft level, "I would have told him he could put that in the same hole. I refuse to be Judas… your boyfriend's lucky Freddie didn't take out his anger on him right then and there with all the baggage Freddie's carrying."

The brunette snorted out a laugh then settled to answer the teenager's second point, "I know what he's carrying. I was there when Jade told you the whole story on New Years, remember?"

Dusty nodded along with soft smile. "Right, but…" he trailed off with a hint of hopefulness.

She gave him a curious expression, "What?"

He leaned slightly toward her and smile as he responded with a hopeful tone, "We all screw up and none of us are perfect… not even angels, so… maybe cut him a little slack? Assuming he realizes how bad he screwed up of course, but if he doesn't… then you have some serious problems… then that's for another discussion."

Ava took a few moments to think on his words as he gave her a supported expression with his eyes. She finally whispered, "Thanks."

"You're welcome," he answered as a bigger smile formed on his face. He motioned his head to the door. "You wanna catch up with them?"

She put on a relieved smile and answered, "Yeah, I would."

Dusty stood up and offered the actress his left arm. She smirked in return then stood up and graciously accepted it so the pair could make their way out the door and joined the rest.

West Residence  
Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Freddie sat on the edge of Jade's bed and smiled down at his sleeping girlfriend lying on her left side with her head snuggled into the pillow and left arm under the pillow. He had to suppress the smile that she was curled up in a ball to sleep. He wondered briefly if that was how she normally slept or was it because of the chilly night. However, he couldn't spend time debating the answer as he had more pressing matter.

He knew the dangers of waking her up when she was sleeping by herself and she wasn't in his arms, but he wanted him to be the first thing he saw on their first Valentine's Day together.

He glanced over to her nightstand to see that her alarm clock was about a minute away from going off, so he reached over and turned it off. He continued to smile down at her as he rested his hand on top of the clock and leaned over to softly kiss her forehead then down to her right temple and across her pale cheek.

The pale girl's eyes initially closed tighter feeling that she was being tickled until her subconscious realized she wasn't being tickled and a small smile formed on her face. She continued to gently steer as he placed various butterfly kisses on her face until she finally started blinking her eyes open.

She took another moment to focus her vision to see Freddie sitting beside her with a playful smile. She smiled in return and whispered, "Morning."

"Good morning and Happy Valentine's Day."

She snorted out a soft laugh then answered, "Happy Valentine's Day."

He bowed his head and put on an embarrassing smile before his began, "I'd like to offer a disclaimer before we start today?"

She sat up in bed and pulled her legs up to a semi-crossed manner under the cover to balance sitting up and knotted her brow. She asked slowly, "Okay?"

"As you'd know, but may not really realize the significance, I've never been with _anyone_ during a Valentine's Day, so I have absolutely no experience to draw upon about how it should really play out, but I'm going to muddle through and hope I make this a good one for you."

She leaned forward and draped her arms over his shoulders and loosely held her hands together behind his neck. She blew out a surprisingly tired breath even if she just had a good night's sleep then said, "Well I guess I'll just have to hold your hand today?"

Freddie let out a genuine hearty laugh and was able to mutter through it, "That would be a nice way to spend the day, just holding your hand, but I have a few things up my sleeve for today I hope you'll like."

She leaned just a little closer to him and captured his lips in a gentle kiss. She pulled back and gave him a play smirk. "I have a feeling I will."

Freddie motioned his head to the door and suggested, "Well why don't we get started with breakfast?"

Jade put on one of the biggest grins he had ever seen on her face.

Asphalt Café  
Hollywood Arts High School

Tori did not look too well as she sat at the blue metal grilled table. She wore a mournful expression and had a little Band-Aid over the bridge of her nose. Fortunately, she wasn't by herself in her misery as André, Jade, Freddie, Cat and Dusty were having lunch with her to cheer her up as the rest were in a pretty good mood.

Jade and Freddie had nothing to complain about as their last two classes were surprisingly a breeze and before that, Freddie had set up a playlist through his car's stereo system of all of Jade's favorite songs and stopped by for some coffee.

Cat was particularly happy as munched on the chocolate candy between her bites of her lunch as Dusty had got her candy for 'her day' as she called it because to her, it was named after her. She had shown her gratitude by placing a kiss on his right cheek, but it comically left a chocolate outline of her lips on his cheek from the partially melted chocolate that lingered on her lips. The Southern teenager was in no particular hurry to wipe his cheek off.

André chuckled as he held a French fry in his hand, "Oh come on? Riding with Beck was that bad?"

"I got in a fight with four idiotic girls!" Tori answered defensively then wiggled her little Band-Aided nose and finished with a slight whimper, "My nose really hurts."

Freddie questioned with a raised brow, "You took on four girls?"

"Yes. Oh and one of 'em bit my elbow!" she answered raising her left elbow. She looked at the bite mark and complained with a fearful tone, "Now I'm probably gonna get Northridge Fever."

Dusty snorted out a laugh and shook his head.

Tori turned her attention to their addition and stated with somewhat outraged voice, "That's not funny."

"I know it's not; that's why it wasn't a humorous laugh. Hopefully Northridge fever is the only thing you'll get… I should know," he finished with a roll of his eyes. "Just one of many reasons to escape from that place."

She nodded her head in acknowledgement that any further conversation with him on the topic would be preaching to the choir.

Jade knotted her brow as she asked with evident confusion on her face, "Why were four Northridge girls in Beck's car with you?"

The brunette shook her head and flippantly answered, "Apparently girls just show up at his house in the mornings wanting rides to school and he just gives them to them."

The green streaked hair teenager looked to her boyfriend with a questioning expression to see if he had heard what she heard. His jaw went slack and eyes went wide. Jade looked back to Tori and asked hesitantly, "He gives girls he doesn't know rides to another school?"

Tori nodded as she popped one of her own French fries into her mouth.

Jade just blinked and shook her head as she didn't know what to make of that.

Dusty raised an eyebrow and questioned, "Okay, while you were taking four-on-one, what was Beck doing?"

Tori took a sip from her straw then answered, "Driving."

The lean teenager slightly bowed his head as he questioned again, "Driving? He just drove?"

"Yeah."

The Southern teenager shook his head and muttered with mild shock, "Wow… I knew he was an asshole, but… _damn_."

Tori cocked her head to the side and frowned while Cat sucked in a sharp breath and covered her mouth with a hand. Jade and Freddie put on mild expressions of shock at hearing such a description.

Dusty raised an eyebrow and countered Tori's stare, "He's not my friend. I don't have to sugarcoat anything. He stands by while you take on four-on-one odds and doesn't do a thing to help? _That's messed up_."

Freddie laughed out, "I'm your friend and you don't sugarcoat anything for me."

The leaner teenager put on a careless expression and shrugged a shoulder. "I'm consistent then."

Freddie remained silent and started taking particular interest in his food as he agreed with the assessment, but didn't want to jump into that part of the conversation.

"What was he suppose to do?" Tori forcible challenged.

"Oh I don't know, stop the car and do whatever it took to get them off you?"

Tori tilted her head slightly to her left side and asked with a hint of concern, "Has anyone told you that you might be a tiny bit prone to violence as a solution to a problem?"

Dusty chuckled for a few moments then answered, "I just might, but I'd like to point out that the times that you know that I've been violent, it's when a guy has or wanted to put his hands on a girl in a threatening manner or without her permission. They instigated and I finished it: Pretty Boy put his hands on Jade, Randy was stepping up to Cat and that boy at Nozu putting his hands on you when you wanted to be left alone. Oh, and you wouldn't be worrying about having Northridge Fever or a hurt nose if I was there if you had been riding with me. And one last thing? Since this is California, you'll probably shock at seeing a guy other than Freddie and Harris that actually has his spine and not actually being a de-balled feminized little wuss."

Tori frowned and turned her attention to her food as she hated to admit his point.

Jade smirked as she enjoyed the little picking at Tori and maybe putting her a little in her place in not knowing everything.

The former Northridge student continued, "Fill me in on all this, why do you suddenly need a ride to school and aren't you driving yourself?"

Tori blew out an irritated breath through her nose and rolled her eyes before answering, "They're shooting a movie just up my street and they've closed it off, so it's a forty five minute drive to school. I usually ride with Trina for what's a five minute drive, but I can't deal with her for that long, so I need another ride."

André quickly answered for her, "And she doesn't have her license."

Dusty squinted is eyes as he questioned, "But you have your permit? You can drive yourself with a permit in California."

"Yeah, but we don't have another vehicle."

André laughed, "I guess your dad really didn't get you that car for taking Trina with us to Yerba."

Tori turned her attention to her musician friend and gave him a slight scowl.

André spoke up and lifted his hands up in surrender, "Okay, low blow, I'll just pick you up tomorrow to make it up to you."

The brunette put on a relieved smile. "Thank you, that's a relief. I'm feeling better already just hearing that."

Freddie spoke back up, "Well, I have something that I hope will make you feel even better."

"What's that?" Tori asked with a slightly furled brow.

Freddie reached into his book bag sitting on the bench beside him and pulled out two carefully wrapped tubes of silk paper. He handed one to Tori then another one to Cat. The brunette looked to him completely baffled as she looked to the paper than to Freddie. Cat looked just as confused.

Tori asked, "What's this?"

He gave her a ghost of a smile and instructed her, "Just open it."

She raised an eyebrow as she opened the paper along with Cat doing the same thing. Each paper was revealed to be covering a single yellow rose.

He grinned ear to ear as he commented, "Happy Valentine's Day my friends… girls should get flowers on Valentine's Day."

Tori let a hint of a smile grow and gave a bashful bow of her head while Cat was giggling up a storm. She whispered with a heart filled tone, "Thank you."

Freddie gave a slight nod of his head as Jade raised her pierced eyebrow and playfully questioned, "You don't have one for me?"

The tech-producer chuckled and gave her a knowing smile that she instantly picked up on. "You don't give yellow flowers to your girlfriend… well not on Valentine's Day anyway."

"I wasn't talking about the color."

Freddie just softly laughed and maintained a smile that just screamed to Jade that Freddie had something planned.

The dark brunette shook her head and turned to her lunch to wait patently for whatever he was planning for later in the day.

West Residence

Freddie poked his head around the corner of Jade's bedroom door frame and laughed out, "We are going out to dinner. I've made some reservations to a place I hope you will enjoy. We need to leave in about an hour."

The pale dark brunette looked up from her PearBook and gave him a playfully questioning expression while asking, "Oh? Where are we going?" She had patiently waited the last few hours since they came home from school to see what Freddie had in store, and now she had to suppress a smirk from the excitement.

Freddie smirked as he stepped around the frame and answered, "Just put on a fancy dress… and I'll surprise you."

She raised her pierced her eyebrow and playfully questioned, "Fancy dress?"

He gave her a nod. "A fancy dress."

She gave him a soft smirk and flicked her eyelashes at him. "Okay, I'll see what I can dig up."

He laughed as he turned and headed out of the room.

About forty-five minutes after informing his girlfriend that they were going out for Valentine's Day, Freddie swallowed down his nervousness while pacing about the kitchen in his black dress blazer, button shirt and slacks.

Mrs. West was sitting on a stool at the kitchen island trying to suppress a smile at seeing the nervous apprehension coming off in waves from the young man. She decided to take pity on the young man that had brought such happiness for her daughter and questioned, "Freddie, you need to take breath and maybe have a seat. The floor is pretty expensive, so I don't want you to damage it."

Freddie snorted out a laugh at seeing the teasing expression on the lovely woman's face. "I'm terrified that I'm going to fall flat on my face and mess this up… I've already messed up enough in our relationship."

Mrs. West gave him a bashful smile as she thought how cute his behavior was… and how much it reminded her of Steven Shay's nervousness when he was starting his relationship with Taylor. She countered, "You'll be fine… just don't do one thing."

"What's that?"

She softly laughed, "Don't ask her to marry you right now. It's a cliché time to do it."

Freddie cleared his throat and looked at her as if she had lost her mind. He had thought about that with Jade one day even discussing the names for a daughter, but he didn't have plans to ask her anywhere in the near future.

The raven haired beauty laughed at the teenager's response and showed him some mercy with an explanation to her request, "Taylor asked Steven to marry her during their senior year of high school." She shook her head and chuckled, "She was pregnant with Spencer during our prom… their happy accident… that's why Jade was on birth control almost as soon as she had her first period… and she hates cramps."

He let out a nervous and relieving laugh, "Oh, so you don't want a repeat with your daughter?"

She softly laughed, "Something like that."

He ran his tongue in the inside his bottom lip and reassured her, "Don't worry Mrs. West, the marriage proposal is far off…", he smirked as he finished, "but how do you like Sapphire as a name for your granddaughter?"

Mrs. West raised an eyebrow and gave him a slightly surprised expression as he had turned the tide in the conversation.

His grin became bigger as he realized what he had done and continued as he glanced over to see a beautiful bouquet of yellow and pink roses sitting on the coffee table in the living room. "Those are some beautiful flowers. Valentine's gift…" He trailed off as he realized he was unsure how to continue the question. He doubted that her ex-husband had sent her the bouquet and he wasn't aware that she had started seeing anyone and if she had told Jade, the teenager hadn't informed him about it.

A hint of a smile played on her lips as she answered, "Yes they are… Steven always sends me some on my birthday and Valentine's Day."

Freddie nodded along as the identity of the sender should have been obvious to him. "Ladies should always get flowers on Valentine's Day."

"Yes they should," Jade's voice called from about midway up the stairs.

Freddie turned and took in a soft breath through his nose at seeing the sweet smile of his lovely girlfriend. She was resting a hand on the banister with a small black clutch purse in her left hand. She was wearing a black, strapless faint sweetheart neckline dress with a black leather belt and silver belt buckle at the waist with the rest of the dress flowing down from that point with a straight skirt covered with the thinnest of black feathers. The hem of the dress reached just above her mid-thigh and coincidentally to her fingertips. He was further surprised by her appearance as she had no highlight extensions in her hair, nose stud or eyebrow piercing. The only jewelry she was wearing was a silver bracelet on her right wrist and Ian's multi-colored bracelet on her left wrist.

She finished walking down the steps to stand in front of him and continued to wear the hint of a smile on her face.

"Wow…" he nervously laughed out.

She bowed her head to glance at herself then looked up and slightly smirked as she replied, "Thank you… I didn't think I can go wrong with a little black dress even on Valentine's Day?"

Freddie slightly bowed his head and whispered with a small smile, "No, you couldn't."

The teenagers let their eyes meet and get lost in one another with playful smiles.

Mrs. West held back a chuckle as she slid a digital camera out of her pajama pants and quickly took a picture of the pair then commented, "You two look adorable."

The couple turned in surprise and gave the West Matriarch embarrassing expressions then looked to one another.

"Let me take a few more pictures and then you two need to you go before you're late to dinner."

Jade was reluctant to grant the request the pictures, but one quick pleading glance from Freddie silenced any objection she was going to voice. The couple turned and Freddie slipped his hand behind the small of Jade's back and she slightly turned her left shoulder to the camera. Mrs. West took a few more photos then Freddie laughed as he took a step back and offered his right arm to Jade. "Shall we?"

The pale teenager let a bright smile form and graciously took his arm. They shared another smile then he turned to lead her to the garage.

Mrs. West called out as they exited the door, "You two have a nice time."

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you liked this chapter, I found it enjoyable to write.

Yes, in trying to keep a consistent timeline for Victorious, I had the first day of Tori's forty-five minute a ride to school to be the same day she did the play at the end of 'Tori and Jade's Playdate'. Also, I wanted to give the far more likely reason why Tori couldn't drive herself as in California, she could have legally drove herself since we're told that she didn't pass her driver's test which mean that she probably did have her permit.

Oh, and if you are wondering about the dress Jade is wearing, it is from Liz's promotional photo for Season Three and you can see the photo in the Season Three Promotional photos at Elizabeth Gillies' gallery ran by the fantastic Laura aka lowlaury (as she's know on fanfiction).

See you next Thursday/Friday.


	14. Chapter 14: Driving Freddie Mad Part 2

Author's Note: Hello everyone. I see we're still here. Big surprise that the world didn't end. I caught last week's Victorious and that will be interesting with Mason's return… I called it in another one of my fics almost a year ago from the conversation of Robbie and Rex at the end: Rex is his sex puppet and I was as disgusted as Tori looked as she was leaving the room. Dan didn't even try to get that under the radar. Oh, and did you see Liz in that dress? Girl's legs went on _forever_.

Green aura: I'm glad I caught your review because I was just about to post this chapter when I saw the review alert.

Freddie is just straight up tired of everything and everybody screwing with him and it is just another drop of anger/hate in the well of his soul that Jade is afraid will consume him.

Not to spoil the other story, but it has been hinted at that things were the same and they only really started diverging after 'Tori Goes Platinum' so of course we could see identical events playing out before that, but you are right that nothing is set in stone and one doesn't necessarily led to the other.

Yes, first Valentine's together and that whole age barrier is in their way. How will it turn out? :P

Fanfic-Reader-88: I've written it where Jade gets her attitude from her mother. Mrs. West was just like Jade when she was a teenager whom I explored in my Creddie stories about the lives of her and the Shays. She doesn't take mess.

I would question why they should be forced to work together in the first place because he did rig it from the start even in the canon episode. He specifically skipped Robbie for Tori to get Walter. I don't know what Sikowitz's motivations were, but it isn't his place to interfere with their personal lives. One could say that they need to learn to be able to work with people they don't like, but that's a false assumption: any actor can quite a production if they really don't want to work with that person.

Jeremy Shane: Thanks.

Challenge King: Sikowitz thought once again he could use his authority as a teacher to get his way and finally someone kicked him in the teeth for it. If you bully people as a way of life, you're eventually going to meet someone who will hit you back without a second thought. Are there connections between the stories? Yes, but how linked they are is up to the reader, not me. Freddie's acting ability is a heavily implied ability as I've had him point out explicitly in other stories: he has more practical experience in acting than any of the students that go to HA and the whole thing in 'iBalls' was just Dan forcing a plot for the 3D camera that ignored his own canon and continue his obsession with emasculating Freddie. In my heart of hearts, I believe he is a Misandrist from the repeated portrayals of males in his shows.

PD31: Well he is pretty ticked off with Sikowitz from the start and you know this isn't helping his mental health about how he views people and relationships.

Maybe Sikowitz will be hesitant in his behavior in the future or not. We'll see and see how tense any classroom interaction will be for them in the future.

Lane can't sit on the sidelines for much longer if Freddie starts to progressively get worst.

darck ben: Thanks, I taking just a little time each day to plan and outline for such a fic as you know I already have plenty on my plate for the moment before I take on a new project. I'll keep you in mind the further I get into the planning and wanting to know what people might expect from such a relationship.

Twilight Warrior 627: Thank you for the compliment. I personally don't have a clue what Sikowitz's motivations are for his actions in regards to Tori and Jade, I'm just giving two possibilities: He wants them to learn to get along better or as some Jori fans think, he's trying to hook them up. Tori not driving is just Dan ignoring his canon once again/too lazy to do his homework in his own state. He couldn't spare ten minutes on Google to look this stuff up? Beck had to start the giving girls ride thing after they broke up as Jade would not have put up with it.

* * *

Chapter 14: Driving Freddie Mad or Maybe Happy Part 2

Maestro's Restaurant  
Los Angeles, CA  
Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Jade was completely shocked as Freddie led her by the arm to the inside the restaurant. He spared her a glance with a smile plastered on his face knowing instantly that he had made the right choice for their Valentine's dinner. The blonde hostess that was there for the ping pong champions' 'celebratory' meal approached the couple and with a quick exchange of words between her and Freddie, led the couple to a small square table.

He pulled out his lovely date's seat and helped her take off her leather jacket to drape over the backrest (she had been so eager to show off her dress to him, she had forgot to originally grab a jacket and Freddie had to quickly dash back inside to grab it before leaving on the chilly night). She quickly had a seat while still accepting that fact she was having dinner at the high end restaurant. He smiled as he rounded the table to take his seat opposite of her. He softly laughed as he glanced around the high end restaurant. "I always wanted to come here from hearing the stories of your victory celebrations to your ping pong championships."

Jade turned her attention back to her date and immediately put on a look of shock. Her jaw slacked as she tried to come up with a response. They may have swapped stories between the workshop and before school started, but there were a few things they had edited for Freddie. She briefly wondered if he had ever edited the things from his life in Seattle.

She swallowed down her nervousness then whispered, "We… we just use the money to buy a trophy and take Sikowitz out to dinner."

Freddie smirked and rested his elbows on the table as he laced his fingers and rested his chin on his fingers. He forged an obvious disbelieving tone as he questioned, "So you're not a championship level ping pong player? You really just played Twister?"

Jade quickly looked up and raised an eyebrow.

Freddie softly laughed then leaned forward to whisper, "You really think I'm going to tell anyone?"

She gave him with a soft smirk then spoke, "So who told you?"

His smirk grew bigger.

She softly shook her head and whispered playfully, "Fine, keep your secret, but I'll find out which one let it slip."

The brown eyed teenager just held his loving gaze as a waiter brought the couple two menus and the pale singer quickly glanced over the choices. She darted her eyes between the menu and over the top to look back at him as she hesitated in ordering her usual due to the prices.

He looked over the top of his menu and whispered with a smile, "Order anything."

She raised her left eyebrow and began, "But—"

He gave her a near pleading expression as he whispered out, "Let me treat you? Please? I can afford it… hard work pays off."

She slightly bowed her head so that her eyes could look at the open menu. She whispered out a moment later, "Okay."

The pale dark brunette didn't take long to decide to order her usual meal when she went to the restaurant with the others, but did decide to treat herself in ordering a few small things she always wanted to try. Freddie quickly decided what he wanted and the couple handed their respective menus back to the waiter. He quickly went on his way to have the order fulfilled.

She gave him a playful look from her eyes and a coy smile. "I would have settled for a movie night."

"We can still catch a late movie after this… new semester, number of days we missed have reset so we can take tomorrow off if you want?"

Jade slightly nodded to her side and gave a slight smirk. "Depends on how dinner goes."

He softly laughed, "Sounds like a challenge."

She flicked her absent ringed eyebrow.

The complementary entrée soon arrived with their drinks for the teenagers as their meals were being prepared along. The couple decided on some ice sweetened tea and water for their drinks.

Jade started on her entrée with a smile on her face while Freddie took it a little slower and a sip from his tea. He softly questioned, "Since things have finally settled down, I was wondering when you wanted to do another short film? I noticed you've been nearly glued to anything you could write on and you haven't let me read anything."

A small smile slipped on her face in an instant. "I've been working on two scripts."

He leaned slightly forward and sat his glass down. He gave her a playfully questioning expression. "Oh?"

"Yes…" Her smile faltered as she recalled, "I started on a second script after Beck's confession in regards to Carly."

Freddie slightly bowed his head as he was hesitant to look at her. He questioned with a cautious tone, "We can change the subject? I wanted to focus on entirely happy thoughts tonight."

"It's okay. I want to get to filming again and I want to eventually do both, but I haven't decided which one and I want to do another draft of each before any filming."

A smile reformed on his face as he eagerly asked, "So what are they about?"

"Well they're both horror films and I want to do some more location shooting than just in the Black Box, so we can't do it in one afternoon."

"Horror?"

"I want to do tributes to 'American Psycho' and 'The Scissoring'."

Freddie started laughing and slightly bowed his head. "'The Scissoring' should be interesting."

She slightly bowed her head to mirror his reaction and let a soft smirk play on her face. "Are we going to have this discussion again?"

He gave a hearty laugh and shook his head. "No, just remarking it will be interesting to see your interpretation. I'll just help with shooting the scenes the best way you want me to, but no comments on themes."

"Good," she answered with a somewhat smug voice.

"But…" he dragged out with a cautious tone.

A corner of her mouth lifted as she questioned, "What?"

His voice became somber as he answered, "I'm not sure how comfortable I am in shooting and editing together a death scene for you… because practically everyone dies in the movie so if you're in it, you're going to die."

The dark brunette slight tilted her head to the side and answered with a comforting tone, "I could cut out her death… could you handle a just funeral?"

"I think I could handle that since you will be coming back from the dead. I assume you're going to play Tawny?"

"Yes…"

He laughed and gave her a knowing smile. "I get to see you in a wedding dress?"

"Yes."

Freddie let out a soft laugh and covered his mouth with the back of his hand.

"You find that funny?"

Once he calmed down, he looked back to her eyes and replied with a smirk, "You mother asked me not to propose to you tonight, but you're the one that inadvertently brings ups weddings."

Jade leaned back in her seat and softly laughed, "You brought up the film, you brought up the character and you brought up the dress; whose mind is on marriage?"

He softly chuckled. "I refuse to take any responsibility for what my subconscious thinks up."

"Right…"

The couple shared another smile as the waiter rolled over the dolly with their meal. Jade gave him an excited look as the waiter set out the meal for them.

Freddie raised his glass of tea. "I think before we start, we should have a toast."

Jade held the glass of ice tea and asked, "What should we toast to?"

He looked her directly in the eyes so his soft brown eyes could reflect in her bluish/green ones. He whispered out tenderly, "To our happiness."

She smiled brightly in return and Freddie tried everything in his power to etch the sight into his memory. "To our happiness."

The couple quickly turned to their respective meals and started on them with Freddie giving a silent prayer that he was here tonight with her. After a few minutes, Freddie sipped on his tea as he watched the lovely teenager enjoy her meal.

Jade looked up and gave him a soft smile at realizing he was watching her. She lowered her fork on the small dish and whispered out, "Okay, not trying to knock Beck—"

Freddie gave a sideward nod in agreement with her. "—of course."

"—but this better than a movie night."

"I'm glad you're enjoying your night."

She couldn't keep a smile off of her face tonight as she continued, "You really wanted to treat me tonight, didn't you?"

"Yes, I wanted to make our first Valentine's together special for you… and maybe being a tiny bit selfish for myself."

She raised her ringless eyebrow and playfully questioned, "Selfish? This is being selfish? We both know you're not doing all this to get laid."

Freddie rolled his eyes and smirked at the joke. "That's usually what the guy is shooting for on today, but it's quite liberating that my motives can't be questioned for that… I've wanted to treat a lovely girl that liked me on Valentine's Day and I got my chance."

She leaned forward to meet his gaze. "_Loves you_ on Valentine's Day."

He gave her a big grin. "Loves me… I stand corrected."

"Well you are doing a fine job of it, because this has been a great day. So are you enjoying this one better than the last one?"

Freddie cracked a smile then it quickly faded.

She gave him a concerned expression with a narrow gaze.

Freddie shook his head and put on a regretful expression. "Sorry, I'm just… thought back to my last Valentine's Day. I spent it alone then had to hear the next day how wonderful a night Carly had with Steven … not a pleasant experience."

Jade's cheery disposition quickly faded as well as she watched him blink. He took a sharp breath as she instantly knew from his expression that a disturbing thought had entered his mind.

"What?"

His eyes darted back and forth as he muttered, "Tori?"

"What about Tori?"

"I just thought how Tori is dealing with today. She was _with Steven_ last Valentine's Day too, not for the day, but…" He shook his head and muttered out in regret, "It completely slipped my mind. Oh my God, I may have reminded her of it…" He deeply frowned as a bit of venom slipped into his voice, "I should have beaten him into the ground when I had the chance."

Any other girl would probably been upset and jealous with her boyfriend would be thinking about another girl on a Valentine's Day date and especially her when the other girl was Tori Vega, but oh how things had changed for the dark headed actress since July of last year, so Jade just gave him a soft smirk.

Freddie was the one confused and had to question his girlfriend's reaction, "What?"

"I kind of remembering you doing that a few months back."

He blew out a breath and let out a soft laugh then whispered, "I remember just knocking him flat on his face… and I remember an angel tending my hand… and getting my first kiss from her."

The pale girl actually started having a soft blush form on her cheeks. She took a soft breath and attempted to reassure him, "I'm sure André remembered and has done something for her tonight."

Freddie nodded along and muttered out, "You're probably right." He turned back to his meal and tried to put it out of his mind.

She smirked knowing that he wouldn't be happy with the possibility of one of his friends being miserable, so she did the most logical thing that occurred to her: she reached into her purse to pull out her PearPhone. Freddie gave her a curious expression as she tapped the screen for her speed dial then brought the phone up to her ear. He was about to question her, but she raised her right pointer finger to tell him hold his question. She smiled and glanced away as she spoke, "Yeah, André… yes, I'm on my date… listen—André, listen to me: go pick up Tori and take her out somewhere nice so she isn't home alone for Valentine's Day." She paused for a moment to let him respond then retorted, "I don't care where, I don't care if you have to take Trina with you, just go do it."

She paused to listen to him and rolled her eyes. Once he was done, she repeated, "Don't argue with me, just do it." She nodded along as apparently he finally agreed to her demand then she ended the call and slipped the phone back into her purse.

Freddie let out a hearty laugh in disbelief at what he just watched then gave her a confident smirk and commented coyly, "And you act like you don't care about Tori."

"Maybe I just care more about my boyfriend's piece of mind?"

He licked his lips and gave a slight bow of his head. "I'll settle for that for tonight."

"You better or you won't get any desert."

Freddie stuck his tongue in his cheek and shook his head in a similar manner as he once did with Carly making a joke about his jeans from . "If that's your way of telling me 'no goodnight kiss' then I'll concede the point… _for now_."

Jade looked back down to the table as she knew that she may have won the point for now, he wasn't going to let it go… as she realized she wasn't going to let go of another point next week that he might not like, but that was next week and let it rest until that time.

The couple turned back to their meal and enjoyed idle chit-chat. Nearly as soon as they finished their meal, the waiter pushed over the cart with the deserts and a bouquet of red roses resting on top. She instantly turned her head back to him and questioned with her eyes.

"Happy Valentine's Day my friend, my love… my angel that pulled me out of Hell and showed me what a happy life could mean. I hope you love them as much as I love you."

She pursed her lips to try to hold back a smile at the traditional gift and the moisture she felt form in her eyes from his words. She knew Freddie was a romantic at heart and he was trying his best to play the role for her.

"Thank you," she mouthed.

The waiter set out the chocolate cake in front of Jade then placed one in front of Freddie. She gave him a playfully questioning expression to lighten the mood back up, "Aphrodisiac?"

"And why would I need one of those?"

The couple finished up their desert a few minutes later then the couple pulled their seats to the side of the table facing the night's entertainment to sit next to one another with Freddie resting his arm behind the top of the backrest of Jade's chair. She rested the side of her head against his right temple and joined her right hand with his left hand to rest in her lap waiting for the lovely singer to start.

The piano player started notes that Jade instantly recognized and the singer started on the first line with a powerful voice, "You have been on my mind… I grow fonder everyday…"

She looked to him with a surprised expression.

He gave her a knowing smile as he whispered, "That's another one of our songs… our first song actually even if we didn't know it at the time."

She gave him a soft smile as he continued singing along with the lyrics and modifying them as he saw fit, "You're my one and only… I promise you that I am worth it… thank you for giving me the chance to prove that I can walk that mile until the end starts…"

She took in a soft breath and blinked her eyes for a moment then cupped his left cheek to pull him into a kiss.

West Residence

The couple laughed as they entered the kitchen hand in hand as Freddie held the bouquet of flowers. They stopped just past the threshold and Freddie set the flowers on the counter before turning back to her. Freddie rested his hands on her hips with her resting her hands on his shoulders. The former Seattleite whispered, "I love you," then stole a quick chaste kiss from her lips.

She wrapped her arms behind the back of his neck and looked to him with a loving gaze. "I love you too."

They started exchanging chaste kisses as they felt no need to rush, but just enjoy the tender moment between them.

Freddie was the first to finally stop and smile to meet her eyes once again. "Usually this is the part where a couple goes on their separate ways—"

She gave him a coy smile as she interrupted, "Or stays for the night?"

Freddie let out a soft laugh. "I always stay the night; my room's just down the hall."

She slightly bowed her head, but kept her eyes locked with his eyes and returned the whisper, "That's not what I mean."

The brown eyed teenager let a sad smile form on his face. "I know…" He whispered out in a solemn tone, "I'll make love with you if you want me to, however you want this night to end that will make you happy."

She bowed her head slightly so that her eyes could look to his chest and softly patted his chest over his heart. "We're not missing anything from tonight by not making love, being able to say I love you to one another is more than enough, but…"

"But what?"

"Do you think we can bend the rules tonight and maybe you stay?"

His mouth broke into a big grin. "I would love to stay… as long as you wear one of my Penny Tees."

"Deal." She gave him a quick peck on his cheek then took him by his right hand and pulled him along up the stairs.

A few minutes later, Freddie had changed and was resting in his bed with Jade snuggled up beside him (in one of his Penny Tees) while he started a movie in the DVD player, so they were ending the night with a movie and neither could be happier.

Hollywood Arts High School  
Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Freddie caught up with Tori between the first and second period class changes. He immediately noticed her dreary expression on her face as she switched out books from her locker.

His concern was evident in his voice as he greeted the lovely singer, "Hey."

"Hey," she mumbled out as she closed her locker.

"What's wrong?"

She slightly frowned and her eyes showed disappointment as she answered, "I thought I had my ride for the rest of the week, but André has to take his grandmother to the doctor for a checkup tomorrow. They're still trying to figure out how she's well."

Freddie joked, "Can't they just chalk it up to a miracle and leave it at that?"

The lovely brunette softly laughed in return with his cheerful disposition momentarily lifting her spirits, "I guess not, but now I'm out of a ride again and have to ride with Trina." She shivered for a moment at imagining what she would have to put up with in regards to her sister for nearly an hour tomorrow morning.

Freddie smiled and politely bowed his head. "We'll just take you then, but I have an idea on how we could save some time."

She slightly pursed her lips and furled her eyebrows. "Oh? What?"

"Can't you just walk around the portion they've cut off and I can pick you up on the other side?"

She blinked and thought on the suggestion for a moment. Her face instantly lit up as she answered, "Hey—that's not a bad idea."

The brown eyed boy softly laughed at her innocent facial expression.

"Good, then I can pick you up later. Are you going to need a ride to the set today?"

"No, André's going to be able to drop me off and my dad will pick me up, but I could use a ride on Thursday…" She smiled sweetly at him and subconsciously and flirtatiously flipped her hair back over her shoulder, "Could you do that?"

Freddie laughed, "Yeah, not a problem." He looked to the lovely brunette for a moment then questioned, "How was your night last night?"

"Oh? I ah… André stopped by and we went out to grab something to eat. It was nice, fun evening."

Freddie nodded along and gave her a boyish grin.

Tori narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips for a moment as she studied his expression. "Ah, is there something you want to tell me?"

He shook his head and glanced away from her soft brown eyes. "I'm just glad you had a nice night."

"Freddie?"

He looked back up with thin line of a mouth to meet her eyes. He let out a soft breath then admitted, "Last night during my date with Jade I realized how I spent my last Valentine's Day and that led to me thinking about yours. Jade had the bright idea to call up André to make sure you had a nice night."

Tori turned her head to look into her locker and awkwardly laughed, "Why would think about mine?"

Freddie rested a soft hand on her left shoulder and took a step closer to help avoid passing students from eavesdropping. He wasn't going to talk with anymore euphemisms, so he just came out with it, "I'm sorry about Steven… I wish I could…" He trailed off as she turned to look at him with sorrowful eyes. He looked back to her with equally sad eyes. They just stared at one another for a few seconds and nonverbally exchanging regret and the feeling of helplessness to ease the painful memory of the cheater that had touched both their lives in such different ways.

She reached over with her right hand to rest on top of his resting on her shoulder. She cracked about a soft smile and whispered, "Thank you for thinking about me."

He's heavy feelings for his friend was slightly relieved with her smile and returned a soft one. He dropped his hand from her shoulder as she closed her locker then asked with a hopeful tone, "Walk you to your class?"

She maintained the soft smile then looped an arm around his and he happily led her to her next class.

Asphalt Café  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Tori sat at the blue grilled lunch table and waved Cat along as the redhead walked away laughing and carrying away a cardboard box filled with bags of rags that she got a ridiculous good deal on from some online coupon store called 'Tap It'; she had already handed out C-Batteries earlier in the week. They were slightly concerned that she was having a repeat similar to her experience with Sky Store; however, she wasn't blowing all her money since they were such great deals.

Jade wore a soft smile as she approached the table in her black leather jacket, black shirt with the white print of an open mouth with fangs with the statement: Bite Me (which the next time Freddie dressed up as Fredward Cullen, she'd let him) then took a seat across from Tori as the brunette ate her lunch.

Tori looked up in surprise and asked with a curious tone, "Hello."

Jade coyly smiled in returned as she replied as more of a question than a statement, "I hear you're going to ride with Freddie and me tomorrow."

"I am. Is that a problem?" the brunette asked with mild confusion.

"No, something's come up and Freddie has to come in later, so I'll pick you up tomorrow morning at seven fifteen."

Tori pointed to the teenager and asked with mild shock, "You? You're going to give me a ride?"

Jade answered with the faintest of a furled brow and a tempting smile, "Why confused?"

"Well, y'know… why would you offer to drive me to school?"

Jade crossed her arms to rest her forearms on the table and answered, "Okay, you always complain that I'm not nice to you and now that I'm working on being nice to you, you question it."

"Noooo no… I… I mean… thanks, I'd love a ride."

Jade continued to wear her coy smile as she answered, "Perfect."

Tori wore a hesitant expression as she picked up a chip and ate it while Jade didn't falter in her smile.

In Route to Hollywood Arts  
Thursday, February 16, 2012

Jade wore the faintest of smiles her face as she gripped her steering wheel and Tori quietly sat in the passenger seat trying not to let a nervous expression form on her face at the notion that Jade had remained quiet through their drive and there was a shovel in the back seat.

"Um… I like your car."

"I'm so glad," she answered with a strange tone as if toying with the girl.

Tori turned her head and asked curiously, "I though you only liked to drive at night."

Jade spared a glance as she answered, "Oh, I prefer to drive at night. But y'know… anything for a friend," she finished with a smile, but it wasn't a comforting one for the lighter brunette.

Tori slightly nodded in agreement as she replied, "Right…" She turned her head to the passenger window to see the passing scenery of opened grassy field instead of the expected cityscape and finished with doubt in her voice, "Right."

She looked out to see flying buzzards and heard their high pitch squawks. She questioned, "Um… Where are we?"

The green streaked hair teenager casually answered, "Just driving to school."

Tori nervously questioned, "Are you sure we can get to school this way? I've never been this way."

Jade slightly turned her head and tried to reassure the girl, "Relax Tori, everything is fine."

Tori held up her black PearPhone to look at the screen. It made a slight ping noise and she commented, "Weird… my phone not getting any signal." She held the phone to Jade and the pale girl took her eyes off the long stretch of highway for a moment, "See? No signal."

"Oh, yeah, we're about to drive through Shadow Creek Park . There's not much signal up here. There's not much of anything up here."

Tori nodded along and took a swallow before whispering, "Oh."

Jade softly started singing, "La, la… la, la, la, laaa, la… la la la la…"

As the darker brunette sung, Tori slyly reached and undid the buckle to her seat belt. The next moment she reached for the door handle and threw herself out of the car with a scream, "AHH!"

Jade was surprisingly quick in being able to stop the vehicle and put it into park. She leaned over to the passenger seat and asked, "Why did you jump out of the car?"

Tori nervously laughed, "Oh… no reason."

"Well, hurry up and get back in."

"No, that's okay. I'll walk it from here."

Jade shrugged her right shoulder then reached over to close the passenger side door and whispered, "Suit yourself." Tori actually pushed the door closed for her as she really couldn't reach it without sliding out of her seat.

Once the door was closed, she straightened in her seat, looked over her shoulder at the shovel and commented to herself, "Next time…"

She put the car back into drive and started flooring the accelerator… then Jade sat up in bed and desperately tried to catch her breath.

She blinked as she looked around the dark room.

She took another deep breath and turned her head to look at the clock. It displayed in green digits: 2:23 AM. She reached over and picked up her PearPhone. She quickly checked the date and time and saw that it was Thursday morning and realized that her conversation with Tori at lunch and picking her up the next morning was just a dream that had turned into a nightmare: she had actually dreamed about murdering Tori in cold blood and burying her out in Shadow Creek Park.

She sat her phone down and threw the covers off of her. She swung her legs out and started on her way out of her room. She exited and went down the short hallway to Freddie's bedroom then slipped inside trying her best not to disturb him.

She slide into bed next to him and slipped under his left arm to snuggle with him and rest her head on the left side of his chest.

Freddie blinked and groggily asked when he realized that she had slipped into bed with him, "Jade?"

She lifted her head and met his eyes in the barely lit room. "Shhh… everything's okay, go back to sleep."

He was too tired to argue with the pale girl and let himself go back to sleep. He pulled her tighter to him to use as a teddy bear and she didn't complain as she settle her head back on his chest to listen to his heart to help her drift back off to sleep.

In Route to Hollywood Arts  
Thursday, February 16, 2012

Freddie had his right hand on top of the steering wheel and rested his left elbow against the top of the driver's door while instead of Jade in the passenger seat, Tori was relaxing comfortably as she watched the passing cityscape.

The brunette had remained quiet for the initial part of the trip as to why the pale teenager wasn't with them, but her curiosity got the better of her and she asked the obvious question, "Where's Jade?"

Freddie put on a hesitant smile as he answered, "Jade is taking the morning off. She'll be in sometime during second period."

Tori shifted in her seat and asked without hesitation of concern in her voice, "Is she alright?"

"She… she's just not feeling too well this morning. She just needs a little extra time to pull herself together and be in a little later. I wanted to stay, but she insisted that I go and give you a ride."

"I would ask if you two over did it for Valentine's, but since you look fine, I guess not."

Freddie laughed out a little bit horrified that Tori could make such a joke, momentarily relieving some of the worry he felt for Jade, "Is that some kind of joke about wearing her out?"

Tori blushed and let out a nervous laugh, "No it's not."

They pair slipped into comfortable silence as Freddie navigated the roadway until Tori broke the silence with a soft whisper, "I'm sorry."

He cracked a small smile and waved off her regret, "Don't worry about the joke."

"No… that you two can't…"

Freddie blinked and his brow knotted up. "What?"

The lovely singer looked down at her lap and whispered out, "You know… stuff now that you're eighteen and Jade's still seventeen."

The tech-producer took a sharp breath then cleared his throat to keep most of the irritation out of his voice as he replied, "I don't want to be rude Tori, but that's none of your business."

She shrugged a shoulder and glanced out of the passenger window trying to hide the embarrassment off of her face. "I know, it's just…"

"What?"

"I'm still sorry."

Freddie remained silent. He didn't have to explain his actions to any of them. He didn't care what any of them thought, yet… "You know our relationship is not built on that…"

"I know, anyone can see it, it's just… I know that it must mean something to the both of you to share that and now..."

"Admitting to nothing… I'm grateful that we've got to the place when can tell each other that we love one another and we both mean it that way. That's what's important."

Tori gave an accepting nod and a small smile.

"Ah… how did _that_ come up anyway?"

"Jade was kind of upset that she wouldn't see you until late Saturday because we were suppose to stay at Nozu until after you had gone to bed for work. I thought that was odd since I thought maybe you might wake up together on the weekends. She explained that isn't how it works at your house then she brought up how things changed because of your birthday then I ah…" She bowed her head and whispered out embarrassingly as a hint of flush formed on her face, "…I wanted to know what it's like."

"Oh?" Freddie started blushing. "What it's like? Did ah… she answer your questions?"

"In a way that didn't admit anything, but there is one question I didn't get to ask… just saying if you two had… could you tell me why you chose to? Before you were able to tell each other that?"

Freddie took in a shallow breath and paused for a few moments then answered softly, "If… if we did that morning Carly and the rest showed up… I'm sorry I can't tell you why; it would be a betrayal to Jade, but if you ask her and she wants to tell you the reason—hypothetically of course if something has happened—I wouldn't have a problem with it."

The brunette nodded along and turned her attention to the front of the road.

Freddie reached over with his right hand and had to blindly feel for a moment before finding Tori's hand. The singer realized what he was trying to do and gripped his hand in return. He may have had his attention on the road, but there was plenty of conviction in his voice, "What I can tell you this as your friend… never let a guy pressure you into doing that. Don't ever feel like you have to do that to keep him or do it as some kind of sign for him to prove that you love him. If he thinks that, then you get away from him as fast as you can because he's a loser that doesn't deserve to have a girl like you."

Tori remained silent to his words for a few moments and Freddie briefly wondered if he had gone too far in his advice until he stopped at a traffic light and Tori leaned over to give him a soft kiss on the cheek. She resettled in her seat and whispered, "Thank you Freddie."

Hollywood Arts High School

The pair of friends walked together through the front entrance and was immediately stopped by Cat wearing a navy blue dress and light pink cardigan. She had a particularly happy expression on her face as she held up her PearPhone and stated, "Look at this new offer I got from Tap It!"

Tori glanced to Freddie for a moment then sighed out, "I have enough rags."

Cat threw her hands down in frustration and gave her friend an annoyed expression. She quickly disregarded the expression and pointed to her phone, "It's a new one, look!"

Tori rolled her head back, clearly tired from all the stuff Cat had gotten from Tap It. "I don't wanna..."

The redhead quickly squeezed between the pair and held the phone so each of them could look over a shoulder as she continued, "Look at it!"

The yellow animated duck on the screen started speaking, "Quack quack! A one-hour ride on the party bus usually costs two hundred dollars! But if you tap my tummy, you get it for... ninety percent off!"

Tori turned to look at her shorter friend and excitedly questioned, "A party bus'll take me to school tomorrow for just twenty bucks?!"

The shorter girl laughed, "Yeah, you want me to get it?"

Tori looked up to see what Freddie had to say.

The brown eyed teenager laughed, "Sounds like a good idea. Reward yourself with a little treat after the stress of the last week?"

The brunette softly bit her bottom lip and her eyes lit up at seeing the approval in Freddie's eyes. "Maybe a little treat not just for me after a very rough week?"

Freddie chuckled as he bowed his head while Tori turned to Cat and eagerly shouted, "Yes! Tap it! Tap that duck's pudgy belly right now!"

Cat giggled, "Sure!" then tapped the screen.

The animated duck replied, "Yay! Your order is confirmed. Thanks for tappin'!"

Cat opened up her arms and let out a laugh.

Tori quickly brought her friend into a hug and thanked her, "Oh Cat, thank you so much."

The girls quickly pulled apart and Cat began again as she palmed her phone, "Sure, I'll type in your info and have the party bus pick you up tomorrow morning at seven A.M."

Tori started excitedly, "Awesome!" but softly rested her right hand on Cat's left forearm, "Wait, but please don't tell anyone else."

Cat gave her a confused expression as she asked, "Why?"

"'Cuz it's a party bus. If you tell people, then everyone's gonna want a ride."

Cat nodded her head and agreed, "Riiiiight."

"Please, promise me you won't tell anyone."

"I promise."

Tori softly grabbed her cheeks and whispered out to reiterate, "I don't want anyone else to find out about the party bus."

Cat gave her an innocent expression as she answered, "I get it."

The tech-producer let out a soft laugh as he had a feeling that Cat wasn't going to be able to keep her mouth shut.

Asphalt Café

Jade wore a soft frown as she kept her eyes on her food and Freddie kept his worried expression on her. The couple had decided, well Jade had decided, to eat away from the group and of course since they were _the_ alpha couple of the school, no one would demand that they share the table even if it led to overcrowding at the other tables.

The pale dark brunette threw an occasional look at her boyfriend until she finally had enough of his concern and finally answered, "I had a nightmare last night."

"I figured that much when we got up this morning and you really were in bed with me then I realized how bad it must have been for you to skip half the morning… it must have been pretty bad to shake you up that much. Do you want to talk about it?"

She let a bit of her fear slip into her voice, "It might scare you."

His worry shifted into confusion as he questioned, "Me? But it was your nightmare. How would it scare me?"

Jade bowed her head again and Freddie slipped his hand over Jade's left hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

She looked back up as his hand gave her the courage to answer, "I dreamt that I'm the one that gave Tori a ride to school today. There was some excuse that you were going in early or something. I was taking a long way to school to Shadow Creek Park and I had a shovel in the backseat."

"A shovel?"

She took a deep breath then admitted, "In the dream I was planning to murder Tori and bury her out there where no one would find her."

Freddie took several slow breaths as he looked to her with a supportive gaze. "It's okay… it was just a nightmare. It's not real."

She looked at him with a knotted brow and as if had just lost his senses. She snapped back in an accusatory tone, "I dreamt about murdering Tori and you think it's okay because it was only a nightmare? Does that not freak you out at least a little bit?"

The brown eyed teenager bowed his head and looked to the grilled metal table. He took another deep breath as he gathered his thoughts then admitted with a hollowed tone, "I got so frustrated and angry with Sam one time that when we were eating some pineapple, I picked up the butcher knife we were using to cut it and I had to talk myself out of not taking it and gutting her with it right then and there with it."

Jade sucked in a sharp breath.

"You only had a dream about it; I had to debate doing it fully awake… that was real, what you dreamed about wasn't, so don't feel guilty about. Let your subconscious scream in futility; you're in charge and choose what to do and didn't choose to do that. You're horrified by the idea, so don't feel guilty."

She broke into a smile then leaned forward to capture his lips in a quick kiss. Once she pulled away, she let her crisp blue eyes meet his warm brown ones to whisper, "Thank you… and you're a good man Freddie Benson and don't feel guilty for feeling what you felt."

He grinned in return and stole a quick kiss before the couple turned back to their respective lunches.

In Route to Hollywood Arts High School  
Friday, February 17, 2012

The group of friends was seated across two bench rows of seats on either side of the black bus. Cat, Freddie, Jade and André was on one side with Tori, Beck and Trina on the other side with Robbie sitting in the back seat facing them with Rex on his right lap.

Tori sat across from the yellow dress wearing redhead and whined out, "I told you not to tell anyone else."

Cat softly shook her head in response, "You did not make that clear."

The brunette looked to Freddie with a questioning expression, but the muscular teenager raised his hands up in defense and answered, "Don't look at me; I didn't tell a soul."

André playfully admonished her, "Aw, c'mon Tori."

"Don't be a grunch," the puppet sitting on Robbie's lap in the back of the bus commented.

The brunette blew out a tired breath then let a smile form on her face, "Okay. Actually, it is kinda fun having you guys on the party bus with me."

Jade slightly leaned forward and glanced over to the heavyset African-American driver and asked, "Hey, have you guys checked out our bus driver?"

"No. What's wrong with him?"

The green streaked girl answered, "'Cuz I swear he looks exactly like Doctor Rhapsody."

Robbie furled his brow as he questioned, "That rapper from, like, the nineteen nineties?"

Jade's brow shot up as she quickly answered, "Yes."

Beck narrowed his eyes and he turned his attention to the driver and commented, "I think that is Doctor Rhapsody."

Tori called out, "Uhhh... 'Scuze me? Sir?"

The driver answered, "Yeah, whatcha need?"

"Are you seriously that rapper from the nineties? Doctor Rhapsody?"

He grinned as he happily answered, "Yep. The one-and-only."

Jade softly laughed out, "I told you."

The teenagers started conversing among themselves about how great it was for the rapper to actually be driving the bus.

Cat asked with a childlike tone, "So why are you driving a party bus now?"

The driver explained with a casual tone, "Mm. Lotta reasons: I love parties... I love buses... I only had one hit song... My wife took all my money... So why not?"

Tori happily commented, "Well, we love your song... Five Fingaz to the Face."

The other teenagers quickly agreed in unison.

The former rapper laughed, "Oh, yeah? You guys wanna hear it?"

Tori happily questioned, "Wait you have it in here?"

He chuckled his answer, "Always." He started counting off with fingers of his right hand, "I got the radio mix, the club mix, the re-mix, the radio-club remix… oh, and the karaoke version. Which one ya want?"

The teenagers started chatting among themselves with someone shouting, "Definitely karaoke!"

Tori turned her attention back to the driver and answered, "Yeah. Karaoke!"

Doctor Rhapsody laughed and pressed a button on his panel, "All right, here it goes."

Freddie quickly leaned over and whispered to Jade, "I don't know the words. I've barely heard it a few times."

She smirked to him with a playful look in her eyes and answered, "You'll pick it up."

The rapper started off for them with a motion of his right hand, "_You know I flaunt ya 'cuz girl I really want ya._"

Tori smirked with narrowed eyes as she picked up, "_And you lookin' nice got me cooler than a bag of ice._"

Everyone started singing with Freddie trying to keep up, "_Now freeze, freeze, freeze._"

Trina picked up, "_Now go._"

Robbie picked up, "_Drop it fast and move it real slow._"

They all started singing the next line, "_Hooooo!_"

"Whaaaat?" with the girls responding.

Trina got into the lyrics with a high pitch tone, "_You smell so fruity._"

André sang out in a low, seductive tone, "_I'm a pirate and you're my Booty._"

"_Arrgghh!_"

Beck looked to Tori and motioned for her mirroring the lyrics, "_So move it in close._"

Robbie happily joined, "_And lemme have a daily dose_."

The girls gasped at the notion.

André tapped his temple as he picked up and glanced to Jade, "_Girl... I've been thinkin' 'bout you think about me._"

Rex questioned, "_Whatchoo think about it?_"

Cat turned her head away and lifted her left hand, "_Five fingaz to the face._"

The teenagers started making motions with their hands as if they were playing against a turn table and sang, "_Eynnn... eynnn eynnn._"

The redhead repeated the motion and the lyrics, "_Five fingaz to the face,_" with the rest repeating their motion and lyrics, "_Eynnn... eynnn eynnn._"

André questioned, "_Oh, it's like that?_"

Tori laughed as she held up her right hand outstretched to Cat, "_Five fingaz to the face._"

Robbie picked up and motioned with his left hand, "_Eynnn... eynnn eynnn._"

Jade excitedly picked up with a nod of her head, "_Five fingaz to the face._"

Rex started singing the next line, "_Eynnn... eynnn eynnn._"

Freddie stood up and continued with a deep voice, but surprised them with switching out the names and laugh on his lips, "_I love my Trina, Caterina and Torina._" He quickly bent down and gave Jade a kiss on her forehead bringing out a laugh from his lovely girlfriend. The change in names brought quick laughter from the girls.

The songsmith continued for him, "_It's lady's choice so I'ma make sure ta make some noise._"

The all sang together, "_Hoooooooo, ohhh... ohhhhhh._"

Robbie stood up and picked up, "_And now were sweatin'—_" with Rex taking the next line, "_Got my turbo engine revvin', vroooooom!_"

Jade stood up and gently cupped Freddie's chin by her fingertips and smirked as she sung, "_They stop and stare…_" She shook her hips and turned to Cat and bent her knees to lower herself to Cat's eye level as she finished, "_All the haters think it's just not fair._"

Robbie picked up as Jade retook her seat with pursed lips, "_That I'm six foot one and I'm tons a fun—_" Rex interrupted, "_And I'm 'bout ta put this club in gear_."

André started the next line, "_So fellas grab a cup!_"

"Whaaaat?" they are sung then Rex continued solo, "_All my ladies ya know wassup._"

The ladies responded with Jade throwing a finger up in the air, "_Yeeeaaahhh._"

Robbie happily sang, "_Put ya hands in the sky if ya feelin' fly—_" André and Beck joined him, "_And tell me that you..._"

The girls sang in mild outrage, "_Whaaaaat?_"

André pointed to himself with his thumbs as he belted out, "_'Cuz I'm the man in charge._"

Jade defiantly sang out, "_And ya know I'm livin' large!_"

Tori continued, "_I got a big white house and a fancy yacht._"

Trina continued with a rough voice, "_And a garage fulla classic cars._"

Tori wagged her right pointer finger, "_Whachoo talkin' 'bout boy?_"

Rex countered, "_Oh, calm down._"

Cat stood up and brushed her red hair off of her left shoulder in a dismissive manner as she answered, "_Oh I know you don't think you can just come up in here and buy me?_"

André retorted, "_C'mon._"

Jade threw up her right pointer finger and looked to Tori, "_You know what I got for you?_"

Cat answered by throwing out her right hand, palm out, "_Five fingaz to the face._"

Robbie started making the turntable sound again, "_Eynnn... eynnn eynnn._"

Cat countered and turned her back to them and shook her hips letting the yellow skirt of the dress swing back and forth, "_Five fingaz to the face._"

Rex started making the noises next, "_Eynnn... eynnn eynnn._"

Tori held up her hand to Cat's face and sang, "_Five fingaz to the face_."

Once again, Rex provided back up rapping noises of a record, "_Eeynnn... eynnn eynnn._"

Trina stood up and purposely pushed out her chest in the motion and joined the rest of the girls in singing as she held up her hand to Jade's face, "_Five fingaz to the face._" The dark brunette did the same with a rare smile on her face to the older Vega sister.

Rex continued to back them up with his noises, "_Eynnn... eynnn eynnn._"

They all shouted and dropped back into their seats, "_Hooooooo!_" They started kicking their feet up in the air as the bus started pulling up to the street in front of the school.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed this second half of the episode (with a touch to something that happened in the canon) and their Valentine's Day date. I particularly liked this chapter with the bonding of the characters… setting the stage, setting the stage. Next update will actually be on Tuesday, January 1st and there will be a very special guest star that will show up for 'How Trina Got In' then after that 'Crazy Ponnie' since I'm doing these episodes in production/logical order than airing order. Take care of yourselves and I'll see you next year.


	15. Chapter 15: How Trina Got In

Hello everyone and Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a nice Christmas and week and wish you all the best for this year. I hope you enjoy this update. Just to forewarn you that this is really the first half a two-part chapter. No promises, but I hope to have the second half up by Friday. Thanks again for reading and the reviews.

I think I answered everyone's reviews, so I'm going to answer one more and get on with the story. Please let me know if I missed yours and I'll be happy to respond.

Layla: I'm glad you like Ava (literally just a background actress who I wished I knew her name to give her credit) and I'm glad there is a wide opinion on Dusty and he's not a meh character. I can't say about whether Dusty and Cat will find each other again, but in some upcoming chapters, they will have a B-plot going on to address them.

About my other story, I will repeat: I am not taking position if it is canon or not to this story. That is up to you as the reader to determine. Also, I'm updating BFSS today as well and there might be another line in there that will get you wondering who Dusty's father is, but did you notice that his father gave him a '67 Impala?

Okay, on with this story.

Rating: T

Special Guest Star Miranda Cosgrove

Special Guest Appearance by Jennifer Connelly as Ruby Lynn West

* * *

Chapter 15: How Trina Got In

West Residence  
Los Angeles, CA  
President Day - Off  
Monday, February 20, 2012

Jade had her arms crossed under her chest as she impatiently waited in the kitchen in front of the door that led into the garage while Freddie was up in his room oblivious as to her plan and she was giving him another few minutes before dropping it on him and potentially ruining the three day weekend (and possibly more) since it had been a pleasant one (even with Freddie working Friday night and most of Saturday) especially when it was kicked off with a party bus celebration after school. Someway, somehow, Cat had realized that they would need a right after school and was able to purchase two hours for the bus. That level of insightfulness kind of surprised the pale brunette, but she didn't pay it much other thought after initially realizing it.

She wanted to give him every second worth of contentment before her plan could possibly (most likely) blow up in her face… which was about to start as her mother opened the door and held a suitcase followed by the familiar brunette from Seattle. Carly stopped in her tracks when her eyes met the guarded expression Jade had put up. She licked her lips and whispered out, "Hi."

Jade cautiously answered, "Hi."

Mrs. West looked between the girls and questioned with a motherly, but a hint of sternness in her voice, "Are we going to be okay girls?"

Jade kept up her guarded expression as stared at Carly for a few seconds before glanced to her mother and whispering, "We're going to fine."

Carly nod her head. "We'll be fine Aunt Ruby."

The West daughter spared her mother a glance for the explanation for how Carly had addressed her, but instead of one, Mrs. West's expression was a questioning one to her as to ask what was there to explain.

Jade decided not to push the issue and motioned her head up the stairs and commented, "There's no point in putting this off, so come on; let's go tell Freddie you're here. We can get your luggage in a minute."

Carly glanced to Mrs. West and with a nod of her head let her know that it was alright.

* * *

Jade softly knocked on the open bedroom door, catching Freddie's attention from his computer as he was engrossed with a game of World of Warlords. His face froze in shock at seeing who was standing next to his girlfriend. He looked back to Jade, but she wore a guarded expression so he looked back to Carly.

Carly swallowed down her apprehension then whispered, "Hi Freddie."

Freddie just studied the girl he hadn't seen in nearly two months for a few moments to make sure he was really looking at the girl and she wasn't just a figment of his imagination. He took a deep breath and realizing she was real; he quickly got up from his seat and approached Jade. "Could I speak with you?" He didn't wait for an answer as he walked between the girls and out of his room and headed down the hall.

Carly gave the slightly younger girl a worried expression.

The darker brunette softly shook her head then whispered, "It's alright."

Jade caught up with the muscular teenager in her room and he asked with a curt tone as soon as she entered, "Why in the Hell is she here?"

Jade took a deep breath then answered with a challenging tone, "She's off for the week so… I'm forcing the issue _now_."

Freddie frowned and asked out of curiosity but still the lingering annoyance lacing his voice, "Forcing the issue?"

"Yes, you can't run or put this off any longer."

Freddie took in a sharp breath then hissed out, "I didn't run away from Seattle; you're the one that begged me to stay."

The pale girl slightly bowed her head then responded in an apologetic tone, "Poor choice of words… I didn't mean that you ran away from Seattle, but that you don't really want to deal with the aftermath of New Years. You said I had to make a decision about Tori: friend or enemy. I'm asking you to do the same."

Freddie bowed his head and looked down to the floor. "I didn't mean to say that to pressure you. I asked you if you really wanted to hurt then just come out and say she was your enemy and not have someone else do the dirty work. I just wanted you to be honest with her."

"I want you to be honest with Carly."

"I am honest to her. I hate her and told her to go to Hell. I am taking my own advice."

Jade approached her and gently cupped under his chin. "I don't believe that… or you wouldn't have kept the picture she sent you for your birthday. I can't let you hate her."

He clenched his jaw tightly for a moment then whispered through gritted teeth. "Why? I never said you couldn't hate Tori, just that you needed to be honest about it and not dress it up."

"Because…" She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck so she could whisper in his ear, "…everyone would win in breaking you and that's why you rejected Carly forcing you to give Sam a chance in the first place: you wouldn't compromise who you are… and I told you before: hating people isn't part of you."

Freddie remained still as Jade held on to him and thought back to the question Anna asked him before his little trip into another world on Christmas Eve: 'Is it better to be judged for who you are than for someone you're not?' Jade didn't want him to be like what he was becoming and had already went to Seattle once to get to start to steer him back on the right path and now brought Carly down to tip the scales more in her favor.

He finally lifted his arms and wrapped them gently to rest his hands on her upper back and small of her back. He turned his head and gave her a soft peck on the cheek. He pulled away and took her hand to lead her back to his room.

The couple found that Carly was casually looking around the room to see how her former tech-producer had decorated it and to see the differences in it and his former room in Seattle. She had stopped to look at his dresser where his tracking chip sat in a little plastic container, a few silver screws and a metal plate rested.

He called out, "Keepsakes of the leash my mother had on me and the taco truck."

She snapped around and looked to Freddie with a shock expression. "So it's true? You really are healed?"

"Yes… it was one of Anna's ways of making up for what Mitch did to me."

"I'm sure he didn't mean any har—"

Freddie snapped out, "He played with my soul for _your benefit_; I don't care if he didn't mean any harm." He took a deep breath and calmly let it out so he could continue in a calmer voice, "He played with it to stop making me love you when I was fourteen and then he didn't get around to fixing it until sometime after you got back from the Twilight Zone. Why do you think when you were crying on the floor that I let you brush me off and was more concerned about the webshow than you? He didn't fix me right away."

Carly bashfully nodded her head. "Jade kind of filled me in on that when she was in Seattle."

Freddie knotted his brow and retorted, "I know… I got a lecture from my mother over it on how I didn't tell her and she had to find out from you."

Carly gave him a confused expression as she countered, "You can't expect me not to mention that to your mom."

"It depends on your motivation: to share the good news with my mom or to make Jade into a someone that would be so cruel and sick to joke about such a thing… which she assumed the latter at first."

"I told her for the first reason, but you can't blame me for how she reacts!" Carly took several deep breaths and crossed her arms under her chest and her cheeks were slightly starting to blush.

Freddie stood there in silence for a few moments just to watch Carly and study her reaction. Jade glanced between the pair as she was slightly concerned on how he would react to the Seattleite's response.

The tech-producer finally acknowledged with a guarded tone, "No… you can't. No one can be held responsible for how she reacts. She'll pick the worst interpretation of everything when it doesn't exactly fit her worldview."

Carly looked down to the floor and nodded her head. She looked up a moment later and continued, "Thank you for Sam… she won't talk about it, but she really does appreciate what you did… getting rid of the scar; I know it bothered her more than she let on."

Freddie took a breath and lowered his eyes slightly as he was unsure how to take the thank you. "Yeah, well… it was sort of my way of trying to wipe the slate clean even if we would never get along." He looked back up to meet Carly's soft eyes and finished, "But she wasn't the only one on my list, so don't attach

"Jade pointed out that too: your friends and her grandfather—"

"And you."

Carly's brow knotted and her lips slightly pursed in confusion. Jade looked on with equal confusion as she crossed her arms.

He passed a glance from the corner of his eye to Jade and continued, "It's one of things I told you that I'm not sure Anna did, but I'm guessing she came through on that too."

The screenwriter cautiously asked, "And what did you do for Carly?"

He looked Carly straight in the eyes and answered with a soft voice, "I asked her to make sure you and Spencer would never develop cancer like your mother since it's hereditary."

The dark brunette from Seattle took a sharp breath and cautiously took a step backwards.

"If I was going to ask… why not ask big… I would have outright asked her to bring your mom back if I thought she could have done it, but… best I could do."

Freddie took in a sharp breath as she surprised him with a tight hug. He stood there frozen as he wasn't sure what to do with his former love holding on to him like that.

"Thank you," was all she could whisper to him. She pulled back and gave him a heartfelt smile that set aside all the pain and anger and all the other chizz that was between them for the moment.

He nodded his head and cleared his throat. "You're welcome."

Carly cleared her throat and nervously ran her hands up and down her jean covered thighs as she looked away.

Silence fell between the three teenagers as Freddie and Carly didn't know what to say at the moment and Jade dare not speak to derail what she saw as a step forward between them.

Freddie was the first one to break the silence, "I believe that last thing I told you was that you could go to Hell…" He glanced to Jade for a moment then looked back to Carly to finish, "I may have reevaluated that statement since then."

Carly let out a relieved breath as she realized that it was a little something more from her former tech-producer.

"But in the meantime, please stay out of my room. You will not enter it without my permission and if you do, I will physically throw you out of it; understood?"

Carly cleared her throat and nodded before whispering, "I understand—"

"If you'll excuse me, I'm busy." He didn't wait for either of the teens to respond as he retook his seat and got back on his game.

Carly turned to give Jade a worrying expression.

Jade nodded her head in the direction out of the room and Carly quickly followed the fellow pale teenager out of the bedroom. Once they were several feet down the hallway, nearly to her bedroom, Jade turned and sarcastically questioned the girl, "Like this was really going to be easy?" Jade shook her head then started further down the hall towards the stairs. "Come on, I can at least help take your luggage to your room."

* * *

About an hour or so later after Carly had finished settling into the guest bedroom with Jade and Mrs. West's help, the brunette from Seattle sat at the end of the dinning room table as Mrs. West was finishing preparing dinner. She looked around expecting Freddie and Jade to show up as she had a feeling that this might be a routine thing to eat together at the dinning room table, however she didn't see either teenager or any indication that they were going to come down for dinner.

Mrs. West sat a prepared plate of spaghetti tacos in front of her then took a seat cattycorner to the web-celebrity's right. She hope the Spencer invented meal would lift the girl's spirits for how she answered the obvious question as to why they were the only two at the dinner table, "Freddie chose to eat dinner in his room and Jade didn't want to leave him alone, but I'm kind of glad."

Carly hesitantly looked to Mrs. West, so the matriarch quickly explained, "It gives us a real chance to talk."

The brunette looked back to the excellent prepared meal in front of her, but she suddenly lost her appetite as she whispered, "Why do I feel like I'm in trouble?"

"You're not in trouble cupcake. I was hoping I could find out how you are really feeling without it filtering through your father or Spencer."

Carly softly whispered with a bashful tone, "That's what my mother called me—"

"That's what I called your mother."

The Seattleite looked up with a knotted brow and pout of confusion.

Ruby cracked a smile. "And she had that same facial reaction… Taylor and her cupcakes… she always had a sweet spot for them. That's where she got the nickname."

"I have that same weakness for cupcakes… red velvet ones are my favorite."

The raven beauty smirked as she answered with a playful tone, "That's little Caterina's favorite too. It's my understanding that's why she dyes her hair that color. You two should go out and get some if you get a chance and have some fun while you're here."

"You mean if Freddie ignores me the entire time… he doesn't even really want to talk to me."

Ruby took a breath and glanced down at her own plate for a moment then whispered, "He's hurt cupcake—"

She looked down at her untouched food and whispered, "I've hurt him a lot over the years… and I can never take it back."

"Carlotta?"

The teenager looked up at her calling her by her full name.

"Shays always know how to hold onto guilt. I was hoping you would take after your mother in that regard and not your father."

"How do I let that go? I don't know if he'll forgive me."

"Your guilt is not dependent on whether he forgives you or not. You told him you're sorry, you're here to try to make amends with him. If he can't accept it then that's on him, not you. You've done your part if you are truly sorry for what has happened between you. You're going to have to let it go… I don't want you to turn into your father. "

"What does my dad have to feel guilty about?"

The matriarch let out a slow breath as she contemplated telling her the truth. She decided that the girl was old enough to understand the truth. "Because he couldn't save your mother… survivors' guilt, plain and simple and he can't let it go and move on like your mother wanted him to. He loves her that much."

Carly took in a sharp breath then looked down at her plate. It was a consoling thought on how much her father loved her mother, but at the same time painful in that her father was still hurting after ten years.

"Don't let your guilt dictate your actions like his has. Do your best because that is all you can do."

The teenager looked up and cautiously asked, "Do you resent my father for doing that?"

Ruby knotted her brow and was quick to respond, "No… I just mourn for him. It hurts to see a friend suffer like that."

Carly hesitantly asked, "Especially as one as close as you two?"

Mrs. West raised an eyebrow and softly questioned, "If you have a question about me and your father, you don't have to be embarrassed or hesitant to ask. We've had people make assumptions about us for as long as we can remember, so don't worry about offending me, because you and Spencer of all people have the right to know the truth."

Carly asked in the tone of a small child, "And that truth?"

"I love your father very much and he means the world to me and it is the same on his end."

Carly rattled off before she even had time to think, "Then why aren't you two together?" She quickly shut her mouth and a soft blush started to form on his cheeks.

She gave her a soft smile and gently answered, "Because that doesn't necessarily translate into what you conceive as romantic love… and like I said, he can't move on from your mother even if that was the case."

"That he couldn't love you as much as her?"

She softly smiled. "No… that he would feel he was betraying her being with anyone else. Don't underestimate your father's capacity for love under that bad boy image of his."

Carly let out a soft laugh at the mentioning of her father being a bad boy. "I've heard some stories from Spencer, but it's hard to imagine."

Ruby smirked as she coyly responded, "The Air Force just cleaned it up for him, but he still has that streak. His hair used to be as long as Spencer's when your brother has his grown out. Your dad cut it the day Spencer was born when he was in college."

The teenager let out another laugh then let out a soft breath as her apprehension seemed to be carried away with the laughter, at least for a little while.

Mrs. West smiled at her friends' daughter and whispered, "Carly, I'm here for you and I will do everything I can to help you, so if you need to talk, I'll listen."

She nodded. "Thank you Aunt Ruby."

The matriarch pulled the teenager into a quick hug then turned back to the meal in front of them. "Now let's hope that this really as simple as Little Spencer made it out to be on the phone and that they are as good as his."

In route to Hollywood Arts  
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Freddie wore an even expression as he drove the Charger on the chilly Tuesday morning. The trip was a silent one to school with Jade in the passenger seat and Carly sitting on the passenger side of the back seat. They were half-way to school when Carly looked at the rearview mirror and cleared her throat to whisper, "This is a really nice car."

He glanced into the rearview mirror and muttered out, "Thanks… it was a gift."

She glanced around the interior as she commented, "This is a pretty nice gift."

Freddie remained silent, but Jade picked up, "It didn't start off this way. She was a beaten up beauty with a mismatched color door and some spots of rust a few weeks after school started. We had it fixed up as a late Christmas/New Years gift."

Carly nodded along with the explanation then curiously questioned, "How does your mom feel about it? I doubt she'd approve of such a… this type of car."

"No, she doesn't approve of it, but she didn't pay for it and she doesn't pay the insurance, so she doesn't get a say. Quite frankly she doesn't approve of a lot of things I do."

Jade rolled her eyes and muttered out under her breath, "Including me."

"I didn't tell her!"

Jade glanced over her shoulder to the web-hostess with a knotted brow.

Carly wore a worried expression as she quickly followed up, "Sam let it slip."

Jade quickly realized that Carly had heard her and understood what she meant. She was about to retort, but Freddie was faster,

"That's an assumption on yours and Sam's part about what we might do."

Carly knotted her brow as she countered, "You admitted it to your mom."

"Let's see her prove it too."

Carly squinted her eyes with confusion. "Why are you all of a sudden denying it?"

Freddie answered with a curt tone, "I've always denied it if you've forgotten, but could we please drop the subject?"

"Okay, I didn't mean anything by it," she apologetically responded.

The rest of the trip to school was in silence.

Hollywood Arts High School  
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Jade was the first to enter the school with Carly just to her right side and Freddie bringing up the rear.

The other students' lingering in the hallway and main stairwell attention was instantly drawn at the sight of Carly Shay walking with the couple and her former tech-producer. The brunette looked back with apprehension on her face, but Jade surprised her happily walking with her to reassure her that everything was alright and not have the students swamp her for her celebrity status.

They instantly started gossiping among themselves as the blue eyed teenager turned to head for her locker with Carly following behind her. Freddie was about to take off to his own locker when the trio heard Beck call out from behind them, "Carls?"

They turned and a soft smile formed on Carly's face and she happily greeted him in return, "Hi Beck."

He turned his attention to Jade and Freddie with a questioning and surprised expression then back to the Seattle girl. He laughed out happily, "What are you doing here?"

She motioned her head to her former tech-producer and answered bashfully, "I'm visiting Freddie."

The actor looked to Freddie with another questioning expression, but he looked back with a guarded expression.

Beck gave her a soft smile and offered, "I would have met you at the airport."

"It was up in the air until the last minute, so I'm sorry I didn't get to tell you I was coming."

"It's okay," he happily reassured her then opened his arms up for a hug which Carly eagerly accepted. The actor softly patted the girl on the back as he let out a soft laugh.

The surrounding students grew silent at seeing the pair share a hug while Jade wore an impassive expressive and Freddie stared on blankly.

They pulled apart and the fluffy haired teenager softly laughed out after taking a quick glance of her, "You look good."

She smiled warmly. "Thanks. You're looking well too."

"Carly?" André called out in surprise as Tori walked with him.

They rest turned to look at the newcomers.

The songsmith awkwardly smiled, but he genuinely greeted the Seattleite, "Hi Carly."

She smiled in return appreciative that he still welcomed her even if he felt a little apprehensive, "Hi André." She looked to 'the other girl' from her relationship to Steven and gave her a friendly smile as at least on that front, there was no bad blood on either end but all on Steven. "Hi Tori."

Tori wore an awkward smile in return with a surprised tone, "Hi Carly. This is a surprise?" She quickly looked to Jade for an explanation.

Jade quickly provided one, "Carly has this week off and she's visiting as you can see and she'll be going to class with me today and maybe a few more days."

Beck curiously asked, "Are you going to be here the entire week?"

"I'm not sure…"

The actor replied without a care in the world on how it sounded, "Well… should be fun however long you're here. We'll get the chance for me to show you the sights of L.A."

Jade remained silent as she still struggled with the fear that Carly could be manipulating Beck for her own means as the 'conspiracy' idea between them had waned for her as a serious possibility.

Carly laughed, "Sounds great. There're plenty of things I want to see."

Beck nodded along then scratched the side of his head as a thought occurred to him from what Jade had said. He motioned with a hand towards Freddie. "Why not go with Freddie to his classes?"

Freddie frowned as he answered with a curt tone, "I'm not babysitting her."

Beck frowned as he questioned, "You going to be hostile to her the entire time?"

He snorted out with a hint of disgust, "I didn't ask her to come." He started walking around them and headed for his locker.

The others looked on as he walked away from them then looked back to Jade and Carly. The screenwriter looked to the rest of them and simply stated, "I don't need to explain why she's visiting."

The others had the sense to remain silent on the issue with Tori understanding in an instance why.

The actress looked to Carly and informed her, "Let grab my stuff from my locker then we can check you in at the main office."

Asphalt Café  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Freddie, Jade, Cat, André, Carly and Beck were sitting (in that order clockwise) at the usual blue grated table outside for lunch while Robbie had decided to treat Tori for lunch at Nozu. Carly sat between André and Beck as Freddie didn't want to sit next to his former friend, but Beck was more than happy for the brunette to sit next to him while Cat just readily accepted that Carly was going to be with them.

Jade finished chewing a morsel of her lunch and began, "You know there's this germ called—fickercilium that you can get from a spider crawling into your mouth when you're sleeping—" she motioned with both her hands around her neck indicating an expanding sphere, "—then your uvula swells up really big so you can't breathe and they have to cut a hole right here—" pointing to the notch just about where the collar bones met and below where a man's Adam's apple would be located, "to drain the pus from your throat."

André made a foul face and sat his pudding cup down on the table and commented, "I'll just eat this pudding cup later."

Jade smiled as she folded her arms and rested them on the table.

Cat happily asked, "So does anybody want some candy?"

The teenagers casually responded with various sures and yeahs.

The redhead reached into her cleavage and started pulling out gumdrops and handing them out to her friends starting with Jade then Freddie followed by André, Carly and Beck, "Gumdrop for you... Gumdrop for you... Gumdrop for you… Gumdrop for you… Gumdrop for you…"

The teenagers passed each other odd looks that the girl was still keeping candy in her bra while Carly gave Beck a questioning expression. He slightly shook his head and rolled his eyes as he explained, "She did the same thing after Halloween."

Trina started walking by the group performing some kind of dance and sang along to the song on the PearPod attached to the waistband of her skirt.

Beck looked wide eyed to the rest and commented, "Wow, she is just awful."

Jade readily agreed with a dry tone, "The worst thing I've ever heard."

André followed up his agreement, "That's right."

Cat curiously looked at the rest as she spoke up, "Hey, I have a question."

"What?" André obliged her.

She looked to her group of friends as she continued, "Every kid has to audition to get into Hollywood arts, right?"

The boys nodded along and answered, "Mm-hmm," as they were eating their candy while Jade answered, "Yup."

She softly shook her head. "And Trina has no talent, right?"

Beck was quick to answer, "None whatsoever."

"No," the green streaked haired teenager readily agreed.

Freddie raised a hand to object to Beck, "Trina has talent."

Jade smirked and questioned, "Really?"

The brown eyed teenager nodded while glancing at his lovely girlfriend. "Yes, it may not be in singing, but she's a natural comedian."

Carly questioned with a hint of curiosity, "She is?"

Freddie slightly frowned at having to answer, but his feeling of wanting to defend Trina was far stronger than any resentment back hesitation in speaking with Carly, "Yes, she's funny… she's actually funnier than Gibby in the slapstick comedy. I stop and think sometimes how much funnier the show would have been with her in it instead of him."

The Seattle brunette tilted her head to the side and commented, "I think Gibby might be a little off hurt by that. You know how much it means that he's a part of the show."

Freddie frowned and gave Carly a narrow gaze as he retorted, "Do I look like I care what he thinks?"

Carly cleared her throat and looked back down at the table.

Beck furled his brow and responded with a little sharpness to his voice, "Freddie, you don't have to be so harsh."

The tech-producer turned his look to the actor and countered, "Do you know what he did to me…" He trailed off as he glanced back to Carly, but she refused to look up at him and instead looked down at her food, so he looked back to Beck. "Never mind, she's probably told you everything… or her slant on everything." He looked back to Carly to continue, "Did you tell him how Gibby cheated on Tasha… after what he pulled on me months earlier when he wanted to fight me with Sam training him so he would 'beat the fudge out of me' live on iCarly? You were willing to let him do it on air instead of throwing him out of the studio? Did you tell him that part? About how Gibby falsely accuse me of going after a friend's girl while they're dating then turned around and cheated on her?"

Cat and André started looking uncomfortable at the dirty laundry being aired with André having the additional awkwardness of liking another guy's girl, especially when the other guy is a friend, but Jade was actually slightly relieved as Freddie was getting out what he felt so he could deal with it.

Beck frowned as the part of going for another guy's girl apparently struck a nerve, but he ignored it and answered for her, "We all mess up Freddie." He shifted his tone as if he was accusing the former Seattleite, "We all can't be perfect."

"I agree with you on that, but some of us actually try to learn something from our mess ups which I haven't heard Gibby has done and two, I don't care if he's offended if I say Trina is funnier than him. She's hilarious and deserves the praise for it and you know what? She's my friend so I can be a little biased on the matter."

Beck looked like he was ready to argue the point, but Cat spoke up, "So is that how she passed her audition and get to go to school here? It was some comedic audition?"

The teenagers held a stare at one another while Jade asked with a little bit of surprise, "You haven't heard the story?"

Cat quickly turned her head to look at Jade and laughed out, "No, but I love stories!"

André spoke up, "I'll tell it." He took a quick sip from the straw of his drink while everyone turned their respective attentions to him. He soon began, "Okay... It was about four years ago... and back then, Trina did have talent. Oh yes. She could sing like an angel... there she was on that stage... singin' like an angel..."

Black Box Theater  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Sometime in early 2008

Trina was standing in front of a rectangular table with Sikowitz (with hair), Principal Eikner, Lane and two female teachers (one a redheaded Caucasian and the other an African-American) singing what sounded like soprano with Sinjin standing on the catwalk behind them.

Once Trina finished singing her song, Eikner jumped up from his chair and started clapping. Sikowitz shouted while he clapped, "Fantastic. Bravissimo!" Lane followed suite, "Truly amazing, miss..."

Trina nodded her head as she smiled and answered, "Vega. Trina Vega."

Ekiner happily answered, "Well Trina Vega, as principal of Hollywood arts, I can tell you right now... you're in."

Everyone started clapping and Trina embarrassingly laughed, "Oh my gosh, thank you. God bless you all."

Eikner patted Sikowitz and Lane on their upper backs as he commented, "Come on everyone, let's take five." The staff started their way out the left side exit as Sinjin called out to Trina, "Hey. You got some hot pipes."

After retrieving her book bag at the back of the stage, Trina smiled up to the bread wearing teenager and answered, "Aw, thank you. What's your name?"

"Sinjin, I've been going to this school for a whole year."

"Wow, cool."

Sinjin happily bragged about himself, "Yeah, I set up all this audio equipment and I ran these cables that go to the lights." He started yanking on a cable that went to one of the large light fixtures as he spoke and as he finished it came loose, sending the fixture to swing down and hit Trina right in the throat and chin. She was knocked backwards and crashed on the floor.

She crawled back onto her feet and started coughing and holding her throat.

Sinjin shouted down in concern, "Are you okay?!"

She answered with a strained voice through the coughing, "Yeah, I think so... but that light just hit me right in the throat."

"Oh no! Can you still sing like an angel?"

"Let me see." She started to sing, but she couldn't form the syllables correctly. She continued anyway.

Asphalt Café  
Present

Cat asked with a voice that hinted at her disbelief, "Really?"

André nodded as he replied, "Yup. That light hit Trina so hard, it knocked all the talent right out of her."

Jade quickly countered while resting her arms on the table, "Okay, that is not how Trina got into Hollywood Arts."

Freddie followed up with a furled brow, "That would have killed her if that would have hit her."

The songsmith casually replied, "It's the story I always heard."

Beck agreed as he was adjusting something in his opened book bag, "Well, it's wrong."

The redhead eagerly asked, "But how did she get in?"

Freddie frowned as he commented, "Wait, how has Sinjin already been here five years?"

André opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly stopped as he realized he didn't have an answer for him. He was further saved from any awkwardness as the bell rang signaling the end of first lunch. He instead answered, "We gotta get to class."

They started getting up from their seats to head back inside while Cat desperately called out, "No, wait..."

Jade brushed her off as she walked around her redheaded friend, "I'll tell you later."

"But I'm curious now!" Cat desperately shouted, "Please tell me! Please tell me now!" She reached into her cleavage and pulled out a Gummy Bear, "I'll give you a gummy bear!" She reached in again and pulled out another piece of candy. "Jelly Bean?" She reached in for a third time to pull out another bean. "A Pinto Bean? What are you into?!"

A few minutes later, they were hanging out on the bottom steps of the main stairwell of the school as Sikowitz wasn't in class again.

Sikowitz quickly walked to the sitting students and called out, "Kids... kids..."

André eagerly greeted him, "Hey," with Cat happily following, "Hiiii."

Sikowitz stopped before the students and stated in a hurried tone, "FYI, I'm gonna be late for class."

Cat curiously asked with a slight frown, "Why?" with André following her this time, "What's up?"

Jade blew out in annoyance, "Again?"

He was about to answer the pale actress, but caught sight of Carly sitting between Cat and André. "Carly?"

The Seattle girl smiled to him and waved. "Hi."

He looked to her with a bewildered expression as he questioned, "What are you doing here?"

Jade quickly answered, "She's visiting."

The acting teacher raised an eyebrow. "Visiting?"

"Yes, we're… catching up. She'll be in class with us today… Helen approved."

He looked between Carly, Jade and a very annoyed looking Freddie as he slowly commented, "Okay…"

Jade blew out a breath and asked, "Why are you going to be late again?"

The balding teacher quickly answered, "Right, I got a call from my housekeeper. Apparently there's an odd smell coming from under my bed."

Jade's brow slighted knotted as she asked with a hint of concern, "What do you think it is?"

He slightly frowned and narrowed his eyes as he whispered, "Oh, I know what it is." He started on his way passed them and towards the exit.

André casually commented, "Okay, looks like we got some time."

Cat eagerly asked, "Yay, so tell me how Trina really got into Hollywood Arts."

Jade started, "All right. Here's the real story... so…" She paused for a moment as Cat pulled out a piece of candy out of her cleavage and started chewing on it then the pale girl continued, "…so four years ago Trina did her audition and it was like torture... but not the good kind..."

Carly curiously asked, "There's a good kind of torture?"

The green streaked hair teenager smirked, passed a quick glance to Freddie in a way to make sure Carly saw her then answered, "Of course there is. Maybe you'll find out one day."

Carly frowned and narrowed her eyes on the pale girl.

Jade smirked and continued, "Anyway…"

Black Box Theater  
Sometime in Early 2008

Trina shifted her weight from foot to foot as she stomped her feet as she sung, "It's an all night party that we're gettin' into if you think it's all over then the joke is on you. It's a dream, it's a scene and it's all brand new. If you think you can't stop it then the joke is on you."

Sikowitz crossed his arms in front of his chest and commented with disbelief, "Great Northern beans, that was horrible."

Eikner quickly agreed and waved off the younger Vega sister with his left hand, "Uh, I'm sorry... but, you don't belong at Hollywood arts."

Sikowitz looked to the rest and instructed them, "All right, fellow faculty members, for Trina Vega, let's all carefully check the "no" boxes on our forms."

Lane commented as he turned to his paper, "Agreed," followed by Eikner, "Absolutely," then the other two teachers, "Definitely," and "The worst ever."

As they were speaking, Trina walked to her book bag sitting on a stool at the back of the theater and pulled out black, round canister. She pressed a button on the side of the canister then tossed it just in front of the table.

It started beeping and caught Sikowtiz's attention and looked onto the floor and commented almost in a robotic voice, "Interesting, she's tossed some sort of device onto the floor."

Trina pulled out a face mask from book bag and put the mask to her face and pulled the elastic strap behind her head.

The beeps started sounding closer together until it was a short, high pitch should then popped and it started spewing a thick gas.

Lane jumped up from his seat and pointed to the canister as he commented, "Hey... hey, what's goin' on?"

Eikner replied with a confused tone, "I don't know. There seems to be some sort of vapor coming out of..."

The group of teachers in turn fell into unconsciousness then Trina walked around behind the collapsed teachers and started checking off the acceptance boxes. She smugly commented as she checked the boxes, "Trina Vega... yes. Trina Vega... yes. Trina Vega... yes. Trina Vega... yes..."

Present

Jade smiled as she finished, "...And when they woke up, they had no memory of what happened, and that is how Trina got into Hollywood arts."

Beck shook his head and responded with a soft, sarcastic tone as he zipped up his book bag, "Well, that is a fantastic story... that never happened."

She slightly frowned as she defensively responded, "That's how I heard it."

Carly shook her head and commented, "I hate song."

Cat curiously asked with laced concern, "Why?"

The brunette rolled her eyes and answered with a slightly regretful tone, "Because my brother Spencer sent a video using that song to scary me as part of his little pranking excursion after I wanted to pull a prank on Sam and Freddie. It got him hooked back on it because he was the 'King of Pranking' when he was in high school."

Jade laughed out and bowed her head.

They all looked to her with surprised and perplexed expressions. Carly quickly asked, "What's so funny?"

Jade covered her mouth with the back of her hand for a moment to help her calm from her laughter then answered, "Spencer sent it to me and I used him made up to be a zombie in the film I played during the 'Prome'."

"And nearly ruining it," Beck pointed with a slightly bitter tone.

Jade frowned as she looked back up to her ex-boyfriend. "She got my performance canceled and the only thought she gave about it was to tell me I was acting like a baby because I had the nerve to complain about it."

Beck was about to counter, but Freddie interrupted with a soft laugh, "Yes, the pranks… Sam stuck the shock pen into my throat and what did you do to her again for it?"

"I checked for a pulse."

"And what if I didn't have one? Take me to the hospital in the hopes I would have made it in time?"

Carly frowned at the accusation, but fortunately before any other bitterness could be brought up, Cat looked among the group of teenagers and asked, "Well, anyone want some licorice?"

André rested his arms on his knees and smiled as he accepted, "I'll take some."

The redhead reached into her cleavage and started pulling out a red string of licorice then held out the strain of licorice and hopefully asked, "Jade?"

Jade reached to her left boot and pulled out a pair of her blue handle scissors from out of the inner side. She started cutting pieces and Cat distributed the strings of red licorice to the rest of the teenagers then individually started enjoying the candy.

Jade may have not liked to have cut the candy, but Freddie caught the brief smile across her face as she got her piece of candy.

A few minutes later the students had made their way to Sikowitz's room to wait for the eccentric teacher without having to deal with passing students that wanted to bug Carly for pictures and autographs.

A beep went off from Freddie's phone from a SlapPage update. He pulled the pear shape phone out of his pocket and quickly read the update from Tori then blew out a tired breath. "Looks like Tori's in trouble at Nozu."

André asked in concern, "What happened?"

"She just says she's stuck there and her mood is 'hostage-y' with an angry emoticon." He got up from his seat and finished, "I better go pick her up?"

The songsmith offered, "You want me to come?"

"Nah, I'll just grab Dusty and be back before class starts." Freddie gave Jade a quick peck on the cheek with her closing her eyes from the contact then headed out of the back of the classroom and leaving his book bag in her care.

Carly remained silent at the sweet gesture from Freddie to Jade and with him just leaving at a drop of a hat to go help Tori.

Beck finished watching Freddie leave the room then looked back to his friends. "Okay, where was I? Yeah, Trina did not get into this school by using knock-out gas."

Jade smugly replied, "That's the story I've always heard."

André shook his head and doubtfully commented, "I don't think it's true."

Cat shook her head and questioned, "I dunnooo... Trina is kinda kooky in the head… A little nutty in the ol' noggin... Some girls are like that, y'know."

The three looked to one another knowingly while Carly looked on in confusion. Beck commented, "Oh we know," with Andra following, "Yes."

Jade softly rolled her eyes in agreement, "Some girls are."

Cat nodded along and pointed to André as she agreed, "Right?"

Carly looked on in concern and leaned over and whispered to Jade, "Is there something wrong with Cat, I mean… really?"

The actress looked to her with a slight frown then whispered, "I'll tell you later."

Beck spoke up with a somewhat sharp tone, "Okay. Do you wanna know how Trina really got into Hollywood arts?"

André nodded along his yeah while Cat answered, "Mm-hmm," through her candy.

Beck began, "Four years ago, Trina came here to audition…"

André started messaging his temples with his fingertips.

Cat called out with a surprisingly sharp tone, "What are you doing?"

He answered as he kept his eyes closed, "While Beck tells the story, I'm gonna try and visualize it, as it happened."

Cat shouted with glee as she stood up and placed her fingertips just above his fingertips and shouted, "Oooo, me too!"

Beck passed quick glances to Carly and Jade to assess what they thought of the sight. Jade shrugged her shoulders and slightly shook her head while Carly looked dumbfounded. The actor blew out a breath and continued, "Okay, so Trina was auditioning..."

Black Box Theater  
Sometime in early 2008

Trina danced wildly as she sang off key, "_It's a dream, it's a scene and it's all brand new. If you think you can't stop it then the joke is on you!_"

The older Vega sister smiled nervously, "So? How was that?"

Sikowitz cleared his voice and uncrossed his arms over his chest to place his fingertips on the table as he answered, "Well... Trina, I would never use the word "terrible"... except in this case."

Lane admonished, "Sikowitz, c'mon, she's a kid."

Trina hopefully asked, "You liked it?"

Lane looked back to and calmly answered, "Oh no, you're the worst."

Eikner picked up with an apologetic tone, "I'm sorry, but we can't accept you here at Hollywood arts."

Trina turned and started walking to her book bag and sadly started, "Okay. I guess I'll just leave, then… unless..." She turned to look over her right shoulder and her voice dropped to challenge them, "…you guys are up for a challenge."

The staff simultaneously looked up from their papers and Sikowitz was the first to speak, however slowly, "What kind… of challenge?"

Trina confidently challenged, "I fight all five of you. If I win, you let me into Hollywood Arts."

Eikner laughed out as he stood up from his seat and backed away from the table. He motioned for Trina to come at him with his hands and answered her challenge, "Let's dance."

"Foolish child," Sikowitz remarked with Lane mocking, "Bring it on, boo."

Sikowitz shouted as he rushed her, "M'jiggy!"

Eikner was faster and reached her first, but Trina put him down to the floor with a kick to the chest then back elbowed Lane in the face and followed it with a jab that sent him into the arms of the two female teachers.

Sikowitz grabbed her in a reverse bear hug and lifted her off the floor as the female teachers let go of Lane and charged her. She got her feet up and kicked them both in the face and once she was on her feet, she left elbowed him just under the sternum, forcing to let her go. She followed up with a back roundhouse with her right leg to Lane's face as soon as he was back on his feet.

She back kicked out with her left leg to send Sikowitz tumbling back to land in the cloth cart then threw the same leg out into the redheaded teacher's stomach which sent her face first into the floor. The other female teacher came at her, but she shoulder tossed her out of her way. The redhead teacher was back on her feet, but Trina threw out her right leg and clocked her in the face and sent her back into the rectangular table and breaking it with her body.

The older Vega sister turned to Lane and sent a few quick jabs at his face then tossed him into the same basket Sikowitz got stuck in moments ago.

Advance Acting II  
Present

"And that's what happened…" Beck casually finished.

Jade laughed out as she threw her head back slightly over her right shoulder, "Oh, and I'm 'crazy' to think that the knock-out gas story is true.

André asked in disbelief, "You seriously think Trina got into this school by ninja-whackin' five teachers?"

Beck raised a hand and shrugged his right shoulder, "It's the story I heard."

Cat blinked in surprise and asked with astonishment, "Wait, Sikowitz had hair?"

Nozu  
Los Angeles, CA

Tori had her hair put up in a hairnet along with Robbie as the pair was behind the counter of the bar and chopping up squid with a large, heavyset waiter standing beside them. Apparently they were quite quick as there was a hug pile of chopped up squid from after Tori sent her last Slap update.

Mrs. Lee was standing on the other side of the bar to their right and her back to the entrance as she mockingly asked, "Well... did you terrible children finish chopping the squid?

"They certainly are," Freddie hissed out behind her. "And they are not terrible children."

The restaurant owner turned to see a very upset Freddie giving her a harsh glare with Dusty standing beside him. The tech-producer slowly walked further into the establishment and asked with a cold tone, "I read an update that Tori is stuck here and I wanted to know why, so…"

Mrs. Lee put on a worried smile as she quickly explained, "She wouldn't pay her bill."

Freddie knotted his brow and looked to Tori for an explanation.

The brunette pulled off her hairnet and quickly explained, "Robbie was going to pay, but forgot his wallet and I didn't bring mine."

Dusty asked the obvious question, "Why didn't you just call one of us or just leave?"

Tori answered with a raised and slightly high pitched voice and pointed to the waiter, "I tried, but left my phone at school and he picked up over his shoulder and carried me back."

Freddie clenched his jaw tightly then glared at the restaurant owner. "Why didn't you just let them use a phone to call us? Not make them indentured servants!"

"Which is a crime in this country post-Civil War," Dusty was quick to point out.

Mrs. Lee shouted in outrage losing whatever friendly act she was giving Freddie, "She left my daughter dangling in the air!"

"That was an accident," Freddie snapped back.

"No it wasn't," she snapped back.

Freddie knotted brow of anger twitched slightly to confusion. He glanced over to Tori and she wore an awkward expression which he immediately interpreted that Mrs. Lee's words held so validity. He looked back to Mrs. Lee and whispered out coldly, "So after all that time, you're getting back at her?"

Mrs. Lee snorted out dismissively, "What? You've never held a grudge?"

Freddie took in a sharp breath while Dusty and Tori gave him a concerned expression. The tech-producer whispered out softly, "Yes I have… I still am… but you're going to let yours go." He walked around the circular bar to enter it from behind with Dusty by his side as the Southern teenager split is attention to the large man and the restaurant owner. Once Freddie was close enough to the brunette singer, he held out his hand for Tori to take. "Come on, let's go."

The large waiter took a step between the tech-producer and Tori.

Freddie turned to look back at Mrs. Lee.

"They are not done chopping sushi and they won't pay for their meal."

He glared at Mrs. Lee and stated with a cold tone, "I'm not paying you. You just couldn't let them use one of your phones to call someone, but act like a child. You're even—with _everything_."

"They're not leaving until they are done or I get my money."

"I could just call her dad—the LAPD detective and tell him you kidnapped his daughter or…" He looked over to the large waiter so coldly that even the larger man blinked in concern about what could happen next. Freddie whispered out, "You put your hands on Tori and you'd do it again if she tried to leave right now if Mrs. Lee told you too?"

He cautiously nodded.

The brown eyed teenager continued to stare at the waiter while he asked the slightly taller teenager to his side, "Can you take him?"

Dusty turned and stared down the heavyset man. He whispered out coldly, "Let's find out."

Kawkoo snorted out dismissively to the leaner teenager, but he wasn't laughing the next moment as Dusty shot out his left leg and connected with the side of the waiter's right knee. Kawkoo screamed in pain as he clenched his knee and instantly dropped him to it. The Southern teenager quickly followed up with his right forearm to his face and the waiter jerked to his right and went face first into the floor. The waiter rolled side to side on the floor groaning.

Dusty looked up to Freddie and casually comment, "I guess I can."

Freddie slightly tilted his head to the side and dryly commented, "So this is what it's like for Carly to have Sam."

Dusty chuckled at the joke as Freddie turned to Mrs. Lee who wore a look of complete shock and a hint of fear on her face. The teenager whispered out coldly, "I have enemies coming out of my _ass right now_, so I don't need another one. We end this right now and settled or… I am not above _vengeance_ or making my enemies paying dearly. Two of them are already in prison after a trip to the hospital… you want to be next?"

Robbie looked on in fear of Freddie from his statement while Dusty wore a stoic expression as he glanced between his friend and the restaurant owner. Tori looked on as she took in a soft breath and could feel her heart breaking at seeing what her friend was being driven into becoming.

Mrs. Lee swallowed nervously and nodded her head. "We're even."

"Good." His cold expression fell away as looked back to Tori with a concerned one and held out his hand left again, which she eagerly took. He led her out from behind the bar with Robbie and Dusty taking up the rear, but the Southern teenager slowly walking backwards to keep a watchful eye on Mrs. Lee to make sure she didn't try anything.

Freddie and Tori only stopped for a moment to allow her to pick up her jacket then they headed out.

Dusty called out as he was the last one out, "Oh, and I know your Taiwanese!"

Once they were outside the restaurant Freddie curiously asked, "Why didn't you just call someone?"

Tori rolled her eyes and answered with an exhausted voice, "I told you I left my phone in my purse… and Robbie doesn't have a phone.

"Robbie has a phone."

Tori cocked her head to the side and answered with a mix of tiredness and impatience, "It doesn't work. He doesn't have a phone plan."

The former Seattleite blinked as he looked on to Robbie with disbelief.

Robbie threw out his hands and shouted, "I told you, I'm not paying forty-five dollars a month for a plan."

Dusty clamped him mouth shut tightly and tried his best not to laugh.

Robbie looked to him with a knotted brow and asked, "What?"

The webmaster dropped his hand away from his mouth and whispered in disbelief, "Oh my God, the Jew is too cheap to buy a cell phone plan? Are you really telling me that? Please for the love of Almighty God that _we both worship_ tell me you're _not_ saying that."

Robbie cocked his head to the side and frowned while giving him an angry glare.

Dusty threw up his hands. "Hey, don't get mad at me for you walking right into that and playing the anti-Semitic cheapskate Jew stereotype. _I'm offended_ by it."

The ventriloquist continued to give him a cold stare.

Dusty pointed to Robbie and asked Freddie with a disbelieving tone, "He does realize our Savior's a Jew right?"

Advance Acting Class II  
Hollywood Arts High School

Sikowitz pointed to the dry erase board with a laser pointer and explained to the class, "So here's my bedroom at home... and see, underneath the bed... that's where I keep the extra sandwiches... so apparently, the smell was coming from a tuna melt that I made last..."

Tori, Freddie and Robbie walking inside from the back door of the classroom with her shouting out her apology, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry we're late."

Freddie followed up, "We got hung up at Nozu… I don't think Mrs. Lee is going to like me anymore."

Jade curiously looked up and asked, "Why?"

"I threatened to send her to prison and Dusty had to knock out one of her waiters for us to be able to leave."

They all looked at him in shock and he quickly explained, "She kidnapped Tori and Robbie and was forcing them into indentured servitude working there instead of using a phone for one of us to get some money to finish paying for their lunch."

Jade blew out a breath and shook her head as she tried to push down the irritation that someone else was messing with Freddie now and making her job even harder.

Beck answered, "Okay… but it's cool."

André continued for him, "Yeah. We're just listenin' to a very long story about the smell coming from under Sikowitz's bed."

Tori asked as she put on a disbelieving expression and took a seat, "What?"

Jade rolled her eyes as she commented, "Not as long as Beck's long story about how Trina got into this school."

Freddie grabbed a spare colored chair to sit beside Jade and complained, "Oh, I missed Beck's version?"

She blew out a breath, "It involved her 'ninja whacking' the teachers."

"What?" he nearly shouted with a furled brow.

André curiously asked, "Yeah, um, how did your sister get into this school?"

Tori slightly frowned as she wondered herself for a moment then hesitantly answered, "Uhhh, I don't know. I guess she just auditioned and got in."

Sikowitz crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

Cat whispered out innocently, "But she's untalented."

Tori frowned with a knotted brow as she countered, "Cat, that's mean and true. How did she get in?"

Freddie spoke up loudly, "I told you: it had to be because she's funny, not that she can actually sing!"

The students started chattering at the same time trying to tell one another their thoughts on how the girl got into the school.

The eccentric teacher interrupted the chattering, "Children...Kids... Eh, eh, eh..." Sikowitz shouted over the students, "I can tell you how Trina got into Hollywood arts."

André asked, "You know?"

"Mmm-hmmm."

Sikowitz crossed his arms over his chest as he answered, "I was at her audition. Four years ago..." He looked up at the ceiling as to recall the events of that day, but paused for a few moments to cause the students to follow his gaze and looked up at the ceiling. Once they realized he wasn't actually looking at anything, Tori hesitantly asked, "So, are you gonna tell us?"

Sikowitz snapped out of his memory, "Oh yeah. So! Just before Trina's audition was about to begin, Principal Eikner walked into the room..."

Black Box Theater  
Sometime in early 2008

The teachers were gathered behind the table.

Sikwitz asked as he dug a hole out of a coconut sitting on the table with the sharp end of a drafting compass, "Okay, who's auditioning next?"

Principal Eikner entered the back of the theater and thumbed over his shoulder, "Hey, you guys! That weird kid, uhhh... ginseng?"

"Sinjin?" Lane asked for clarification.

"Yeah. He got his face stuck in the soda machine again. Can you come help me pull him out?"

Everyone jumped up from their seats and headed out the back of the door, but Eikner motioned a hand towards Sikowitz and instructed him, "Sikowitz, you stay here and continue with the auditions."

"Right," he answered and retook his seat.

The principal asked with confusion while looking at the coconut, "What's that?"

Sinjin happily answered, "Oh, it's a special coconut my cousin sent me from Sri Lanka. I'm gonna drink its milk."

Eikner took a sniff and wrinkled his nose then commented with revulsion in his voice, "It smells kinda weird."

"Yes. It was delivered to my back door, so I didn't see it for three weeks.

"Maybe it's spoiled."

Sikowitz looked back at the coconut and answered, "Maybe, but I am still gonna drink its milk."

"But..." He heard screaming from outside of the theater. "Oh, I've gotta..." He turned and shouted back, "Okay, Sinjin, I'm coming."

"All right, next!"

Trina nervously walked in front of the table and introduced herself, "Hi. I'm Trina Vega."

"Hello, Trina."

Sikowitz started smacking his lips and complained, "Ooo, that's a funky taste." He looked back to the teenager and continued, "All right, Trina. Take it away."

The music started playing and Trina started singing, _"Can't stop you know we'll never give it up—"_

The acting teacher's vision started blurring and the background behind Trina started to change in front of his eyes, "Oh, I think this coconut milk is affecting me..."

"_In this life, you gotta live it up, so everybody put your hands in the air…"_ she continued to sing as to Sikowitz's eyes she stepped out from opening door dressed up as a high school marching band leader with the library behind her.

"Oh?"

"_It's an all night party that we're getting into…"_

"Roman soldiers!" he shouted as she was now in a Roman Centurion outfit with a toy sword in her hand.

"If you think it's all over then the joke is on you…"

"Oh, sweet mitosis, look what she can do!" he shouted as Trina's surroundings turned into a psychedelic display of swirling colors. To his eyes, Trina had changed into a hotdog and bun suit as she continued to sing, "Oh look! Now she's a hot dog! I love hot dogs! Sing, hot dog!"

"…Then the joke is on you…"

Sikowitz started laughing hysterically as he started checking off each teacher's form, "Ah! Trina is in! Trina is in! Trina is in! Trina is in! Haaaah!"

Present

"…And after seeing that, I accepted Trina into Hollywood arts."

Tori furled her brow and questioned, "You mean...Just 'cuz you drank some bad coconut milk?"

André questioned, "And saw visions?"

Sikowitz looked away embarrassed as he muttered, "I'm not proud of it."

Freddie snorted out in disgust, "You really are a drugged out hippie?"

The acting teacher frowned down at Freddie while the former Seattleite stared back just as coldly. "That's inappropriate to say Freddie."

He smirked and slight tilted his head to the side as he retorted, "Maybe, but it's apparently the truth."

Carly remained silent as she wasn't aware of any problems that Freddie had with any of his teachers and she was quite surprised that if he had, the one was Sikowitz from what she remembered of him at the party last spring.

Perhaps to avoid an argument between her boyfriend and teacher or she really did smell it, Jade asked with a curious tone, "Hey... does anyone smell sushi?"

André quickly spoke up, "Yeah... it smells kinda like salmon."

Beck rubbed his right thumb and his fore and middle fingers together as he commented, "No. No, I think it's... it's yellowtail."

Cat gripped André's left bicep and suggested, "No. Wait, maybe it's..."

Tori shouted out in frustration, "It's squid! All right, it's squid! It's squid!"

Sikowitz took a step back with a little tribulation at Tori's outburst and held up his hands as he fearfully answered, "Yeah, squid, squid makes sense, totally squid."

Tori shook her head in disgust, "It's not that hard."

Freddie shook his head as he leaned back in his chair and muttered in disgust, "And I'm going to have to air out the Charger… and we had the windows down on the way back. I hope the smell doesn't seep into the cushions."

Jade's jaw dropped and she nearly shouted with outrage, "I got to go home smelling like squid? Thanks a lot Tori!"

"It was Robbie's fault for being short for lunch!"

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The story will pick up in the next chapter as this was more a setup chapter than anything then the following chapter will be Crazy Ponnie. I had some throwback moments to past iCarly episodes to deal with Freddie's problems in case you didn't notice. Oh, do not blame me for pointing out how Dan made the stereotype joke with Robbie, I'm just pointing out how offensive it is. Have a nice week and hope to see you with the next update on Friday.


	16. Chapter 16: iForgive

Author's Note: Hello my dear readers. I hope everyone is doing alright. Sorry this is so late, but as you'll see it is a VERY long chapter that could require two sittings to read.

I've seen the last two Victorious episodes and I think they will be very interesting to incorporate into the story. However, there are two little things I like to comment on: Jade would not be able to get right back up after a minimum fifteen pound/seven kg car battery being dropped on her head and two, how can they be doing a short film for 'The Slap Fight' when weeks earlier Beck's already did his semester project short film in 'The Blonde Squad' with all of them participating? Goof up Dan.

Spare me a moment to respond to some reviews that I may have missed personally answering.

Layla: Okay, Dusty's father owns a black '67 Impala. It was a popular car, I guess. And his father use to be a manwhore. Coincidence, just coincidence. Oh, Cat… I think you'll like some future chapters.

darck ben: I have updated 'iWould Have Pounded Him' and hope you enjoyed it. I hope to do the alternating week thing between these two stories.

Eletrickkid: Whoa, wait a second; who said that Colt can kill demons? I don't remember writing any such line to indicate that historical firearm with a rich history can accomplish such a feat. :)

Please forgive me if I missed anyone and PLEASE PM in case I did forget to respond to you.

On with the story.

Special Guest Appearance by Jennifer Connelly as Ruby Lynn West

Special Guest Star Miranda Cosgrove

Rating: T Language

* * *

Chapter 16: iForgive

Hollywood Arts High School  
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

The last period of the day went well with all things considered with how the first half of the day went for Freddie, so he was in a better mood when he met up with Jade and Carly at the scissors loving teenager's locker after the last bell of the day.

He didn't even think about it when he slipped a hand around Jade's waist and gave her a peck on the cheek. Carly put on an awkward smile and averted her eyes from the affection. The tech-producer caught her downward glance, but didn't comment on it as he wasn't sure the motivation behind it: jealousy, embarrassment, or guilt. Instead, he started to ask them how the rest of the day had gone for them, "So, how was your fourt—"

"I heard what you said about me!" Trina shouted out behind Freddie and caught the three's attention.

Freddie turned around in surprise and instantly put on a look of shock at seeing the expression of outrage on Trina's face. "What?" he muttered out.

She looked to Freddie with a harsh glare and shouted, "I found out what you said in Sikowitz's class. What all of you said about me. You said I couldn't get into Hollywood Arts with my singing… that I can't sing. Thanks a lot Freddie." She snorted out her anger towards him and quickly walked around the corner and head out the side entrance.

Freddie called out, "Trina? Trina!"

He turned towards Jade and she quickly waved him off. "Go, go do what you need to do."

The brown eyed teenager smiled then gave his pale girlfriend another quick kiss on the cheek then darted after Trina.

Jade blew out a tired breath. "There goes our ride."

Carly nodded, somewhat confused about Freddie's eagerness to chase after the elder Vega sister but didn't question it. "Is there anyone else we can get a ride from? André—"

She rolled her eyes as she interrupted, "It's André's day to take Tori to her movie shoot and I know they're gone as soon as the bell rang."

The older brunette nodded her head acknowledging the news about Tori's opportunity then awkwardly suggested, "How about Beck?"

The green streaked girl gave a slight frown as she wasn't totally against it the idea, but she wasn't thrilled with it either. She still needed to at least somewhat settle things with Beck before she could just casually take a ride with him especially with Carly in the car with them.

A smirk formed on the slightly younger pale girl's face as another idea came to mind. "I know someone that'll give us a ride home and I think you might like seeing him."

TheSlap Computer Room  
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Carly hesitantly followed behind Jade as she confidently entered the room. Jade knew how to make an entrance and grabbing the attention of the students still hanging in the room after school. The freshmen and sophomores were of course quite intimidated by the scariest of the Alpha females of the school while the few juniors still felt that same way, but had a little more pride in not showing it, well not showing as much of it. However all that was quickly swept aside (albeit temporarily) with them seeing Carly walk up beside her.

The Seattleite needed no introduction, but Dusty gave her one anyway as he looked on in surprise at seeing his harmless celebrity crush walking into the room with Jade and quickly laughed out as he motioned to the web-celebrity, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a celebrity."

The freshmen and sophomores turned their attention away from Jade to Carly.

Carly bashfully waved at the students as they approached hoping to talk to the teenager and perhaps to get some pictures with her.

Jade crossed her arms and softly bit her tongue at the students fawning over the Seattle girl.

After the underclassmen semi-swamped the web-celebrity with a few harmless questions and posing with her for pictures, Dusty shooed them away from her and get back to work. "Okay, okay, you have work to do, enough fan-girling and fan-boying."

They reluctantly listened to him and turned to head back to their respective tables and stations as they seemed satisfied in seeing one of their idols.

The lean teenager let out a laugh and took the opportunity to steal a quick hug from Carly which the brunette returned. "Hello Carly."

She let out a soft laugh as she pulled away from his hug, "Thanks for the warm welcome."

Dusty spared a quick glance towards Jade who wore a guarded expression then commented, "Well you're quite welcome." He gave her a supporting smile as he continued, "This is a surprise." He passed a quick look to Jade for an explanation and she was inclined to answer his unspoken question, "She's visiting Freddie… surprise visit and since we were here, I thought you two would like to catch up and—"

"We need a ride home," Carly quickly supplied.

Dusty slightly frowned as he cautiously asked, "Where's Freddie?"

"He had to go talk to Trina. She heard what he said about her getting into Hollywood Arts the first time. She called him out on it then left before he could say anything, so he went after her to try to sort it out."

He nodded along to the explanation. He gave Jade a slightly mocking expression as he commented with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Okay… Freddie must have jumped for joy when she showed up."

She gave a ghost of a frown at his obvious disapproval of this tactic in her plan for the former Seattle couple's reconciliation.

He motioned for the girl to follow him to a corner of the room and away from the rest of the volunteer staff so they could catch up in private.

Jade leaned against the edge of a table while Carly and Dusty taking seats across from one another. He gave the Seattleite a soft smile as he asked, "How have you been Carly?"

She let out a soft breath at seeing his concern. "I'm doing… better. The last month has been pretty good… for the most part. The show's gotten back on track, things have settled down at Ridgeway and…" The fellow dark brunette shrugged her shoulder as she commented with a soft smile, "I had a nice Valentine's Day."

Jade raised her pierced eyebrow in a curious fashion at that last bit of information as she recalled Carly mentioning her last awkward date during their last web chat.

"Oh? You did? Mind me asking?" Dusty paused just long enough to smirk, "I promise that I won't rush to all the forums dedicated to you and the show and spill every word you tell me."

She let out a soft laugh from his teasing then answered with contentment, "I had a very nice Valentine's date with Lance."

Jade cautiously questioned, "Was he the one you were going to go out on a date with but you got your toe—"

The older teenager by two days quickly cut her off with a slightly panicky look on her face, "Yes, the same one."

Jade pursed her lips to stop herself from laughing out.

Dusty glanced back and forth between the pale pair, knowing that he was the odd one out in that topic, but continued anyway, "So I assume this… 'Lance' spoiled you? You got to spoil your girl on Valentine's Day; it's a requirement."

The green streaked girl softly taunted, "Yes, how was 'Lance'?"

Carly bashfully smile as she glanced away to answer, "I'm not necessarily his girl, but… he took me out for a nice dinner and we had a good time." The brunette turned and looked to Jade to casually ask in returning the question, "How was your Valentine's Day with Freddie?"

Jade frowned at the questions as she had no intention of letting the Seattle girl know about her Valentine's Day with Freddie, so she fell back on her public stance on the holiday, "I hate Valentine's Day, but…" Jade smirked as she mockingly commented, "I do think it would be fun to be cupid, flying around shooting people with arrows and what not. I'm kind of annoyed that I couldn't do that this year."

Carly rolled her eyes in irritation as Jade wasn't even willing to engage in idle conversation about something that really should have been harmless to discuss even in the abstract unless…

Dusty softly chuckled and slightly bowed his head as he commented, "So you really are trying to be Freddie's angel or are you really one who wishes she was a cupid to spread the love?"

The twin pale teenagers looked to him simultaneously with confused expressions.

Dusty raised an eyebrow and casually answered, "Well cupids are a lower order of angel. They go around making sure certain people notice each other, but they don't make people fall in love with one another. That's a myth. It's up to the pair to make something of it. They also subtly help couples to stick together and give them a chance realize and work out problems before they can break up. Hey, maybe one or two were around for you and Lance?"

Carly laughed for a few seconds while Jade looked to him in curiosity from his words. The Seattle girl stopped laughing when she saw Dusty's brow knotted up. She blinked and hesitantly spoke, "You—you're serious."

"Yes… why are you shocked that angels sometime intervene in people's lives? One intervened in your life before and one in hers too. This isn't a theological question for you two, you know they're real."

The web-hostess cleared her throat and closed her mouth shut.

Jade narrowed her eyes and softly smirked as she commented, "That sounds really familiar… about helping couples. Any particular reason to bring that up?"

The Los Angeles immigrant met her toying gaze and softly laughed, "You're the one that brought up cupids. I was just setting the record straight on them; just separating the myth from the truth. Are you accusing me of being an angel?"

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and narrowed her gaze on the former Northridge student. She countered with a toying tone, "You've come close to accusing me of being one many times."

He responded with a coy smile, "I think the jury's still out on that call _Angel Girl_… I know Freddie still has to be debating it… that whole rescuing him from Perdition and everything else."

Carly slightly frowned at hearing how Freddie could look at Jade in that manner when it wasn't that long ago she assumed Freddie looked to her in that manner and how Dusty described Freddie's life in Seattle.

He apparently caught the disapproving and disheartening expression on her face and commented, "Denying how it was for him serves no purpose. You're the one that spilled the beans to the world, so you can't say I'm wrong."

Carly gave him a slight nod of her head then continued, "Speaking of Freddie… we heard about you going with Freddie to ah… Nozu's? What was that about?"

Jade gave him a curious expression as well, so he was inclined to explain, "Yeah… looks like Vega had a disagreement with the owner and decided to keep her there to cut up sushi because something about letting her daughter dangle during some production." He shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know."

Jade looked away trying to shield herself from embarrassment as know she knew she was going to come clean on that with Freddie later tonight.

"I just know that Freddie was pissed, he wasn't leaving without Vega and someone was going to end up bleeding when Mrs. Lee said no… so I was his Huckleberry and we left. I don't know if I'll be welcomed back that, but then again it isn't a big loss since I don't care for raw food."

Carly asked with clear curiosity on her face, "Why did he ask you to go with him?"

"Because I told him… I told him after he got back from going up to Washington to deal with Nora that the next time he wanted to rush into a fight without calling me to back him up, I'd kick his ass afterwards. I didn't appreciate being left on the sidelines when he was going up against psycho girl."

Carly let out a soft laugh at the statement and continued with it for several seconds until she saw the calm look on his face. Her mouth quickly faded as she realized that he wasn't kidding.

Dusty gave her a perplexed expression. "Why do you find that funny?"

She shook her head and looked away. "Oh, ah… no reason."

"You laughed, so you found it funny for some reason."

Carly gave out a nervous laugh, "That's ah… an interesting way of telling him that you'll have his back in a fight."

"Well it gets his attention since I doubt anyone before getting to L.A. would watch his back in a fight. I know Gibson certainly wouldn't do it and we don't even have to address Sam."

"You don't know Gibby," Carly responded with a near defensive voice in wanting to defend her friend.

The webmaster calmly retorted, "I know that he was willing to fight Freddie on your show over a girl he turned around and did the exact same thing on that he accused Freddie of doing. There is a word for people like him."

Carly slightly frowned as she hesitantly asked, "What's that?"

"Judas."

He let the word hang in the air for a moment for the girls then continued, "I don't know about you, but I have very little patience for people like that. It gives the rest of us guys a bad reputation with the ladies and I know that Freddie has very little patience for them as well."

Carly nodded with silent embarrassment and hoped that Freddie may have eased that dislike in regards to her or her trip here. "Do you think I'm a Judas?"

He gave her a supportive smile as he answered, "We had this conversation in Seattle; you already know the answer."

The web-celebrity cracked a soft smile from his soft reassurance.

Dusty let out a soft laugh, "Okay, enough with the emotionally draining stuff…" The request was directed at both, but he was looking directly at Carly as he spoke, "Would you ladies like to grab a bite to eat on the way home? You have first lunch, so I guess you could be hungry. I'd love to catch up with you more Carly away from prying ears."

Carly looked over her shoulder and saw the slower ones not turn their heads back to their workstations. She glanced back to Dusty and flirtatiously asked, "Are you asking me… out?"

He gave a soft chuckle and put on his charming smile that he had inherited from his father. "I'm just asking if you want to grab something to eat since it's been a good few hours since lunch… and how could I possibly pass up the opportunity to ask my celebrity crush, especially when there might be a shot in Heaven of you saying yes?"

Carly fought back a smile as she slightly bowed her head, flattered by the boldness.

Jade quickly spoke up with a smirk, "You two go; Beck can give me a ride."

Carly gave Jade a curious expression while Dusty immediately put on a worried expression. The brunette asked the screenwriter, "I thought you didn't want a ride from Beck?"

He blew out a concerned breath and questioned with obvious disapproval lacing his voice, "Is that such a good idea to ride home with _Pretty Boy_?"

Carly noticed the contempt dripping off how he was referring to Beck and was somewhat shocked and put off by it. She didn't get to question it as Jade retorted with a soft tone, "I'm just asking him to give me a ride home. It's alright."

Dusty's brow furled as he commented, "For his sake, I hope so… I won't get in Freddie's way and I _will_ keep Harris from interfering."

Jade gave a slight nod of her head and put on an impassive expression that would have scared other students at the school. "I don't doubt it." She looked to Carly and commented, "I'll see you back at the house Carly." She turned away and headed out of the room before the web-hostess could say another word.

Dusty turned to the Seattleite and gave her a hopeful smile as he stood up and pulled his black leather grey hooded jacket over his arms. "So what would you like to eat?"

Hollywood Arts Library

After sending a quick text to André to find out if he knew if Beck was even still at school, Jade took an idle stroll to the library and quickly found that André's return text was correct about her ex-boyfriend. Jade softly called out as she saw Beck typing away on his PearBook behind one of the library tables, "What'cha working on?"

Beck looked up in surprise from the laptop screen at the dark haired teenager standing on the other of the table. He cautiously answered, "Oh, ah… I'm working on the script for my semester project."

Her brow instantly knotted up and a corner of her mouth lifted up in confusion a moment before hesitantly commenting, "The semester just started two weeks ago; you're already getting started on it?"

He snorted out a breath and put on his charming smile. "More like I want to get it out of the way. I'm actually almost done with the first draft. I think I could go ahead and start shooting it in about two weeks. We've been in one class or the other with Sikowitz for three and a half years and writing and directing classes for just as long; do you think we're going to learn anything new between now and the last few weeks of school that could actually make my film better?"

She thought about the question for a moment then honestly answered, "No."

He gave her a half smile and shrugged a shoulder to acknowledge her.

"What's it about?" she asked in a conversational tone.

He was surprised by the casualness of her inquiry, but decided not to miss the opportunity if she was willing. "It's a parody of Charlie's Angels. The working title of it is 'The Blonde Squad'."

"So you're going for comedy?" she asked in a rhetorical manner.

He nodded then typed more on his script to get down a quick thought then answered anyway, "Yeah, I think it'll stand out since you know I've done mostly dramas most of my time here."

She cleared her throat then tried to smoothly comment, "So I assume you're going to need some experienced actresses? You know, to make sure it's a great production for a semester grade."

He cautiously answered as he looked up to meet her eyes, "Yeah, I am. I had a few in mind… one that I'm not sure if she'll give it a second thought in telling me no."

She pulled her Gears-of-War bag tighter on her shoulder and answered with a hint of apprehension in her voice, "I wouldn't count her out in saying no to you if you want her in it."

The former couple shared a silence as they stared at one another. In a surprising display of being caught off guard, Beck was at a lost of words for a few moments until he finally muttered, "Would you be in my short film?"

She nodded and cracked a smile. "Yes, I'll be in your film."

He was dumbstruck that she would accept. He was hesitant in thinking it meant something significant on her part after the last several weeks, so he tried to casually answer to keep up the laid back, conversational manner which they were speaking, "Thanks, once I get through my last draft, I'll let you know which character I'd like you to play."

"Okay, just let me know."

"Right."

The pair fell into an awkward silence for a few moments as Jade was hesitant in interrupting his writing and he wonder it if was rude to continued along with the fact he was curious as to why she all of a sudden show up in the library. "Not that I'm complaining with the visit, but… I'm curious to know why you're just dropping by to see me. I'd think you would have left school by now."

"That's actually what I needed to talk to you about; I need a ride home."

Beck frowned in confusion. "Today's André's turn to take Tori to the studio," he obviously referring to that the boys had divided up the days when each would take their friend to her afternoon shoots.

"Trina found out about the stories we were telling about her getting into Hollywood Arts and heard what Freddie said about her singing. She's wazzed off and told him and he's going over to her house to talk to her."

"Oh… so where's Carly?"

"She's with Dusty. I thought she'd like to see him and thought maybe he could give us a ride home. He suggested that we get a something to eat on the way and decided to just let them to go and maybe get a ride from you."

Beck gave her an expression of surprise as he asked with a concerned filled voice, "He's taking her out and giving her a ride home?"

"That's funny; he was just as concerned about you giving me a ride."

Beck decided to remain silent on that point. He saw no point in dragging up his problems with Freddie's pet with his ex-girlfriend.

"So I'm second choice?" he asked trying to be offended or hurt.

She blew out a soft breath. "Honestly? I can only deal with one of you at a time… we need to talk. I'm hoping since she's busy, you and I can talk."

He nodded along and let his surprise appear on his usual carefree expression. "Yeah, I'd like that."

She cracked a smile and the pair shared a moment of peace with one another.

Vega Residence

Freddie blew out a tired (and quite worried) breath as he knocked on the door to the Vega sisters' home.

Surprisingly, it was only a few moments later when the door opened and revealed Mrs. Vega standing on the other side. The lovely woman smiled to the tech-producer and he bashfully smiled in return to the lovely Vega Matriarch as she regretfully commented, "Tori's not home."

He gave a soft nod of his head as he answered, "I know, she's at the studio; it's André's day to take her. I wanted to speak with Trina."

Mrs. Vega winced as she answered hesitantly, "That might not be such a good idea. She's in one of her moods."

Freddie put on an embarrassed grimace as he bowed his head and bashfully commented, "I know… that's why I'm here. Can I see her?"

"If she'll let you in her room…" She eyed Freddie up and down then calmly commented, "She'll definitely let you in."

Freddie bowed his head again and trying to suppress a smirk.

She stepped aside and let the muscular teenager inside. He smiled and asked, "Where's her room?"

Holly knotted her brow and her mouth slightly hung open for a moment. "It's right next to Tori's room."

He softly laughed to quickly explain, "I've never been to Tori's room; I haven't even been on the second floor."

"Oh," she answered in a tone that sounded to Freddie's ears as disappointment. He brushed that aside for the moment as Mrs. Vega quickly directed him up the stairs and informed him which room belonged to her eldest daughter.

The tech-producer wasted no time to head up the stairs and navigate to outside of Trina's door. He softly knocked on the door when he arrived and hesitantly called out, "Trina?"

"Go away Freddie," she hissed out in anger from the other side.

He closed his eyes and blew out a breath. He called out a little louder through the door, "Please Trina will you open the door?" She ignored him and he stood there for a few moments and debated what his next move should entail. He knocked again and called out, "Talked to me Trina, please? I'm not going to let this go. You know me… I've gotten pretty pigheaded since living in L.A. and I don't think your mom will throw me out."

"I could 'ninja whack' you out."

Freddie didn't understand the reference other than her background in martial arts, but realized that in the manner she said it suggested that it had some significance to the situation. He let out a soft laugh. "You know Sam threatened me the same way when I wanted to know what was bothering her just before she kissed me and I came to L.A. That didn't intimidate me and I can shrug off beatings from her super-strength; you can't really hurt me… and that wouldn't stop me anyway from being here for you."

He waited several more moments until the door opened. He immediately saw her displeased expression on her face along with her cold stare. She stepped aside and let him inside.

He glanced around the room to see the various posters of celebrity idol and the vibrant colors of the walls and various other decorations. He saw a few family pictures, but oddly enough, not one with Tori in them. He idly commented, "I've never been in your room before."

She crossed her arms under her chest and continued to give a chilly expression. "What do you want to talk about? You want to badmouth me to my face?"

He glanced down at the floor and clenched his jaw tightly. He looked up and met Trina's eyes and whispered out with a regretful, but firm tone, "You can't sing Trina and I doubt that's how you really got into Hollywood Arts. Sikowtiz was tripping so bad coconut milk we'll never know why he let you in. That's not badmouthing you, it's unfortunately the truth."

The older Vega sister frowned at him and shouted in outrage, "I have been your friend this entire time and you say that about me? You followed me home to tell me that?"

"Yes you have been my friend, but that's not why I'm here!"

He agreeing with her caught her off guard and it gave him the chance to continue, "I'm your friend and I'm going to tell you the truth instead of lying to you or mock you like others would." He blew out a regretful breath. "No, I don't think you can sing. I'm sorry, but that's just my opinion."

She frowned and was near the point of tears from his opinion.

His heart ached as he continued, but he pushed on, "…but that doesn't mean you're untalented as the others are saying because I know better. You're funny, I mean, really funny and you can pull off the physical comedy too if you tried and that's hard. I wish you would have been with us when we did iCarly. You would have outshined Carly and Sam. That's where your talent is, not singing… I'm sorry and I'm sorry if I've hurt your feelings with saying that, but I think lying to you would hurt you more."

Trina cleared her throat and looked down at the floor. She walked over to her bed and had a seat on the edge. She took several soft breaths then whispered, "It gets tiring to be the second best sister… to be the afterthought."

He answered in a genuine tone, "You're not second best to Tori."

She looked up and gave him an angry stare, but not really directing at him. "Yes I am… dad thinks so. He told me that when I go to college that he wants it to be far, far away. Everyone else thinks I'm third or forth best or I shouldn't be there at all. People thought I could sing before Tori had to perform in the big showcase for me. That was going to be my big moment to shine, but once they heard her, everyone thinks I can't…"

She trailed off and looked to her floor as the tears finally started to spill from her eyes.

Freddie walked over and had a seat to her left. He quickly pulled her into a hug and she latched on to him. He clenched his jaw tight for a moment then whispered out softly, "I don't think you're second best. I think… I think you should say to Hell with what they think and what your dad thinks."

Trina blinked and lifted her head off his shoulder to look to him in complete shock.

Freddie shook his head and continued with a regretful tone, "I had to say that to everyone in Seattle that wanted to drag me down so I could be free and happy and respected for my work instead of looked on as a joke. You'll prove them wrong by proving yourself right."

He broke into a smile and suggested, "You really should take a second look at the comedy and if you really wanted to try singing again, you could always take some voice lessons? You had the talent to begin with if they were going to put you in the showcase."

She snorted out a laugh.

The tech-producer smiled as he continued hoping to keep up her spirits, "You should have heard some of the other wild stories that go around saying how you got in: voice of an angel then hit by a swinging light and hit you and another one where you used knockout gas on them so you could put the checks on your evaluation."

She cracked a smile and whispered, "I heard that Beck thought I had 'ninja whacked' all the teachers and they let me in because I beat them."

Freddie smirked leaned over and whispered, "I do find that believable with all your skills."

The older Vega sister let out a soft laugh then hugged him again, but he noticed almost instantly that her left hand was slipping further down his back than it should.

He laughed out, "Watch the hand."

"Sorry," she hissed out in an apologetic tone.

They pair laughed off the amateuristic pass on him.

She whipped away her tears then continued, "Thank you Freddie."

He put on his charming smile and replied, "That's what friends do."

The pair of friends held one another and let Trina settle herself. She was the one that finally broke the silence by carefully questioning, "Why is Carly here?"

The tech-producer slightly frowned and answered with a distasteful tone, "She's here to spend the week with us."

"Why? After _everything_?"

"It's Jade's idea. She thinks I need to make peace with Carly or the idea of Carly and everything else in Seattle."

"Wow, she must be brave or stupid to have her stay the entire week."

Freddie gave her a curious expression with a raised eyebrow.

"She used to be the love of your life. You just don't forget about her. You nearly died for her… stuff like that are supposed to happen in stories and you're suppose to spend the rest of your life with the girl and now Jade's bringing you two together for a week under the same roof? That doesn't sound like a good idea."

The brown eyed teenager frowned and retorted, "I think I'm a little insulted by what you're implying I could do."

"It makes us even for the day then," she gave him a flirtatious smirk.

He rolled his eyes and tried to hold back a small smile threatening to form on his face.

"But… I can see why she'd want you to do that for the same reasons… you have had a short temper for a while."

He turned and gave her an annoyed expression with a furled brow and slight frown.

She pointed at his face and softly laughed, "See."

He looked away and shook his head while blowing out a breath. "I think I have a right to be angry… besides Carly and Sam, it's like everything under the sun wants to take a shot at me and those I love. I mean Hell, Sikowitz has gone at us twice for what? He doesn't like how we celebrate Christmas or Jade isn't all that thrilled in playing a part with your sister and having to say 'I love you'. Those words mean something to us. It's all this petty chizz people come at me for as if I have this one big target on my back. It's like there's someone out there gunning for me, wanting to make me miserably. That would wazz off anyone after a while unless you're a masochist."

Trina's shoulders slumped as he continued, "Carly just keeps hurting me… I keep letting it hurt me. I'm just tired Trina. I'm tired of all the chizz."

"You loved her that's why it hurts. Maybe Jade's right, the only way you can stop hurting is to make peace with Carly?"

He softly rolled his eyes and muttered, "Easier said than done. Just when I think everything is going to be alright, something else comes along and kicks me right out under my feet. If I forgive her again, what's going to stop her from just hurting me again?"

"Do you think she did it on purpose? New Year's I mean."

"Do you?"

"It looks really bad, but I don't know her well enough to judge her, but… Beck could be telling the truth?" she finished with a hesitant voice.

"Or she's playing him like she use to play me?"

"There's that too, but… isn't that's what friends do too? We hurt each other? That just happens?"

He turned his head and thought on her words.

In route to West Residence

Beck casually drove the GTO to the West Residence. She told him that she wanted to talk to him, but she hadn't spoken yet and that was causing him a little concern as it wasn't too much longer before they reached her house.

Jade finally whispered out with a hesitant breath, "I believe you."

Beck's brow furled and shot her a quick glance as he focused on the road. "About what?"

"About New Year's, about you not really conspiring with Carly to sabotage Freddie and me."

The long haired actor took in a sharp breath.

"It took me awhile to calm down and think it through… you know it had to look bad; you can't fault me for that, but… you're right. I don't believe you would sabotage me and Freddie. I'm sorry how I reacted… I should have known better."

He didn't know if he was being magnanimous or just being smart in not complicating the matter further, "You don't owe me an apology. It did look bad for everyone… so doest that mean you believe that Carly didn't do it on purpose too?"

"I wouldn't go that far. She could have used you."

The actor frowned as he retorted, "Freddie told me the same thing. Is it your way to let me off the hook, but still be mad at Carly?"

She softly rolled her eyes and patiently pointed out, "It's our way of explaining what happened with you being innocent without forgetting Carly's past behavior. She wants him back in Seattle…you want him back in Seattle," she finished with a quiet voice.

Beck took a soft breath then licked his lips before continuing, "Carly wants him back because she wants her life back the way it was before the summer and a piece of me does because… the more time that's passed… I… that piece regrets letting you go and wishes he was gone so I could try again with you. I can't do that with Freddie here. I love you Jade and it was a lot harder to let you go than I thought it would be. I wasn't as good as I thought that afternoon in my RV as I thought I was, but I'm trying. I was just having a bad week and just got frustrated that day and let it slip. It's the reason I wanted to talk to you the next day after Sinjin's game show. I wanted to let you know deep down that I didn't mean it and I do want you to be happy. I didn't go about it the right way with the whole closet thing. I'm sorry."

"Oh…" she whispered then looked out the front windshield. "I… you fooled me good. You're handling it better than I did."

"Really? I couldn't tell."

She answered in a small voice, "My moments have been in private and I guess having Freddie has made it easier."

He nodded along as he reached an intersection close to Wests' home. "Having Carly has made it easier… take it however you want."

The dark brunette nodded along as she wouldn't argue with him over it. She would just accept his word.

They drove in silence for the last few minutes to her house, but it was a comfortable one. As he pulled into her driveway and brought his vehicle to a stop, he asked, "Why do you want to be in my short film? Does this have anything to do with it?"

"Yes, it's my way of trying to mend things with you after all this mess, to show you how serious I am."

He softly smiled. "I'm glad… I'm glad you're going to be in it. Thanks."

She returned the smile with a genuine one that they hadn't shared in a while.

Inside Out Burger

The pair sat across from one another in the both seat and started on their respective meals of hamburgers and French fries and the establishment had decent smoothies from which Carly could select. The brunette gave the Southern teenager a playful smile as she questioned, "So why are you taking me out to eat again?"

Dusty smirked as he leaned in close to whisper to the Seattleite, "I told you, I just wanted to hang out with my favorite celebrity crush. How many guys would love to be in my place right now?"

Carly let out a soft giggle and softly rolled her eyes as she answered, "You'd be surprised."

He gave her a playful smirk and countered, "Would I?"

"Maybe… the dance a few years ago where Sam duck tapped my mouth shut and invited all those boys to compete to take me to a school dance… a lot showed up."

"That wouldn't surprise me. I told you, if I was in the state, I would have showed up to take you and you would have went with me?"

She raised an eyebrow and playfully questioned, "So that Southern charm gets you far?"

"I've never _really_ put it to the test, but boy would I have tired."

She let out a laugh and took a bite from her burger. Once she finished chewing the morsel, she cautiously asked, "Can I ask about the thing with Beck?"

He shrugged a shoulder and took a quick sip from his soda then responded, "Which part? My concern with him giving Jade a ride or… the fact that I put him on the ground a month ago that I'm quite sure you know about?"

Carly took a breath as she looked surprised at his bluntness.

The lean teenager answered his own question with a detached voice, "I assume he had to tell you since you're friends. He'd have to explain the bruise if you video chat."

She slightly bowed her head and found refuge in sipping her smoothie. She gave him a look of disappointment and disapproval as she explained, "Yes he did along with all the things that happened after it and them finding out we had been talking."

He figured the latter emotion was directed at him in regards to what he did to Beck. "I make no apologies for giving him a love tap. The boy doesn't seem to understand the concept when a girl says no, you should believe that she means _no_. He was smart enough to walk away when he had the chance or things really could have gotten messy for him."

"Did you really have to hit him? You did give him a nasty bruise."

"He's lucky I _let_ him walk away from that. If it was someone else and the circumstances just a _little_ different, it would have ended for him in a far worst way."

The brunette still didn't look convinced, so Dusty tried a different approach as he leaned back in his seat, "Set aside he's your friend for the moment and look at the situation: If some boy grabbed you and was dragging you into a confined space at your school that could be locked from the inside and you were shouting no, you're going to tell me Sam wouldn't leave him a bloody smear on the floor? Or that she wouldn't be justified in doing it?" He raised an eyebrow in a subtle way in daring her to challenge his example.

She bowed her head to look at her plate. She mumbled out in regret, "No I wouldn't… because something similar happened to me."

Dusty raised a curious eyebrow.

"I'm okay," she quickly reassured him then continued her story, "I had to go to the Pear Store to get my PearBook looked at and there was this really cute guy name Trey working at the Brilliance Bar. I was really turning on the flirtation, but he was ignoring me. "

He chuckled out before taking a sip of his drink, "So Freddie is your type now?"

She blinked then gave him a frown.

He shrugged a shoulder. "Observation."

She rolled her eyes then continued, "Anyway, he couldn't fix my computer right away… or so I thought at the time, so I invited him back to the apartment to work on it and well…"

Dusty did not like where the 'well' was leaving off.

"It turns out he was getting my message at the store. He surprised me in the studio and got a little bold in wanting to kiss me and I told him no. I had to run from him through all the floors of the apartment until I found Spencer. He nearly broke Trey's arm before throwing him out."

"So you know exactly what I'm talking about? Why I have my concerns about him and I don't feel sorry for sending him a message? Neither of them understands the concept of 'no'. Why is one a villain and the other one okay?"

Carly blew out a breath and turned back to eat a fry or two as she couldn't come up with an answer immediately.

Dusty didn't waste the opportunity as he continued, "I'm not sure if you understand this or not after everything, I mean _really_ understand this, but Freddie _loves_ Jade. If Beck tries _anything_, he's a dead man… you did not see how angry Freddie was when he found out what Beck attempted with the closet thing. As entertaining as it would be to watch Freddie beat the shit out of Beck, that can not happen because well… he'd beat the shit out of Beck, but more importantly… things would go from tense to very, very, bad and I don't know how that little playgroup could come back from such a thing. So he has to behave on the trip back to her place or Freddie is going to hurt him like he did your ex-Steven, Nora, and Papperman with his Russian buddies."

She kept silent on the part where he was convinced that Freddie was in love with Jade, but she did question with a hint of disgust, "Why do you think that would be entertaining? Watching my friend getting beat up?"

Dusty frowned to her and answered without missing a beat, "Don't ask the second question to Freddie or he might verbally go for your throat."

The brunette sucked in a sharp breath as her mind went to all the times she watched Sam beat up on Freddie and not saying a word of condemnation to her.

"But to answer your first question, watching an asshole that looks down on woman and backs it up with his behavior getting the mess beat out of them is fun especially one that will use you to get what he wants and throw you away once he's done with you. Why do you think guys watch boxing and MMA fighting?"

Carly leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. "That's funny, that's the exact same thing that Jade and Freddie think I'm doing to Beck."

"The irony is not lost on me, but their experience along with their anger and hurt with you is clouding their view of you while I don't have that baggage."

"Thanks, but… couldn't I say the same thing about you and Beck?"

He snorted out a breath through his nose and gave her a cautious eye. "Pretty Boy hasn't shown me anything to contradict or change from his past behavior while you've realized your mistakes and have turned your life around. You want to do the right thing."

She looked down at her plate as suddenly her meal didn't seem all that appetizing. She whispered out with a childlike voice, "But they aren't seeing it."

"You're here aren't you? Jade is the one that got you here, right?"

"Yeah?" she answered with a questioning eyebrow.

"Jade, the last person that would want her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend to be here, sees the need that things have to change and has brought you two together."

"She doesn't want me here. She's just using me to help Freddie," she answered with a hint of bitterness in her voice.

"Which is the exact same thing you want? To help Freddie. What's the problem? Same goal, different motivation."

"But I want my friend back too."

"Then you have to try and not give up. Friendships worth having aren't easy and no one guaranteed that they would… but he's not going back to Seattle with you and don't dare delude yourself in thinking that. You'll just have your heart broken more when he happily chooses to stay."

She took a quick sip of her drink then looked at her barely touched meal. "Any lingering hope that could be a possibility died on New Year's. He's here to stay and I won't have anything resembling my old life back. Anything close to it would be us being friends again and going to the same college and I doubt he's going to UW after Hollywood Arts."

"I'm sorry Carly. I can relate."

She looked up to see his warm and sympathetic expression.

"I'd like to be home in Carolina and have my old life back with my friends and extended family but… you deal with what you got and you make the best of it." He smirked and shrugged a shoulder. "At least I'm closer to Kermit, Texas and I can see my cousin Mary more often actually."

She nodded along and whispered, "Thanks."

He let out a soft laugh, "You're welcome."

The web-celebrity turned back to her food and started back on her hamburger.

Dusty watched her with a curious expression and asked a few moments later, "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

After a few seconds to chew and wash down her food, she answered curiously, "I guess not."

"What is Sam?"

Her brow knotted and quickly questioned, "What do you mean?"

"I mean 'What is she?' She's not one hundred percent human. What happened to her? Was she in some government lab and engineered to be a superhuman? Or was she bit by a radioactive spider? What is it? I got a few theories, but not enough info to nail it down."

Carly playfully laughed, "She's just Sam."

Dusty slightly frowned as he narrowed his eyes on her. "She was ready to toss me across a room with one hand when I met her and I've heard the stories of her strength so please don't sit there and tell me otherwise. If you don't want to tell me, that's fine, but don't lie and just say she's normal 'cause she's not."

Carly took a breath and answered with a bit of annoyance, "I don't know and I don't care. She's my friend and I don't care."

He raised his hands and answered casually, "Fair enough. That is a good attitude to have. Loyalty regardless of… _differences_."

She nodded then turned back to her food with a soft smile from the compliment.

He smirked as he commented, "Now, once you're done, what desert does the lady want?"

She bowed her head slightly to try to hide the soft blush forming on her cheeks.

West Residence

Freddie had arrived home a few hours ago after staying for a light snack at the Vegas' then went straight to work on his computer to type on a paper to avoid seeing Carly. He didn't actually give it much thought that when he first arrived home that he didn't see or hear the Seattle brunette.

His peaceful typing was interrupted when Jade called out from the threshold into his room. "I want you to talk to Lane."

He looked away from his computer and frowned as he saw the Penny-T and sweatpants wearing teenager. He leaned back in his chair and partially turned to her. "Is this about me taking Tori's place in the play and got Sikowitz's hair in a frizzle? Has Lane asked you to ask me?"

She shook her head. "No, I want you to talk to Lane with Carly."

He gave her a questioning expression.

"He is a counselor; he might just be able to help."

Freddie just frowned. "I've asked you not to take this from me."

She bowed her head slightly down and whispered out, "Yes, but… I'm telling you no because you don't need that. I think it does you more harm than good."

"And who are you to tell me what I don't need?"

She snapped her head up and looked him straight in the eyes as she countered with a firm voice, "The woman that loves you and I've seen you without it and you've been fine."

He blew out a tired breath from his nose then muttered out, "I'll think about it."

"Don't take too long. It's already Tuesday."

He raised his hands off from the armrests and answered, "Fine… I just want stall until we can't talk to him. I promise."

She cracked a soft smile. "I'll hold you to that."

"Yes Nancy," he playfully returned.

She smirked and shook her head then turned to head out of the room as she didn't want to really interrupt him any further while he was working. Before she could turn completely into the hallway, he asked out with a conversational tone, "Mrs. Lee said that Tori purposely let her daughter dangle that first night of 'Well Wishes' and it wasn't an accident in the rigging."

Jade took a sharp breath and kept her back to him.

"Oh my God…" he whispered out in disbelief at seeing her shoulders tense up. He palmed over his forehead and looked away to lean back in his seat.

She turned to look at him and started nervously rubbing her hands together. She cleared her throat then attempted to explain, "It was Tori's idea, but I went along with it when I found out. Everyone conspired to keep Mrs. Lee at Wok Star so I could put my play on how I originally wrote it at least for the first night."

"Why?"

The pale teenager kept her gaze on his bedroom floor and whispered, "Because my dad was going to be there the first night and I wanted to impress him… I wanted him to finally have some respect for me. Tori felt guilty for convincing me to compromising on my principles to get my play produced." She looked up and spoke somewhat louder as she finished, "I'm sorry I never told you the truth, but it never seemed to come up with Mrs. Lee never hinting at it to me that there was a problem, so… I just let a sleeping dog lie. "

He remained silent and that sent a worrying shiver through her. She quickly added, "She was safe and secure up there. We wouldn't have let her do the flying harness thing in the first place if it wasn't."

Freddie let out a soft laugh.

She blinked in surprise from his reaction because anger was her assumption for his reaction. "Wh-what's so funny?"

He suppressed his laughter as he answered, "Don't tell that to Trina… about the rigging."

Jade blinked for a moment then softly bit her bottom lip and shook her head as she tried to suppress a laugh because she didn't want him to make her laugh and throw her off in being serious.

He turned in his seat to face her and gave her a reassuring expression. "I'm not going to judge you on that; I've been part of some zany schemes before we met, so why not you? Heck, I hacked into a school network to fix grades… well fix them back which could have gotten me some jail time anyway and probably never allowed near a computer again."

He slightly shook his head. "She'll probably never let me back in even if she said that everything was even. She strikes me like Sam: 'I don't play to get even, mama plays to win'.

A corner of her mouth lifted and she strolled over to her boyfriend. She lifted a grey sweatpants covered leg to slide between his thigh and the armrest then the other leg to mirror the moment to straddle his lap.

He looked up in surprise from her action while she playfully smirked to him and rested her hands on his shoulders. "You really think she's going to hold any kind of grudge with the sweet, loveable, handsome and charming Freddie Benson?"

"Grudge?" he whispered out in somewhat surprised tone.

Her smile faded as she looked in his eyes. "What?"

"She asked me if I ever held a grudge… I told her yes, but she was going to end hers right then and there. I wasn't going to let her keep hers with Tori. I threatened her to drop it with telling her what I did to Nora and Nevel."

She timidly asked, "Isn't that being hypocritical?"

"Yeah… but do I care when it comes to Carly and Sam?"

"I hope you would… right and wrong are a part of you."

Freddie looked down as he couldn't see the disappointment in her lovely blue eyes.

Jade leaned forward so she could hug him and let his cheek rest against her right shoulder and gently brush the back of his head with her left hand. She whispered out as she felt the familiar sting behind her eyes and choking up, "Baby… please let it go… let it all go: the hate, the anger, the resentment. Please don't let them take you away from you and me."

Carly peaked around the corner of the doorframe and her face turned even whiter than usual as she watched the pair hold each other in his chair. She quickly turned away and headed back to her guest room.

TheSlap Computer Room  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Freddie walked into the nearly empty computer room save for its webmaster at a computer station and eating a brought lunch. He could tell it was one as he was drinking a Peppy-Cola and that was one of the things he railed against at Los Angeles schools: not being able to buy a decent soda with his own money due to bleeding heart liberals imposing their views of how to live one's life on everyone else but happy to hand out condoms like candy on Halloween.

The tech-producer called out, "Eating lunch by yourself?"

Dusty swiveled in his seat to face Freddie as the webmaster was halfway chewing his sandwich. He finished chewing then curiously asked, "I rarely eat lunch with anyone. Why aren't you having lunch with the others?"

Freddie blew out a breath and crossed his arms over his chest. He started paced about in front of the webmaster for a few moments before idly commenting, "Maybe I needed some advice."

"Okaaaaay?"

Freddie stopped and gave him a cautious expression. "Jade wants me to go see Lane with Carly and she wants me to let everything go."

Dusty turned in his seat and rested his sandwich on his napkin in front of the computer then questioned, "Why not? Why not take the chance with seeing him and forgiving her? Maybe he can help."

Freddie clenched his teeth and shook his head. "That's so easy for you to say. _All of you_ to say."

The webmaster slightly chuckled, "Yes it is… but you still need to hear it."

The brown eyed teenager snapped his head to look at his slightly taller friend.

Dusty relaxed back in his seat and casually continued with a lighthearted tone, "You need to make a decision, one way or the other: forgive her or tell all of us to go fuck off and that you've decided that you are going to hate them so you and Carly can get on with your lives."

"So that's your advice?"

He raised his right pointer finger up and answered, "Part of it, but my two cents on which choice you should make is the heart of my advice and I haven't told you that."

Freddie softly laughed, "And what's that?"

"Your Lord and Savior _requires_ you to forgive her along with Sam and everyone else that has wronged you."

Freddie laughed for a moment then took several breaths to calm himself when he saw the somewhat amused look on Dusty's face. He asked with a mixture of amusement and confusion, "You're pulling the _Jesus_ card on me?"

Dusty smirked in return and playfully retorted, "You pulled it on me first _my Christian brother_ to get me to accept a Christmas present from you when we were not friends at that point. That is not a card you should have played lightly with me and turnabout is fair play. Besides, who else is going to remind you of that little requirement?"

The thought of Anna reminding him briefly crossed the former Seattleite's mind, but of course he didn't voice it. "I see your point and I'll keep that in mind."

"Good," Dusty chuckled out.

Freddie decided to take a seat across from the webmaster and ask about one other matter. "I heard you took Carly out on a date while Jade got a ride home from Beck?"

Dusty softly chuckled and put on a charming smirk. "Maybe… but since _you_ dumped _her_ and guy code states under that circumstance, you have six days to get back to her before she's on the market… and I didn't even know you then, so… you could never invoke guy code on me from the start."

Freddie's eyes shot open and his mouth dropped open then tried to form words. He finally uttered out, "I was kidding."

The slightly taller teenager laughed out at the look on Freddie's face, "So was I. I went out with a harmless celebrity crush I've had since I was fourteen. It isn't any different than if I had the chance to have lunch with Miranda Cosgrove or Elizabeth Gillies. Heck, I hear that Gillies can turn straight girls lesbian for her." He pointed at Freddie to finish his point, "And you would have done _nearly_ the same thing I did since you are attached, so I really don't want to hear it."

Freddie questioned with a slightly mocking, "Okay, so you split the check?"

Dusty's brow instantly knotted up and retorted as if he was genuinely offended, "Absolutely not. What are you, crazy?"

The more muscular teenager shook his head then looked back to him with a more somber tone. "What about you taking Carly and leaving Jade to get a ride from Beck?"

"It was Jade's suggestion for us to go by ourselves. I questioned the wisdom of such a choice, but I can't stop Jade from going with Beck if that's her choice, but I told her if he tried anything, that I wouldn't interfere with you going after him and I would stop Harris from stepping in."

Freddie nodded along and commented with an understanding tone, "Thanks, but it actually seems to have been for the best."

"How so?"

"They cleared the air between them, about New Year's and the closet thing. She's going to be in his semester project short film as a sign to show all's good between them."

His brow instantly knotted. "So she's forgiven him or she believes him?"

Freddie blew out a tired breath and answered, "She believes he didn't betray her, but she's still on the fence with Carly… and leaning more towards sabotage."

Dusty softly rolled his eyes. "Well, I'll take that as a positive development."

The tech-producer cracked a relieved smile and commented, "I do too. There shouldn't be bad blood between them."

The slightly older friend smirked. "Yes… old friends and loves shouldn't have that kind of bad blood between them if there's a chance for peace between them."

Freddie softly bit his bottom lip and shook his head at the not so subtle jibe. He got up from is seat and commented, "I'll see you later. I'm late for lunch with my girl." He turned and headed out as Dusty resisted calling out a correction to _girls_.

* * *

Beck ditched about the last ten minutes of Sikowitz's class claiming he wasn't feeling too good from lunch and needed to go to the bathroom. The others were genuinely concerned with Carly showing particular concern, but he reassured her and the others that it wasn't anything too serious and they accepted his explanation. In actuality, he lied to them as he needed to take care of something right at that moment as he wouldn't have the opportunity that afternoon as it was his turn to take Tori to the studio.

He entered TheSlap computer room with a few minutes left to spare before the end of third period. He caught sight of the person he was looking for and ignored the glances from the other students in the class as he approached from behind. He asked with a concerned tone with an underlining hint of concern, "You took Carly out?"

Dusty swiveled in his seat and stared up at the handsome actor with a slight look of annoyance on his face either by the intrusion or by the question. He leaned back in his seat and rested his right palm on the armrest as he clarified and corrected Beck's over simplification, "I took my celebrity crush out to for a bite to eat before taking her back to _Jeddie's_ house. What guy wouldn't if he really had a chance to actually take one out if he had a snowball's chance?"

Beck frowned at the dig that Jade's home was Freddie's home. He whispered out in a chilly tone, "I don't want you to treat her like she's a joke because she's a 'celebrity' or try to take advantage of a delicate situation that she's in."

Dusty stood up to stand less than a foot in front of Beck and put on a guarded expression (which instantly drew the attentions of the other students in the room), but his eyes showed his annoyance with Jade's ex. He answered with an equal cold voice, "You… _you_ are questioning _me_ about respecting women?"

Beck softly bit is tongue.

His annoyance was quickly replaced with disgust, "In case you've forgotten _Pretty Boy_, I'm the one that put _you_ on the floor because you didn't understand the concept of a woman telling you no, so don't question me on how to be a gentleman and you should be careful _boy_ in questioning _my honor_… I don't have Freddie's patience or any of his hang-ups about hurting his girlfriend's ex."

Beck outright glared at the self-righteous webmaster for bringing up that sore point.

They stared at one another for a few moments before Dusty smirked and he continued, "The only one that I might—_I might_ have to give the heads up to is Freddie because he's her ex, not you unless…" The Southern teenager started laughing and snorted out, "Now this is funny."

The actor stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets and was close to glaring at the sitting teenager as he questioned, "What?"

Dusty slightly shook his head. "We've reversed roles in this situation. You could be saying something because you've developed something for her over the time you've talk to her or you're stepping up and watching out for your friend. Either way, _it's funny_. You don't see the irony of this?"

Beck took a calming breath to let him gather his thoughts to retort then whispered out, "I guess you could say that. She's my friend."

The webmaster gave an acknowledging nod of his head. He dropped his confrontational tone as he answered, "I can see that, but… you really think I would try anything? Really?"

The actor stared at the former Northridge for a few moments then reluctantly admitted with a tired breath, "No… sorry."

Dusty became deadly serious as he responded, "Don't apologize for trying to protect a friend. A little paranoia given the circumstances isn't necessarily a bad thing. You might want to get an eye on that Lance fellow she's seeing… I figure you and Sam can work something out. After all, she is Carly's guardian demon… or something."

Beck was about to ask more about Lance and if Dusty knew anymore about him than what Carly had filled him in, but the bell rang, signaling the end of third period.

Dusty laughed as he turned away to get his jacket off of his seat, "Got to go Beck. Good luck with Carly." He threw on his jacket, grabbed his book bag and started out the door with the other students, leaving a contemplating Beck.

Music Room  
Hollywood Arts High School

André and Freddie met up for their regular guitar lesson with the songsmith drumming along on his guitar to follow Freddie's lead as the tech-producer wanted to try something a little different and another song than originally planned. André could see that the somber mood Freddie had carried since returning to lunch and through Sikowitz's class was still with the tech-producer, so he figured that he would go along with the ride with whatever Freddie wanted to try.

Freddie drummed on the guitar strings and softly started, _"Oh, dear mother, I love you… I'm sorry, I wasn't good enough… dear father, forgive me 'cause in your eyes, I just never added up. In my heart I know I failed you, but you left me here alone."_

He picked up the pace of his playing with a tenor of anger in his voice, _"If I could hold back the rain, would you numb the pain? 'Cause I remember everything. If I could help you forget, would you take my regrets? 'Cause I remember everything."_

"_Oh, dear brother, just don't hate me for never standing by you or being by your side. Dear sister, please don't blame me I only did what I thought was truly right. It's a long and lonely road, when you know you walk alone."_

His voice dropped low with a melancholy tone, _"If I could hold back the rain, would you numb the pain? 'Cause I remember everything. If I could help you forget, would you take my regrets? 'Cause I remember everything."_

Carly walked stepped just inside the room wanting to see the pair after coming from hanging with Beck and Jade in the library.

"_I feel like running away. I'm still so far from home. You say that I'll never change but what the fuck do you know? I'll burn it all to the ground before I let you in… please forgive me, I can't forgive you now… because I remember everything."_

"_It all went by so fast. I still can't change the past. I always will remember everything. If we could start again…"_ He finished sadly, "_Would that have changed the end? We remember everything, everything… I remember everything._"

Carly bowed her head and turned away to slip back out before either of the boys could notice her.

André rested his arms on the top of his guitar. "I'm sorry Freddie."

Freddie stared at the floor after he sat the guitar in its stand and whispered, "She was the love of my life. I would have done anything for her… I nearly died for her, but it wasn't enough… wasn't enough for her to treat me like a friend then with New Year's… How do I forgive her when trying to do it the first time around was a lie?"

"Was it?"

Freddie gave him a curious expression.

"Was everything a lie? Was New Year's a set up?"

"You don't think it was?"

André shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "I don't know Freddie, just that maybe it's moot point either way. You said you forgave her once, why not again? You seem miserable hanging on to the resentment… it's weighing on your soul. How much longer can you carry that before you break?"

Freddie took a deep breath and slowly let it out as he stared off in no where in particular.

Hollywood Arts Library

Carly walked back into the library to see that Beck was continuing to work on his script on his PearBook while green streaked girl on some homework waiting for Freddie. She stopped just in front of the actor and whispered, "Beck?"

"Yeah."

She motioned over her shoulder and asked with a quite voice, "You want to grab something to eat?"

He and his ex-girlfriend immediately noticed the disheartened expression on the pale Seattle girl. He looked back to Carly and tried to answer in the best casual tone he could muster to hide his concern, "Yeah, sure. I know a place you'll love."

A few minutes late, Beck was behind the wheel of his muscle car with Carly in the passenger seat driving the pair to Nozu since he knew about her love for sushi. At any other time he would have respected her silence, but today he couldn't with the feelings that she was clearly trying to hide.

"What's going on Carls? You were going to drop in on Freddie, but you show back up just a few minutes later."

Carly bowed her head and whispered out, "I want to go home."

Beck took a soft breath and a disheartening frown appeared on his face. He clenched the steering wheel tightly for a moment then retorted with quiet voice, "Why do you want to go?"

"I realized there's no point in staying. I'm never going to make peace with Freddie… I'm never going to get my friend back."

He clenched his jaw tightly for a moment then whispered, "How did you realize that?"

The brunette cleared her throat and bashfully answered, "Let's just say that I was able to get a glimpse of what Freddie really feels about me."

"So you've not actually talked to him to come to this… realization?"

"What I saw was more honest then anything he could say."

Beck slightly shook his head as he kept his eyes focused on the road. He glanced to his rearview mirror and to the sides to see that he was clear, so once he reached the green light at the intersection, he took a hard left and brought the vehicle down the opposite side of the road and back towards the direction of Hollywood Arts.

Carly clenched the dashboard through the surprise turn and questioned with a high pitched tone, "What are you doing?"

"I'm making an illegal U-turn."

"Why?" she questioned almost his sanity with rapidly blinking eyes.

"Because I am not going to let you be miserable. You're talking to Freddie and you two are settling this one way or the other."

Music Room

Another few minutes later, Beck quickly pushed the door open to the music room while leading Carly inside by the hand.

The tutor and tutee quickly turned their attention to the actor as he stated in no uncertain terms to Freddie, "You two need to talk or she's going home because she sees it at hopeless. Freddie, prove her wrong."

Freddie stood up from his seat and glanced to Beck with a knotted brow then back to his former best friend. The former best friends and couple stared at each other for a few moments until Freddie spoke up with a tired voice, "We'll talk to Lane tomorrow. He's the school's guidance counselor; he might be able to help us?"

She shook her head and retorted with a hurt tone, "What's the point? You can't forgive me; you remember everything."

The tech-producer clenched his jaw tightly at her throwing back the lyrics he had just sung. He quickly realized that she must have heard him singing, but quickly brushed it away as it was pointless to address it. "Everyone else seems to think I can… maybe they're right and I'm wrong? We can find out tomorrow?"

Carly took a breath and passed a weary glance towards Beck. He gave her a hopeful smile that she would accept the offer.

Freddie Benson: Meeting with an old friend. FEELING: Conflicted :S

Guidance Counselor's Office  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Thursday, February 23, 2012

Lane smiled at the former couple as he had a seat in his swinging wicker chair and they sat together on the couch at the start of fourth period, the familiar time that Freddie used to attend his sessions. Freddie had his arms crossed and relaxed back in the familiar couch while Carly rung her hands with an apprehensive expression playing on her face.

The guidance counselor started with a friendly tone, "I'm glad you're here. It's been a while Freddie."

The tech-producer softly rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Carly gave Lane a curious expression then asked Freddie, "You've talked to him before?"

Freddie regretfully replied, "You and Sam and the rest in Seattle drove me so nuts that I needed therapy for a few months to help find some peace with everything… of course that went straight to Hell after New Year's."

Carly frowned and looked down to her knees.

The brown eyed teenager blew out a breath and continued with Lane, "Jade invited her for the week without telling me."

"And you're not happy that Jade did that?"

Freddie put on a deep frown as he answered, "I am not going to talk about my feelings in regards to Jade with her in the room so she can use them against me in the future or tell Beck so he can try something in the future."

Lane raised a curious eyebrow. "So it comes down to trust between you and to an extent Beck?"

Freddie took a soft breath to try to calm himself then softly answered, "Last time I trusted her, I had to ditch Jade on New Year's Eve to rescue her from psycho Nora in an attempt to get me to come back to Seattle permanently while Beck has openly shouted that he wishes that I would go back to Seattle."

Carly sat up in her seat and turned to look to her former friend with an outraged expression. "I didn't do that!"

He snapped his head and stared at her. "Why in the world should I give you the benefit of the doubt?"

"We were friends and we were getting that way again before New Year's; why would I dare risk that for such a stupid stunt?"

"Isn't it obvious? You were hoping for a replay of what happened with the taco truck. I'd rush in to save you in an attempt to rekindle old feelings for you and have everything back to the way it was with me being the hero of the day while sabotaging my big night with Jade so that I couldn't go back to Los Angeles. Two ways to get me to stay in Seattle: open arms in Seattle while burning my bridges in Los Angeles."

Lane let out a nervous laugh, "Okay, we're jumping right in this, but I think we need to take it down a notch."

The former couple looked to one another then back at Lane to relax back in their respective seats.

Lane nodded his head and started, "How about I start this way? How are you doing Carly?"

The brunette took several breaths in an attempted to calm her nerves and let the angry flush on her cheeks fade. "I'm… I guess I'm doing alright. I'm a little nervous… little worried… a little sick on my stomach."

"Okay." The counselor looked to Freddie and asked in a calm voice, "How are you feeling?"

Freddie lolled his head slightly to his right side and answered with detached voice, "Honestly?"

Lane answered with a reassuring tone, "This only works if you are."

Freddie leaned forward and rested his left elbow on his knee and covered his mouth with his fingers before blowing out a breath. "Okay, I'm… wazzed off, I'm irritable, I'm… I hurt. My heart hurts, I'm tired, I'm conflicted… and I'm afraid."

Carly took a deep breath as a worried expression formed on her face.

Lane nodded along as his foot gently pushed against the knotted and decorative table allowing him to gently swing in the chair. "You're obviously angry about the situation and I've seen you irritable—"

"I'm justified in that with the way things have been going lately. Every time I turn around, someone's taking a shot at me or someone I love: Nevel, Beck, Sikowitz, Mrs. Lee from Nozu. Who's next in taking a shot? Is Sam going to magically pop up next week and start going after one of us? Or maybe a few weeks down the line when things have cooled off, Sikowitz is going to pull another one of his stunts?"

Lane blew out a soft breath and nodded his head. He wasn't going to dare argue with any of those points as he was quite aware of three of those incidents with trying to be the calm voice of reason with lack of security that let Nevel slip in the school, attempting to talk to Freddie about the incident with Sikowitz and talking Helen out of making the situation worst with wanting to suspend Dusty for hitting Beck for dragging Jade into a closet. He knew that could have turned into an uglier mess with it looking like Helen could cover for Beck doing something that could easily construed into something really bad when he knew the other teenager would have openly fought it. He was a little shocked that Mrs. West had not intervened like she had with Sikowitz.

Carly quietly spoke up, "Sam's not going to do anything."

Freddie looked to the brunette and sarcastically questioned, "And how do you know that?"

She softly bit her tongue for a moment then retorted with a bit of hurt in her voice, "She's too busy with her own problems."

"What? She got arrested again and you can't afford to bail her out because your dad won't pay for it?"

Carly frowned after taking a quick breath. "No, she's too busy trying to salvage her relationship with Brad."

Freddie raised a curious eyebrow. "Oh, so she finally screwed that up?"

"No, I did that."

"You? You messed up Sam's relationship with Brad?" Freddie let out a soft laugh as his curiosity was peeked by the confession. "How could you possibly have done that?"

"I told him the truth… I told everyone the truth."

Freddie stopped for a moment to try to figure out what she meant then it figuratively hit him. "Your confession on the show? How could that change anything?"

"He didn't realize how bad Sam really was until I really laid it out for everyone to hear. He always thought it was an exaggeration with how Sam treated you. It's got him to rethink being with such a person, that maybe she might start one day treating him that way. She's doing everything she can to show him she's not like that anymore."

"He goes to Ridgeway; how could he not know?"

The web-celebrity snapped her head and gave him a soft glare as she answered, "People didn't know how bad it really was with Sam and you. They knew it could get bad some of the times she picked on you, but not all the things I let her get by with."

"Well my confession that she makes me miserable at one of her birthday parties wasn't enough? The one where they all laughed at me about it, but knew it was the truth. Don't make excuses for them."

"I don't have to; they're making excuses for themselves all on their own."

"How?" Freddie asked with a tired breath.

"Everyone is saying the same thing: they didn't know it was that bad. I'm just being mean and dishonest in saying they knew… they just don't want to face the facts with what they took a part in. They're trying to cover it up by being mad at me and blaming me for Principal Franklin having to leave at the end of the school year… which covers their happiness that Briggs and Howard are being forced out. I hear they're buying them off to save the legal hassle of trying to fire them."

Freddie snorted out in disgust at hearing that no one up there wanted to take any responsibility, but he brushed that away as he was more curious about the other part. "Why is Franklin leaving?"

"He knowingly let Sam do that to you for years and let the other teachers and students mistreat you." The brunette shrugged her shoulder. "I guess the school or whoever is hoping you won't sue them for letting everything happen to you if he just leaves quietly at the end of the year. Probably a way to keep other kids' parents that he let it happen to happy as well so they won't sue."

"They don't have to worry about that from me; I don't want anything to do with Seattle including any kind of legal action. I just wanted Franklin to crack down on the bullying. If he did that, then we were even." Freddie took a deep breath then slowly let it out as he whispered, "I'm sorry to hear that he's leaving."

Carly blew out a breath in shock. "You can feel sorry for him, but you can't forgive me?"

Freddie angrily retorted, "I haven't heard a peep from him trying to screw my life up since the last time I saw him."

The brunette crossed her arms over her chest and huffed out in annoyance.

Lane raised a calming hand as he tried to bring the tension back down, "So this is the biggest hurdle between you two getting back to some semblance of what you two had before?"

The brunette quickly answered, "He doesn't believe me. He won't believe me that I didn't purposely try to sabotage him and Jade. You heard him. He thinks I planned it all along."

"I begged you not to go. Just let it be and enjoy your New Year's and not mess with Nora. She couldn't hurt you. I told you if she came looking for you to just unleash Sam on her, but no, you just had to go then go home with her?"

Before Carly could retort, Lane interrupted, "Why did you go Carly? Why did you… why did you think Freddie's advice was not the best course of action?"

Freddie attempted to answer for the pale teenager, but Lane held up his left hand in the hopes that Freddie would heed the suggestion not to interrupt Carly with his own answer. Freddie conceded to the request and remained silent.

Carly glanced to Freddie for a moment to see if he would remain silent then satisfied that he would give her the chance to speak, answered, "I was afraid of what would happen if they let her out. She kidnapped us before… aggravated kidnapping my dad explained to me later, so I went to the hearing to try to convince the judge that he shouldn't let her out, but once I got to the hearing… I decided that I would try to forgive her like Freddie forgave me. Gibby wanted to forgive her and the judge was leaning towards mercy as Nora wasn't evil, or so we thought at the time, but just messed up. I just wanted to give her the same chance Freddie gave me, I just happened to be wrong."

The guidance counselor looked to Freddie and asked simply, "What don't you believe her?"

"Because she knew that night was going to be a special night for me and Jade… it's just too convenient of an excuse especially when we found out that she and Beck have been talking to each other the entire time I've been living in L.A. and that Jade told him what she was going to tell me that she loved me on New Year's. It just fits too well as a conspiracy at least on Carly's part."

Lane raised an eyebrow from that tidbit of news. "So you and Beck are friends?"

"Yes he's my friend. We bonded over the fact that we both lost someone very dear to us."

Freddie snorted out dismissively, "Too bad he's not smart enough to realize that you're manipulating his friendship with you to sabotage Jade and me."

Carly shouted out in anger, "Do you think I'm that devious? That I'm that manipulative?"

He turned his head and looked her straight in the eyes and answered with an even tone, "Please, for me?"

The pale web-celebrity got up from her seat with a huff of her breath and started pacing the room.

Lane let the girl pace as he turned his attention back to Freddie. "So you don't think Beck had anything to do with it?

"Jade and I have come to the conclusion that Carly probably took advantage of Beck's vulnerability and used what he told her to arrange what happened. He's just a pawn in her plan."

Lane stared at Freddie for a moment and the teenager returned the stare and instantly putting on a guarded expression. The part-time chorographer finally whispered out, "You don't believe that."

"What?" he instantly retorted and put on a confused expression.

Lane calmly answered as he felt he found his opening, "You said you're conflicted and afraid. Why would you feel that way if you were _so sure_ she did try to sabotage you? What are you afraid of Freddie?"

He took a sharp breath and clenched his jaw tightly. His pause in answering caught Carly's attention and she stopped her pacing. He glanced away from the pair and just took some calming breaths.

The counselor softly prodded, "Freddie?"

He slightly shook his head then finally answered with a somber voice, "Despite the anger over… _everything_, I… know Carly has a good heart and don't want to hate her. I don't want to be mad at her or resentful of her. I know deep down I just want… I want that peace and happiness back. You asked me one time if I wanted my old life back—someone else asked me that too, I don't, but you were right about that I should keep the good stuff out of the bad and…" He turned his head to look to the apprehensive girl and continued, "I do remember all the good times…" He cracked a tired smile. "…we did have some good times, but… I'm afraid you'll just hurt me again. If I just drop my guard… if I drop this shield even for a moment and believe you, you'll put another knife in me or someone else will… even if you don't mean to and you can hurt me the most."

Carly walked over and had a seat on the table so she could face her former tech-producer. She desperately whispered, "I promise I will never—"

He hissed out through gritted teeth, "You can't promise me that—you always find a way, even if you don't 'mean to'."

Lane interrupted with a soft tone as a realization figuratively hit him upside his head, "Freddie?"

"Yes?" he answered as he leaned slightly sideways to look around Carly to meet Lane's gaze.

"This isn't about you not believing her about the truth, but just wanting to protect yourself from her hurting you again?"

Freddie bowed his head and blew out a tired breath and that was answer enough for Lane. "Freddie, no friend can promise you that. Friends get in disagreements and they hurt one another, sometimes really badly. You know that from being here. You've gotten in disagreements with your friends and gotten hurt, but you bounced back."

"Trina said the same thing." They sat in silence for a few moments before he began again, "I know why Jade cares, but why do you care so much if I believe you? You wished me a happy life on your web-broadcast and peace from you, but you're here now, _why_?"

Lane pursed his lips for a moment at Freddie's attempt at diverting from the issue, but the pale teen took a soft breath and sense of serenity seemed to shine from her face as she allowed her former tech-producer to take the conversation in that direction. "Because you need me and in all honesty, I need you too even if a part of you hates me."

"Why?"

She bowed her head this time and whispered out bashfully, "Because I love you and I don't have any taco trucks to jump in front of to prove it. You broke to save me, I think I can take a few slings and arrows if it means I can help save you as Jade wants to."

Freddie softly questioned, "Love? I waited a long time to hear you say that to me, but that's a loaded word and as dangerous as a loaded gun. One I'm sorry to say I have doubts you know how to use."

Carly's voice cracked as she answered but didn't appear offended by his statement, "Maybe, but… I mean it. I may not grasp it like you do, but I know enough and I'm counting on that you haven't forgotten what love truly means. That's why you're here in the first place."

Freddie closed his eyes and clenched his jaw tightly.

She reached out and pulled him into a hug. She was surprised that he didn't fight it. She rested her chin on his shoulder and sniffled as she felt the first tears start to form in her eyes. "If I could take it all back, I would. I'd do it all different, but I can't. I only have now… please forgive me."

He took a soft breath at what she wanted, at what she had laid out for him. Her words and everyone else's words churned in his heart. The feelings were a whirlwind battling one another, but as that battle raged, there was a moment of clarity in his mind that put the pieces together to realize that months ago she asked him to be something he wasn't for Sam, but now she along with everyone else including the girl he loved asked him to be himself. Isn't that what it always came down to? The choice of being himself or somebody else? Even the angels asked him that question and when he framed the entire situation in that manner including how he was acting as of late, was it really all that hard a choice for him? What good was keeping his shield if what it was protecting was crumbling behind it with everyone that cared about him could see? And did he really have the hate in his heart to hurt the girl that once was the love of his life?

A few moments later he gently wrapped his arms around the slim girl and whispered, "I forgive you… do you forgive me?"

Carly stiffened at hearing his words as for a moment she couldn't believe his words.

He pulled away, but held on to her so he could meet her eyes. He swallowed down his apprehension then continued, "I forgive you… no I already forgave you for everything and just drug that up because I thought you weren't genuine about being sorry in the first place. I believe you… I believe you and I'm sorry for what I said to you that night. That was wrong of me."

She nodded her head and choked out with a grateful smile, "Thank you."

He started blinking as he realized that his eyes were watering and felt the metaphorical weight being lifted off of him. He cleared his throat and answered, "You're welcome."

Carly pulled him back into a tighter hug which reminded the tech-producer of the one she gave him one Christmas after she came back from an alternate world. Somehow, that gestured reassured him that he had been wrong to doubt her the first time, yet reassured him that he had made the right choice now.

Lane bowed his head and tried to keep the satisfied smirk off of his face.

Boarding Gate  
LAX Airport  
Los Angeles, CA  
Friday, February 24, 2012

Ruby smiled as she rested her hands on Carly's shoulders. "Call me as soon as you get home. Don't let Spencer distract you. I know how much of a handful he can be; literally… boy was it hard changing his diapers at times."

Carly laughed at trying not to imagining that. "I won't. I'll call as soon as I can."

The rest of the Los Angeles friends were there to see her off with the surprised addition of Dusty. He had no intention of letting his favorite celebrity leave without saying goodbye.

Freddie was the second after Mrs. West to see his first love off. He gave her a soft smile and asked, "What else is there to say for the moment? I don't have anything profound to say at the moment."

"I think we've run out of the profound stuff for right now other than I'll talk to you later? I think that's pretty profound after everything."

Freddie let out a soft chuckle. "You're right. I will talk to you later."

The brunette wore a thankful grin as she turned to the handsome long haired actor and gave him a playful smile as she commented, "Beck?"

He put on a boyish grin as he answered with a question, "Carly?"

The unlikely friends pulled each other into a hug. He whispered to her, "Your visit was way too short. We'll have to make it up the next time."

"I promise," she softly laughed as she pulled away from him. She turned her attention to the handsome songsmith and smiled to him. "André?"

He chuckled and pulled her into playful hug that actually lifted her off of her feet for a moment. "It was great having you here. Hope to see you soon."

She shrugged a shoulder. "Maybe I'll get a chance to visit you over Spring Break?" She glanced to Freddie, Jade and Mrs. West.

The matriarch quickly supplied, "I'll have the guest room ready for you when you need it."

André laughed out, "It'll be fun. We'll have a blast. Maybe I can get Kenan to let us use his house for one of those days."

Carly let out a near shout of a laugh as she recalled the better parts of that evening, "That would be fun."

The giddy redhead shouted for joy and pulled the pale girl into a tight hug. "Come back soon. We didn't get a chance to make cupcakes."

As Cat let her go, Carly answered, "I promise we'll make cupcakes then next time I'm here, but you have to get us a killer recipe."

Cat clapped her hands and excitedly shouted, "I promise."

Tori was next with her goodbye and 'the other girl' from her ex-boyfriend shared a quick hug. "I'm with André, I hope your next trip is a happier occasion."

"Probably, but this was still a good one. Thanks for welcoming me."

"Not a problem… just try not to show us up in Sikowitz's class with your acting skills as much next time," she finished in a joking tone.

Carly responded with a false haughty voice, "Well, I can't help it that I have years of experience in impromptu acting over all of you." The girls burst out laughing with Robbie nervously approaching. He awkwardly laughed, "Have a safe trip—" Rex interrupted with a demand, "You gave her my number right?"

"REX!" the dark curly haired shouted in embarrassment.

Carly let out a soft giggle.

Dusty softly prodded the puppet, "How is that going to work for you? You don't have opposable thumbs to use a phone."

Rex turned his head and retorted, "Hey, don't be moving in on my game."

The lean teenager chuckled and put on a charming grin. "Oh, your game? You're lucky I'm not interested in that way or I'd figuratively leave you a mess on the court puppet."

Rex's mouth dropped open, "Puppet? I find that offensive."

Carly laughed at the pair and drew their attention from her soft giggle.

Dusty turned to her and gave her a charming smile as he commented, "Have a safe trip."

She gave him a friendly smiled and gave a nod. "Thanks."

Carly looked Jade and whispered, "Jade, can I talk to you for a second? In private?"

The pair walked further toward the boarding gate to separate themselves from the rest. Carly darted her eyes over Jade's shoulder then met her blue eyes. She licked her lips then cautiously started, "You take care of him—"

Jade teased with her interruption, but there was an underlining sense of seriousness to her tone, "Or you'll be waiting in the wings to snatch him up?"

Carly gave her a playful smirk. "Maybe not me, but someone will and you know it."

Jade hated to concede the point to Carly in particular, but to do otherwise would make her feel as foolish as trying to argue the Earth was flat. "I know… she'd be lucky to have him, but I'm not letting him go, not willingly."

She surprised Jade with a hug and whispered in her ear, "Thank you for helping me get another chance."

Jade swallowed down her sense of conflict from the contact. The girls pulled apart and Jade gently stated, "When I showed up weeks ago in Seattle, I told you I thought I'd start off being honest."

"Yes?"

"Well I'm going to finish with being honest: I still don't believe you and I still don't trust you… I can't afford to trust you. I can't take that leap."

Carly gave her a soft smile and replied with a surprisingly calm voice, "Fair enough, but thank you anyway."

"Well, have a safe flight."

As if on cue, the announcement called out for Carly's flight, grabbing the web-celebrity's attention to instinctually look towards the direction of the intercom. She looked back to Jade and commented with a gentle tone, "Oh, and take care of yourself too."

Jade considered herself a good judge in evaluating a person's true motives, so that's why she was shocked by the sheer genuineness of Carly's tone. She muttered out, "Thanks."

Carly flashed her one last smile then turned with her carryon luggage towards the boarding gate.

Dusty leaned over and sarcastically remarked to Freddie as the pair curiously watched the girls, "Wow, forgiveness worked for the Christian; what a surprise."

Freddie pushed his tongue under his bottom lip and shook his head with a smirk then nudged him in the side with his left elbow.

The Southern teenager chuckled, "Touchy."

The former Seattleite joined him with a soft laughter.

André happily asked, "Okay, who's up for an early dinner? Nozu?"

Dusty sighed, "Nozu? Really? Can't we get some real food? Besides, I knocked out one of her chefs; I don't think she's going to serve me and I don't think she's going to be too happy with Vega regardless of what she told Freddie."

Rex snapped out, "Who said you were invited?"

"At least I can eat. What do you do as an inanimate object?" he sharply retorted.

Rex's mouth dropped opened along with Robbie's at the insult.

As the webmaster and puppet continued to sling jives at one another and the rest started heading out of the airport, the cross city couple remained behind for a few moments for Jade to ask, "Are you going to be alright?"

Freddie cracked a smile then turned to face the green streaked girl and rested his hands on her hips. "I think I'm going to be alright… I think we're all going to be alright. Thank you… thank for putting up with my pigheadedness."

Jade smirked and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him into a lip locking kiss. Freddie took that as his lovely girlfriend accepting his thanks and hoped she'd keep thanking him after he got back from work.

* * *

Author's Note: Wow, very long chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. The next chapter will be 'Crazy Ponnie'. I'm not sure if it will be this Friday update or not. Take care.

I would like to give musical credit to Five Finger Death Punch's _Remember Everything_.


	17. Chapter 17: Crazy Ponnie

Hello my dear readers. I have another chapter for you. I wanted to get the next chapter of 'iWould Have Pounded Him Silly' for this week, but I'm behind on it, so I hope you'll settle for another chapter of this story. Let me take a moment for self promotion, but I have updated my other Jade/Freddie story, 'A Coffee and a Smoothie'. Also, check out PD31's Jade/Freddie story, 'Kindred Spirits'. I hear whispers that it _might_ get updated this weekend, but no guaranties.

Let me take another to address a few reviews:

Johnny No Name: Thank you for your concern, but politely, my short answer is no. My long answer is that I avoid artificial chapter breaks simply to inflate my readership count on the story and write them as long as the narrative required it. I could have easily done that and dragged that chapter out for three weeks in detriment of the readers. I believe the last chapter called for it to be that long because the narrative I was trying to achieve required it. The majority of the last two chapters actually take place over the course of only one day, but the narrative required that I split it into two chapters. I do not and can not make anyone sit through and read an entire chapter in one sitting. That is entirely up to the reader with that little thing called Freewill. Also, how does splitting it up into two or three parts save a reader time?

Meldson: I'm currently working on another Jeddie story called, 'A Coffee and a Smoothie'. If you have any suggestions for a one to two-shot story idea for them, feel free to PM me. Taking the opportunity to plug PD31's story again, "Kindred Spirits".

Twilight Warrior 627: Shhh… don't tell anyone but I'm using the story to teach valuable meaning of life lessons in an entertaining fashion.

Challenge King: Chapter got here faster than I thought.

I believe I have PM the rest, but if I missed anyone, please PM me and I will be happy to address your concerns.

On with the story.

Special Guest Star Jennette McCurdy

Special Guest Appearance by Jennifer Connelly as Ruby Lynn West

Rating T: Language, Allusions to Violence

* * *

Chapter 17: Crazy Ponnie

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Tori lazily walked into the school and tried to stifle a yawn with her left hand while holding a white mask in the other. Her hair was a stringy mess and she wore no makeup which easily revealed the bags under her eyes along. Her light purple sweatshirt with the white printing of an apple with a cityscape running through it and New York City printed above the cityscape hung loosely on her and sleeves rolled up. She crossed in front of the main stairwell and met up with Beck and André at the musician's locker and immediately started explaining her appearance in a tired voice, "I know... I know. I look tired and awful. You know how I know? 'Cuz I was just walkin' down the hall and Jesse the janitor goes to me, 'hiya Tori... you look tired and awful, duhh'."

Beck cautiously replied, "Well, I'm not agreeing that you look tired and awful..."

André picked up without any hesitation, "But why do you?"

Tori rested her left hand on the side of André's arm and started, "You wanna know why? Okay. Here's what's going on in my life right now. First, I'm supposed to..."

Sinjin started playing a saxophone as he rested against the handrail of the stairs towards the school entrance interrupting the tired teenager.

Tori turned and questioned the saxophone playing teenager, "Do you have to play that now?"

Sinjin nodded his head and answered, "Yes,' then started playing again.

Tori turned back to the pair of young men and brushed away some of her hair away from her face and continued, "I'm supposed to write a one-act play for Sikowitz's class and Trina has a head cold and blows her nose all night long which wakes me up and I've spent like a billion hours trying to make this stupid Venetian carnival mask for my world cultures class while trying to film my movie!"

André motioned to the mask and suggested, "Mm, let's see it."

She gave a half smile and relented to his request and held the decorative mask to her face.

Beck smiled as he commented with light tone, "Hey, you look better!"

Tori dropped the mask and gave him a tired and disbelieving expression.

Trina approached them from the opposite end of the hallway, loudly blowing her nose. She pulled the tissue away from her nose and complained, "Oh my God, I am so sick... feel how heavy this is." She dropped the used tissue into her younger sister's hand and continued on her way.

"Oh," Tori whined in disgust and threw the soggy tissue onto the Tiki decorated locker next to André's keyboard locker and it stuck with an audible squishy sound.

André offered his concerned advice, "I think you really need to get some rest."

"I can't rest; I have to go to the bathroom and wash this Trina goo off my hand!" she retorted then started on her way to the ladies' restroom.

In a lovely royal blue dress, Cat with a look of fear on her face ran to Beck and André as Tori parted from them. She hung on to André's sweater as she desperately asked, "You guys! You guys, have either of you seen Jade?"

The songsmith curiously asked, "Uh-uh. Why, what's up with Jade?"

"She's trying to kill me!" she shouted with dread and went on to look around if she could see the pale brunette.

Beck casually asked, "Any reason?"

She raised her left pointer and middle finger over her left eyebrow and explained, "Well, we were hanging out last night and she asked me to do her eyebrows."

André asked with a confused expression, "Do what to 'em?"

"Make 'em look neater and nicer. Girls do that. We groom each other like monkeys," she explained as if it was the most obvious thing to happen.

"So, why is Jade trying to kill you?"

"Well..."

Jade shouted at the top of her lungs as she ran down from the left side of the main stairwell, "Where is she?!"

Cat shouted in fear and dashed between the teenagers to run away down the hall.

Jade shouted as she made her way down the stairs, "Stop her! Somebody stop Cat right now!"

"Hide me!"

Freddie was right on Jade's heels shouting desperately, "Jade! Stop! For God sakes, stop!"

The dark brunette ignored her concern boyfriend's demands and continued to chase after Cat. "Come here!"

"Please hide me!"

Cat desperately shouted as she rounded a group of girls at the end of the hallway and started back down the other way, "Oh, hide meeeeee!

"No! Come here!" the angry dark brunette shouted in frustration as she continued to chase the frightened redhead with Freddie doing his best to catch her quick girlfriend.

Cat made it to the other end of the hallway and rounded Sinjin and used him as a human shield with Jade shouting, "Stop! Come here! Don't touch him!"

The girls shouted back and forth as Cat dashed back down the other direction of the hall.

Lane had rounded the corner and was able to get between Jade and Cat. He was able to grab Jade and shout, "What do you... stop! Like, Jade, stop! Relax!" Lane being able to step between them for the moment allowed Freddie to catch up and gently take Jade into his arms and out of Lane's arms while Cat hid behind the guidance counselor.

The brown eye teenager shouted as he tried to hold on to her for dear life without hurting her (which was far harder than one would initially assume because of how easy he could do it with his strength), "Jade, Jade, stop! Please stop!"

Jade was finally able to calm down enough with his words so he could let go of her.

Cat ran around them to stand between the teenagers while Beck asked in disbelief, "What was that about?"

André asked with a bewildered tone, "Why are you so mad at Cat?"

Jade slowly turned around and revealed that her eyebrows were gone.

They all looked on in shock at seeing the sight while Freddie looked at her with a sad expression.

Jade held up her pointer finger and hissed out with a threatening tone, "Don't… say… _a word_."

Girl's Restroom  
Hollywood Arts High School

Tori looked in the mirror and gave a half hearted smile, but once she took a good look at her reflection, her smile faded and she complained, "Oh, I do look tired and awful." She finished rinsing her hands then held them up to her face and sniffed them. She softly whined, "And now my hands smell like sink water."

She pulled a few paper towels out of the dispenser and started drying them as she started to hear sniffling and soft crying coming from the handicap stall. She cautiously approached the stall and called out while knocking on it, "Hello?"

Tori carefully opened the unlocked door to reveal a short shoulder length brunette teenage girl with large circular glasses and to most people bore a striking resemblance to a certain blonde web-celebrity sitting cross legged on the toilet seat holding half of a sandwich.

She looked up at Tori and fearfully whined, "This stall is taken."

"Are you okay?"

"Why?" the shorter girl called out in confusion and worry while trying to avoid looking at Tori.

"Well... you're sitting there on a toilet, eating a sandwich, and crying."

"I knowwwwww." The girl got up and threw the sandwich into the toilet. "Bye, sandwich. I wish I could go with you," she nearly cried out and pushed the handle to flush the toilet.

Tori's face fell in sympathy and motioned the girl over, "Awww, c'mere... c'mon..." She rested her right arm around the shorter girl's shoulder and offered her the paper towel still in her hands. "Here, dry your eyes with this."

The girl lifted the bottom of her glasses and dabbed under her eyes with it then looked to Tori with a mild look of disgust on her face. "This paper towel smells like sink water."

Tori grimaced as well and agreed while closing the stall door, "I know." She walked over and met the girl halfway after she threw away the paper towel. "Uh, what's your name?"

"Ponnie."

Tori smiled and softly patted the girl on her right shoulder. "Well, hi, Bonnie, I'm Tori."

"No... Ponnie. My name is Ponnie... with a 'p.'." She took a step closer to Tori and emphasized, "Ponnie!"

"Oh, that's... different."

"I know..." She bent down and rested the crown of her head on Tori's abdomen. "I have a baaaad naaaame."

Tori awkwardly smiled as she softly patted the top of the girl's head. "You have a great name. I always wished my name was... Pori."

Ponnie straightened her posture and gave her an awkward smile and complimented her, "You're nice."

"Thanks. So you must be new here at Hollywood Arts."

Ponnie adjusted her shirt and mumbled out, "No. I've been going to school here for three years."

"You have?"

The shorter girl nodded and answered, "Totes. I was in last year's spring showcase with you."

Tori put on a big grin and pointed to the side of her head with her left pointer finger. "Ohhhh yeeeeaaaah."

Ponnie shook her head and tried to brush her off as she turned her back to Tori, "You don't have to lie. Nobody ever remembers me."

Tori gently put her right arm around Ponnie's shoulders and motioned to the restroom stall with her other hand as she responded, "Well, maybe people would remember you more if you didn't eat lunch here in the bathroom by yourself."

Ponnie excitedly asked, "You wanna eat lunch in here with me?" She walked past Tori and motioned to the stall while Tori answered, "No, I didn't mean..."

The shorter brunette patted the door of the stall and continued, "There's room for two in the handicapped stall."

Tori pointed to herself and motioned to the exit as she suggested, "Why don't you come have lunch with me and my friends?"

Ponnie responded in disbelief, "Ya mean it?"

Tori smiled to her and motioned for her to follow her, "Let's go."

"Okey-doke."

Trina walked into the restroom and loudly blew her nose before the girls could exit. She held the tissue out in front of her in disgust and shouted, "Oh my God, look what just came out of me!"

Tori took Ponnie by the hand and pulled her out of the restroom while shouting, "Let's go, let's go."

Asphalt Café

Freddie, Jade, André, Beck, Robbie and Cat (in that order going clockwise) were sitting at their usual table eating lunch. Cat was fearfully eating a strawberry while Jade wore an impassive expression on her face and stared at the redhead.

Robbie let out a nervous laugh, "Um... I think you look nice with no eyebrows."

Jade turned her stare to Robbie with a nonverbal expression of asking was he seriously trying to cheer her up with that kind of compliment.

Freddie quickly snapped, "Shut up Robbie."

The ventriloquist quickly replied with Freddie's demand and started back on his lunch.

Cat nervously picked up, "Jade... I just wanna say... I really appreciate you having lunch with us and thank you Freddie for trying to calm Jade down."

Jade attempted to get up from her seat and jump the table to get at the redhead, but Freddie quickly wrapped his arms around her to hold her in place. "Please stop! Shhh, please stop."

The green streaked hair girl took several breaths to calm down as Freddie gently rocked her in his arms and whispered into her right ear. After a few seconds she was able to relax back in her seat.

Robbie asked with a confused expression, "I still don't get how this happened."

Cat quickly started to explain, "Well, Jade asked me to try to make her eyebrows look nice, so I tried to wax them, but when I took the wax strips off there was... um... a problem."

Jade shouted in outrage, "My eyebrows are gone!"

The redhead shouted defensively and reached over to hold up two strips of paper with a thin line of hair on each of them, "No they're not! I told you, they're right here!"

Jade turned her head away in disgust as André dropped his fork in his food as suddenly he wasn't hungry.

* * *

Ponnie nervously commented as Tori led her out into the café, "I've never eaten out here before."

She playfully brushed off the shorter girl's nervousness, "Ah, it's just like eating in the bathroom... Y'know... without the toilet."

"Right," Ponnie responded with an apprehensive tone as she absently pushed up her sleeves to keep them from falling past her elbow.

Tori continued to approach the table and called out with a sing a long voice tone, "You guyyys..." She rested a hand on Beck and Robbie's shoulders and continued, "Hey everyone! Special treat, I just found a new friend... on a toilet... she's fun and she likes sandwiches... say hey to Ponnie."

The brunette turned ready to introduce the girl, but she was gone. She called out in concern, "Ponnie?"

André furled his brow as he questioned, "Who are you talkin' about?"

"Ponnie. She was... she was right behind me."

The songsmith asked again, "Who's Bonnie?"

Tori answered with a softly curt tone, "Ponnie! With a p, Pah-nee."

Jade countered with a bored tone, "What color was her hair? Plond?"

André laughed out, "Or prunnette?"

Beck joined the laughter and motioned his hands towards his friend in agreement.

Freddie raised a hand and spoke over them, "Enough. Let's not joke about weird names… my name is Fredward, not Fredrick or just Fred, Fredward… it's not even a real name." Freddie shook his head then looked to Tori and suggested, "I guess she's just shy?"

Tori pointed back to him and smiled while agreeing, "That's it. She doesn't usually eat lunch out here, but by herself. I'm going to go find her." She turned and headed back to the school.

Once Tori made her way back to the ladies' restroom, she called out without stepping inside, "Ponnie, are you in here? Ponnie?"

She heard sniffling and crying coming from the handicap stall. She let out a tired breath as she entered the restroom and softly whined, "Ponnie, what happened? I went to introduce you to all my friends and when I turned around, you were gone—"

She stopped when she opened up the stall to see Sinjin sitting on the toilet and whipping his eyes under his glasses with a piece of toilet paper. "Sinjin?"

"This stall is taken."

Tori slowly closed the stall.

Tori Vega: Anyone know where Ponnie is? Or why Sinjin is crying in the girls' bathroom?! Feeling: Confused.

After making her Slap update, the brunette went back to her locker to switch out a book. She closed the locker and caught a strange sight from the corner of her right eye that caused her to jump back and rest her hands on her upper chest and cry out, "Ahhhhhh!"

Ponnie was standing here holding Tori's Venetian carnival mask on her face. She dropped the mask away from her face and gave an awkward smile as she answered, "It's just me, Ponnie." Tori pointed to the mask in the shorter girl's hands, "But... how did..."

"Well, I found your mask on the floor, so I thought I'd put it over my face... and then return it to you," she awkwardly answered and handed the mask to her.

"Oh. Thanks. Hey, what happened to you at lunch?"

Ponnie slightly bowed her head and answered with a regretful and embarrassing tone, "Sorry. It's just... I'm just really shy and I got nervous, and so I went and finished my lunch in the janitor's closet."

Tori nodded with the explanation. "That's what Freddie thought; you were just shy."

The shorter brunette gave her a questioning expression. "The guy that use to be on iCarly?"

Tori softly smiled as she answered, "Yeah."

"He's cute."

Tori chuckled. "Yeah, he is, but he's quite taken, so you should forget about him or you'll have to deal with Jade."

"Oh, yeah… Jade," Ponnie whispered out as the name made her apprehensive.

The taller brunette gave her a hesitant smile and continued, "Listen, I gotta get to class." She turned to head in the opposite direction for Sikowit's class, but Ponnie was right behind her.

"Yeah, we don't wanna be late for Sikowitz."

Tori stopped and turned to give the girl a questioning look, "You? You're not in Sikowitz's class."

"Uh-huh. You probably never noticed me. I'm one of the quiet kids who sit in the back and just react to stuff."

The singer asked in disbelief, "You're a shrugger?"

Ponnie reached with a soft mewing sound and shrugging her shoulders.

"Wow." She suggested with a smile, "Well, then, why don't we walk to class together?"

They started on their way and Ponnie put her book bag on her left shoulder, but immediately the shorter teenager called out, "Owwww."

Tori turned to her in concern and asked, "What's wrong?"

Ponnie wore a grimaced expression on her face as she replied, "I have severe shoulder pain from too much shrugging."

"Oh, then let me carry your backpack," Tori offered as she gripped the left shoulder strap and took it off the girl's shoulder.

"Really?" Ponnie softly started poking Tori in her abdomen around her bellybutton with her right pointer finger as she continued, "Wow, I guess this is what it's like to have a friend."

Tori softly smiled in return. "Yeaaahhhh, but you don't have to touch my belly button."

Ponnie smiled as she countered, "Oh, I don't mind."

The taller brunette took her by that pointer finger away from her stomach then started leading her to Sikowitz's class.

Advance Acting II

The rest of the students were peacefully gathered and lounging around in the classroom waiting for the eccentric acting teacher to begin his class as he wrote something on the whiteboard. However, that was quickly broken when Cat dashed through the back door then shouted out in fear while hiding behind Beck and holding on to him, "Ahhhhh! Oh! She's right behind me! Please hide me! She is gonna kill me!"

Sikowitz turned away from the whiteboard and started with a concerned tone, "What?! Did you just say that someone was going... ah, you kids work it out yourselves."

André relaxing in his chair calmly suggested while pointing to the door Cat just entered through, "C'mon, Cat... just watch the door and that way Jade can't sneak up on you."

Cat turned back to watch the door while still holding on to Beck's shoulders and agreeing with a labored breath, "Okay. I'll just stay right here. And I'll watch the door..."

The next moment the door opened and Cat ducked behind Beck, but it was only Freddie entering with a fearful expression on his face. "Have any of you seen Jade?! She got away from me!"

The next moment Jade screamed out while halfway entering one of the windows on the right side of the classroom, "Aah!"

Cat let out a high pitch scream and started running, but it did little good as Jade was on top of her in an instant with her arms around her waist and wrestling her to the floor. Freddie was just as quick as he got his arms around Jade's waist as he desperately tried to pull her off the frightened teenager.

Soon Sikowitz, André and Beck jumped in to try to separate the girls with various shouts in the room where one couldn't tell who was shouting what, "Whoa! Whoa! Aah! Come here! No! Jade, whoa whoa! Watch it. Someone... Don't do that! Danger, danger! What are you... stop it! Hey! Cut it out! Hey!"

After a few more seconds of struggling, Freddie was able to pull Jade away from Cat while the rest were able to pull Cat away.

Once they were completely separated and on their feet, Sikowitz shouted out while standing between them, "You girls knock it off!"

Jade pointed at Cat with a harsh glare on her face and shouted, "I'll get you."

Cat fearfully hung by André's side as she answered, "I don't wanna be gotten!"

Freddie looked onto his girlfriend as a real sense of dread filled him at the thought that Jade would find someway to get the mousy redhead back for the accident and he really couldn't do a thing to stop it.

Sikowitz called out with an irritated breath as he strolled up to the stage as the bell rang, "Alright, weirdos, take your seats."

Tori entered through the back at the same time as the bell rang and the students took their seats. The door closed behind her and she looked around in confusion as somehow the girl had slipped away from her. "Wait, where's Ponnie?"

Sikowitz turned away from the whiteboard and questioned, "Where's who?"

"Ponnie, one of your students." She looked to the ones that usually sat in the back and asked, "She sits in the back with you guys, right?"

They shook their respective heads denying they knew anyone by that name with someone calling out, "There's no anybody in here."

Tori whined in irritation, "Oh, come on. She's one of you!"

André stood up from his seat and gently suggested, "Uh, Tori... maybe you should sit down and rest."

Jade spoke up in agreement from her seat with a far calmer voice than her angry reaction moments ago would suggest was possible, "There's no Ponnie in this class."

"B-but... she told me... okay... well, if there's no Ponnie, then how do I have Ponnie's backpack?" She looked to them all and held the book bag up. "Hmmmm? Hmmmm?"

Robbie casually asked, "What's in Ponnie's backpack?"

"I don't know. Ponnie stuff." She opened up the zipper then stuck her hand inside to start pulling things out and putting them back out as she identified them, "An ear of corn... a Klingon dictionary... and a doll..." She finished in shock as she saw what it looked like: "That's dressed exactly like me."

Out of curiosity, Tori felt a button on the back of the doll and pressed it. The doll immediately spoke, "I'm talking Tori—" then finished with nearly a demonic voice, "—and I'm evil."

Tori looked at the doll in horror and shouted, "What?!"

Cat asked out with confusion, "Why would you buy that doll?"

Jade picked up in a detached tone without missing a beat, "And where do I get one?"

"I didn't buy it!" Tori held the book bag up and shouted, "This is Ponnie's backpack!"

Sikowitz mumbled out while sticking his left pointer finger in his ear, "Sounds a little odd."

Jade called out with a surprisingly patent voice, "There is no one named Ponnie in this school."

The acting teacher quickly agreed, "It's true. No Ponnie."

Freddie raised an eyebrow and glanced to his girlfriend then retorted to the balding acting teacher, "How do any of you know that? There are over a thousand students that go here and you know the name of everyone of them? I went to Ridgeway since I was eleven and I couldn't do that."

Sikowitz frowned at being called out by the tech-producer.

André asked curiously, "Since you were eleven?"

Freddie shrugged a shoulder, "It's a K through twelve school."

The songsmith nodded along to the explanation.

The tech-producer continued, "And who says that is her real name? Who uses their real name here?" Freddie pointed to himself, "My real name is Fredward, not Freddie. Jade's given name isn't Jade, but Jadelyn. Tori's name isn't Tori, but Victoria, Robbie's name isn't Robbie, but Robert and I can go on and on…"

The acting teacher frowned and tightened his arms around his chest and responded more out of frustration of dealing with Freddie questioning him than wanting to get to the truth, "There's no one that goes by that nickname."

Tori shouted in frustration, "Okay. That does it. I am gonna find that Ponnie girl right now!"

She darted out of the room then shouted as she walked down the hallway, "Ponnie?! Ponnie?! Ponnie?! Why was there corn in your backpack?! Ponnie?!" She suddenly stopped as she saw her locker. She muttered out in fear then shouted at the top of her lungs, "M-make it... make it... Rah... rahhh... Sikowiiiiiiiiitz! Andreeee!" She turned and dashed back to Sikowitz's classroom.

After running back to the classroom and insisting that they follow her, she started shouting as she approached her locker and shouted, "Come see! It says make it rot! And I know Ponnie did it! Look! See, my locker says 'Make it Shine'! Whaaaaaaaat?!"

She turned to them and desperately implored to them, "I am not crazy! I swear, my locker said Make It Rot just a second ago! And Ponnie did it! I know Ponnie did it!"

Rex called out, "Is it just me, or is Tori a lot hotter now that she's crazy?"

Freddie glared at the ventriloquist for a moment while also seeing that André and Beck were agreeing with the puppet's statement then walked over to the locker to look over it. He looked over the hinges of the locker and thumbed over the small plate of the hinge that attached to the locker. He slightly frowned as felt that the screw was at a slight angle and not flushed with the plate.

He turned to Tori and patiently asked, "Tori, would you open your locker for me?"

Tori took a breath then walked next to him to quickly put in her combination and opened it for him. He looked over the hinges on the inside then back to them. "Someone just unscrewed this and screwed it back."

"What?" André was the first one to question.

"They did it in such a hurry that they missed the hole and another one was drilled in the plate," he indicated to the bottom hinge where one of the screws had missed the hole and drilled into another spot on the plate.

He softly touched around the hole and picked away a few filings to hold up. "These filings are fresh. So someone took the locker door off and put it back on."

Jade laughed out, "You believe her?"

Freddie softly rolled his eyes and patiently responded, "Yes, I believe her. She didn't go buy a doll that looked like her and I can see a freshly made hole in a piece of metal."

Jade reluctantly countered, "She still sounds crazy."

He gave his eyebrowless girlfriend and sad expression and softly retorted, "I've told you plenty of crazy things that would have me committed and you've never doubted me."

Jade looked down in to the floor in embarrassment then turned her head away.

The rest of the teenagers looked between the couple as they were of course lost to what the pair was discussing.

The tech-producer blew out a tired breath then looked to Tori and rested a comfortable hand on her shoulder. "I'm going to figure out what's going on." He looked to Sikowitz and told him in no uncertain terms, "I'm ditching class Sikowitz and I don't care if you have a problem with it." He turned back to Tori and motioned for her to come with him. "Just come with me for a second and tell me about her and what she looks like." The pair turned and headed down the hall. He called out, "I'll be in TheSlap computer room if anyone needs me."

TheSlap Computer Room

Dusty rested his behind against the edge of the table with his arms crossed in front of him and questioned the former Seattleite with mild disbelief, "You want to visually to go through _every_ Slap page to find this girl? There's what? Close to fifteen hundred students here and each one has a Slap page… last year's seniors still have theirs. We never deleted them."

Freddie shook his head and softly laughed, "I don't have to go through everyone. I just have to look at the female ones that were created in the last three years. Tori gave me a pretty good description."

"_All of them _have been created in the last three years except for the random transfer student like you and Vega number two."

Freddie gave him a hopeful expression. "Can you narrow down the ones created between the last two to three years?"

The slightly taller teenager tilted his head slightly to the side as he thought on it. "We can check the creation dates since we don't divide them up by year and that takes it down to about two hundred girls, but that's still going to take some time when we don't have a picture to go by but just a description."

Freddie slightly tilted his head to the side and answered with a solemn tone, "This is Tori and someone's after her."

Dusty blew out a breath and softly nodded his head knowing that was reason enough for Freddie to spend that many hours on a possibly futile search. He looked up to his friend and spoke with a weary expression, "I guess it's going to be a long afternoon."

As it of course it would turn out, the last profiles to be looked at would turn out to be one of their suspect as they had spent the last several hours going through profiles of hundreds of girls. It was taking so long that Freddie skipped his forth period class and his afternoon music lesson with André and just gave his keys to the Charger for Jade to driver herself home. He worried for a moment that Jade might try to run over Cat with it as she seemed to be getting more irrational about the whole thing.

Dusty called out from his computer station while Freddie was at a neighboring one, "Freddie?"

"Yeah?"

Dusty darted his eyes over the screen then glanced over his shoulder. "I think I might have found Ponnie. It's a page that's been inactive for years."

"Oh?"

He snorted out an irritated laugh, "Yeah… did you know that Sam has a twin sister?"

Freddie's brow furled as he got up from his seat to look over the other teenager's shoulder at the computer monitor. "Actually I did."

Dusty slightly frowned as he turned slightly to look at Freddie. "You're serious?"

"Yeah… her name's Melanie and she was really into me and the complete opposite of Sam. It's weird."

The Southern teenager snorted out with a soft smirk playing on his face. "I bet that doesn't make Jade happy."

He answered with a short tone, "We don't discuss it."

Dusty looked back to the screen while Freddie put a hand on his shoulder to support himself as he looked back to the screen. The tech-producer's mouth dropped open then muttered out in complete disbelief, "Oh my God… it's Sam as a brunette."

Dusty raised an eyebrow and idly commented, "She looks pretty cute… for a complete psycho." He dropped his tone to a more serious expression, "You think we got our girl? Wouldn't it have been easier to tell us that the girl looked like Sam?"

Freddie whispered out darkly, "Tori can't tell that Shelby Marx could pass for her identical twin, so no, she probably couldn't, but I think this is her… print out a picture; we got to find Tori."

Vega Residence

"Tori? Tori?" Freddie called out as he cautiously pushed open the front door with the fingers of his left hand and entered the home. He found it strange that the front door was unlocked as he walked deeper into the living room. An empty home was the last thing he expecting as Jade had text him earlier to let him know that the guys were spending the afternoon with Tori to cheer her up. He looked to Dusty with a concerned expression.

The Southern teenager mirrored the expression then in a detached tone whispered, "I'll check down here, you check upstairs."

Freddie nodded his head and turned to head up the stairs. He cautiously walked down the hallway of the second floor towards Tori's bedroom as he tried to make as little noise as possible. He instantly paused as he heard a soft sniffling sound.

He deeply frowned and pressed his shoulder against the hallway wall and made his way down the last few steps. He peered over the doorframe to peek inside the bedroom and quickly took a sharp breath at what he saw: Tori was sitting against the side of her bed with her legs pulled up and her forehead resting on her knees.

He looked around to make sure that they were alone then knelt down beside her and whispered, "Tori?"

The sound of his voice pulled her out of her crying and she looked up to him with bloodshot eyes. She instinctively wrapped her arms behind the back of his neck and pulled herself tight against him.

He wrapped his arms around her to complete the embrace and gently started rubbing his hand up and down her back to comfort her and whispered, "Shhh… it's okay, it's okay. I'm here. I right here, you're safe."

She leaned her face into the crook of his neck and took several calming breaths.

"First floor is cle—" Dusty stopped as he entered the room and saw Freddie holding the distraught teenager in his arms. "Jesus Christ, what happened?"

Freddie looked up at him, but didn't answer as he held her to let her know that she was safe.

Tori muttered out into the crook of his neck, "She was here."

"Ponnie?"

"Yes."

He deeply frowned as he questioned with a hint of disbelief, "I thought the guys were with you."

Tori sniffled and pulled back so she could meet his eyes. "They were, but she showed up as the delivery girl and the guys wouldn't believe me that it was her. She dumped the food on top of my head, but André said I did it to myself, so I kicked them out."

Freddie deeply frowned at the disappointment he felt towards his friends and filed that away to deal with them later. He gently reached up and thumbed away her tears under her eyes.

Dusty softly shook his head and muttered rhetorically, "So Beck shows how much of an asshole he is and now the rest of them join in."

Freddie glanced up with a disapproving expression to let him know that this wasn't the time for bashing Beck (even if he agreed with the sentiment at the moment).

The webmaster nodded along yielding to his friend's call on the situation.

The tech-producer gave a nod of his head and whispered, "It's okay now. We're here and we believe you. We think we may have figured out who she is."

Tori's bloodshot eyes shot open wide and eagerly asked, "Who is she?"

"I got a photo of the girl who fits your description, so you'll have to tell us if it's her, okay?"

The brunette nodded her head.

Dusty pulled out the picture from his jacket pocket and handed it to the tech-producer who reached out to take it. He took the photo and turned back to the singer to show her the picture.

She almost started hyperventilating as she answered, "That's her! That's her!"

Freddie let out a relieved breath then continued with a quiet tone, "Her name is Fawn Liebowitz and she used to go to Hollywood Arts, but they kicked her out just before you enrolled. They caught her stealing things and she might have had some mental illness that she refused to get any treatment."

Tori quickly asked with a desperate tone in her voice, "So let's go call the police and have her arrested."

He slightly shook his head as he countered with a patient tone, "No, we need to catch her in the act, okay? And I have an idea; do you trust me on this?"

A warm smile formed on the lovely Latino's face as she studied her friend's eyes and hopeful expression. She nodded her head while answering, "You're pretty good at handling psychos."

Freddie snorted out a breath and cracked a smile of his own. "I guess I am."

The friends looked to one another with Freddie hoping he was giving her a reassuring expression while Dusty looked away from the pair with an awkward expression. Freddie broke the silence by asking the settling teenager, "Where's your mom?"

"She's still out and before you ask my dad is out of town. I'm not sure when he gets back."

The Seattle Native gave her a hopeful smile as he whispered, "Do you want to stay over with us for the night? Get a good night sleep away from everything? Classes, filming and Fawn?"

She gave him a soft, questioning expression. "You don't think Jade would mind?"

"Do you?" he softly challenged

The expression she was reading from his eyes told the brunette that Freddie didn't think his girlfriend would mind (or mind enough to actually voice her objections), so Tori shook her head. She dropped her hands from behind the back of his neck then pulled herself up on her feet with Freddie following the motion. She cleared her throat then asked, "Would you give me a few minutes to pack something and clean up?"

He gently held her by the elbow as he smiled warmly to her and spoke with a reassuring tone, "We'll be in the living room waiting."

West Residence

Freddie opened the door to kitchen and let Tori enter the home first. They quickly entered the kitchen and were soon greeted by Mrs. West coming from the living room.

"Hi," the brunette nervously greeted Mrs. West who returned with an impassive expression.

Freddie smiled as he pointed to the direction of the stairs and commented, "There's a spare bedroom upstairs. You can't miss it."

"Thanks." Tori gave her a nervous expression then started her way up the stairs.

Mrs. West slightly tilted her head to the side and questioned, "Freddie, why is she here and why did you just give one of my bedrooms away?"

"She needs to spend the night."

"Excuse me?" she questioned more out of curiosity than offense.

"Did Jade tell you about Ponnie?"

"Yes."

"Well, she's real and we found out who she really is. I went over to tell Tori we found her, but when I got there, I found her curled up in a ball crying her eyes out in her room. The guys were there, but none of them believed her when the girl was standing right in front of them. I just can leave her like that worried for the rest of the night."

Mrs. West let out a soft breath while she gave him a somewhat embarrassed expression.

Freddie quickly followed up, "It's only for tonight. I got a plan to deal with Fawn in the act tomorrow and then things can get back to what we call normal."

"Okay, but you're telling Jade—"

The dark brunette quickly trotted down the stairs and shouted, "Why is she here?!"

Freddie grimaced while Mrs. West gave him a sympathetic expression.

* * *

About an hour later after settling in the guest bedroom, Tori quietly made her way to Jade's room and peered into it. She saw the eyebrowless teenager busy typing on her PearBook. "Hey," she softly called out.

Jade looked up from her homework and put on an even expression. "Hi."

"I just wanted to stop by and say thanks for letting me stay the night."

Jade bit her tongue softly then muttered, "You're welcome. I know how chizzy it is in having to deal with Sam."

Tori softly rolled he eyes and retorted, "She doesn't look like S—"

The green streaked hair girl snapped back as she had no patience left from the day, "She's Sam as a brunette whether you see it or not. I see it, Freddie sees it and Dusty sees it. You can't even admit that you and Shelby are twins."

"I do not loo—"

"You scared Nevel half to death; face it, she's your twin."

The brunette frowned and crossed her arms over her chest as she realized it was pointless to argue. She shook her head as she walked over to have a seat on the edge of Jade's bed since there weren't any other seats in the room.

Jade gave her a guarded gaze, but said nothing with the girl further inviting herself into her room.

Tori looked around as she had never been in Jade's room and only saw glimpses of it in various slap videos. Once she satisfied her curiosity of all the oddities in the room (with the exception of several pictures of Jade and Freddie together including a Halloween picture of him as a vampire and her as an angel), she looked back to Jade (who was trying to ignore her and type on her homework) and cautiously question, "Why didn't Freddie think I was crazy like the rest of you did?"

Jade looked up from her laptop and answered with a surprisingly patient voice, "After some things happened to him you might not know about… Freddie has a different definition of crazy and I will never think Freddie is crazy."

The lighter brunette waited for a moment wondering if she was going to give a further explanation, but Jade turned back to her laptop. Tori subconsciously nodded in accepting that answer then asked another question, "What happened to your eyebrows?"

The pale teenager looked back up from her computer gritted out through clenched teeth, "Cat tried to wax my eyebrows… figure out the rest."

Tori's mouth formed an 'O' shape and gave her an awkward expression with her eyes. A few moments later an idea did occur to the troubled teenager and she gave Jade a comforting smile as she suggested, "Ah… we go to a performing arts high school? We have access to all the fancy high end makeup and stuff. We could put some fake ones on you and with the eyebrow liner, no one will notice until you grow back your real ones."

Jade frowned in return. "They'll know they're gone, it's pointless."

"But they'll just put it in their back of their minds when they see you with them."

The green streaked hair girl pouted as she thought about the offer. "Fine, fine, do whatever you want, but if you try to braid my hair, I will—" She was about to say she would kill her, but then remembered her nightmare from about two weeks ago of doing that exact thing. She quickly shut her mouth tightly then muttered out, "Never mind."

Tori put on a relieved smirk then turned to head out of blue eyed girl's room to get her make up bag. As she rounded the corner of the doorframe, she called out, "Don't worry, I only do that to Cat's hair when she comes over for slumber parties."

"Oh, you do?" Jade asked with a coy tone as an idea formed in her mind.

Hollywood Arts High School  
Thursday, March 1, 2012

Freddie asked with a slightly eager tone as he waited by the door to the right side of the main stairwell, "Are we ready?"

Dusty shrugged a shoulder as he casually commented, "Yeah, your plan is pretty straight forward."

"What plan?" André ask as he and Beck approached from behind Dusty since the pair was also close to the songsmith's locker.

Freddie turned and glared at the pair. He snorted out dismissively at them then muttered out as if he was bored to talk with them, "The plan to catch Ponnie in the act."

Beck rolled his eyes and blew out a breath. "There is no Ponnie. Tori is just stressed and her mind is running away from her. She just needs to get some rest."

Freddie pointed between the guys and gave each one of them a harsh glare. "There is a Ponnie and her real name is Fawn and when this is done, we're going to have a conversation about your behavior with Tori in not believing her especially last night."

Beck frowned and retorted at the idea the Freddie was going to have a conversation with him. "She wasn't Ponnie, she's just Linda delivering our—"

"I said later," Freddie cut him off as he had no patience with wanting to deal with the actor.

"Dude—"

Freddie snapped around and glared at Beck as he countered, "I don't want to hear it."

Beck snapped out, "I'm not a child Freddie; you're not just going to talk to me as one."

The tech-producer cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes on the taller teenager. "Yet you use to talk to Jade like that and had no problem talking to Tori like that yesterday to make her doubt herself. Don't you dare try to emotionally manipulate Tori again or you _will_ answer to me."

Beck clenched his jaw tightly for a moment and took a step forward as he questioned with irritation in his voice, "And how do you propose you're going to do that?"

Freddie matched his step and glared at the actor. "If I knock you out that just might get you to realize not to do it again. It's work on you not to put your hands on Jade without her permission; I don't see why it wouldn't work in this case."

Beck coldly stared at the more muscular teenager and tightened his grip around his book bag shoulder strap.

André slipped somewhat between them and held is palms up. "Whoa Freddie, let's calm down."

Dusty eyed the songsmith and ever so slightly scooted over to be a counter to him in case he wanted to jump in between the pair.

Freddie kept his focus on Beck's eyes as he retorted, "I'm not in the mood to calm down. I'm tried of hearing excuse after excuse about why he can't be a damn man. He believed a stranger over supposedly his friend… even after Fawn kicked her and made her think she's going crazy." He glanced to Dusty and commented, "I'm finally getting what you mean about not respecting him as a man." Freddie turned his attention to André and continued, "I'm not exactly happy with you either with how you acted or more importantly _didn't_ act. We had to find her crying her eyes out holed up in her bedroom."

André frowned and looked away as he didn't want to see Freddie's harsh glare directed at him.

Freddie shook his head. "I'll deal with this chizz later, but for right now, I have someplace to be." He walked past them to slip around through the door to the cut through hallway and ladies' restroom with Beck giving him a cold glare at his retreating form. The actor looked to Dusty with a questioning glance.

The Southern teenager shook his head. "You just want him to whoop your ass one day don't you?" Dusty blew out a breath and commented, "As much as I don't want it to happen, if it does, I just hope I'm there to see it."

* * *

The warning bell sounded through the school with the students in the main hallway quickly going on to where they needed to be for class, but Tori remained around her locker to nervously looked around and rung her hands. She idly commented while she continued to look like a nervous wreck, which wasn't far from the truth, "Well... It's just me, alone here in the hallway. No one else around."

She looked for a few more moments and saw no one approaching. She went to the drink machine and slipped a dollar into the bill acceptor then pressed the button for her desired drink. She reached down to pick up her drink, but a hand from the other side grabbed her by the wrist.

"Ahhhhhh! Ahhhhhh!" she shouted in shock as she struggled to pull her hand away. Once she was free, she shouted out in frustration, "Come outta there!"

The door to the drink machine opened and the glasses wearing brunette wore a smirk and gave her an evil eye as she stepped out of it. "Thirsty, Tori?"

"Who are you?! What is your deal?!" the brunette shouted out to draw the shorter teenager out into the open.

She hissed out in disgust towards to Tori, "My name is Fawn Liebowitz."

"Well, I don't even know you!"

"I used to go to school here... 'Til you showed up."

Tori looked to her with a confused expression as her words didn't jive with Freddie's research, "Huh?"

Ponnie took another step towards her. "Your locker? Used to be my locker. Yeah. I got kicked outta Hollywood Arts, so they could "make room" for you and guess what, Tori... I'm angry about it."

"Yeah? Well, you guess what!"

Tori pulled out a whistle and started blowing, but it wouldn't make the high pitch sound. She pulled it away from her lips and hit it with the bottom of her hand and complained, "Ohhhh... whistle..."

Ponnie held up a tiny little ball. "Looking for this?"

"How did you get my whistle ball?!"

The shorter girl continued with a menacing tone, "The only thing you need to know is I belong at this school. Not you. Me! I wanna make it shine. It's my time to be—"

She was cut off when Dusty rounded the corner to stand behind Tori and Freddie interrupting her as he rounded around the corner behind the shorter brunette and called out, "Wow, if I didn't know any better, I would think you were Sam or Melanie."

Ponnie turned to look at the muscular teenager, but took a step backwards as Tori may not have frightened her, but the look in Freddie's eyes sure did. "Freddie Benson?"

Freddie slowly walked towards her as if he was stoking prey he was about to devour. "Yes, Freddie Benson… the guy who is going to make you suffer for hurting my friend."

The glasses wearing teenager smirked as she timidly challenged, "Oh really?"

"Yeah."

"Well this could be real fu—"

She stopped whatever threat she was going to make as Freddie grabbed her by the throat with his right hand and slammed her against the locker.

Fawn growled out a surprise as she clawed at his wrist. He started squeezing her throat. "No it's not… you want to hurt my friend? Now you get to pay for it."

Tori looked on with worry on her face, but Freddie called out, "I think it's about time for you to get Sikowitz and Lane… We'll keep Fawn company while you're gone."

It took a minute or so to get Sikowitz and the others to follow her, but was finally able to convince them. The acting teacher responded with a false sense of patience as he followed the teenager with Lane right behind him then shouted in surprise, "Now Tori—Fawn Liebowitz?"

Fawn was lying on her right side on the floor with her back against the bottom row of lockers with blood draining out of her nose and her glasses broken.

Freddie wore an even expression as he explained to the shocked individuals, "She hit me, and I hit her back."

Dusty raised his hands up and agreed with the most obvious fake tone, "I saw it. She clawed at his face and he had to hit her to protect himself… that's what I'm going to say in a court of law."

Freddie raised a corner of his mouth and explained, "What? She's not the first psycho bitch I've had to put down."

Lane cleared his throat and Sikowitz looked just as worried.

Freddie softly smirked as he suggested, "Maybe you should get Derek and Nurse Kotter then call the cops?"

After a few minutes, the rest of the group of friends joined them from Sikowitz's class as Derek dragged the unconscious Fawn to the nurse's office while some uniformed officers of the LAPD were on their way.

Beck questioned Tori with an apologetic tone, "So Ponnie is real?" He couldn't even meet the lovely actress' eyes due to his own embarrassment.

Freddie responded with a light sarcastic voice, "Yes, she is. You should have believed your friend instead of ridiculing her and making her think she was nuts." He looked to André and Robbie and snapped out, "And you two should have as well."

André and Robbie had the decency to look ashamed at their actions in regards to Tori while Beck glared at his ex's boyfriend. He may be willing to show is apologetic stance to Tori, but he really didn't want to hear a lecture from Freddie. The Seattle native matched the stare with an equally cold expression which made the rest look on with concern.

Robbie asked with evident concern breaking the potential standoff, "What if she decides to come after you in revenge? She seems pretty crazy."

Freddie looked away from Beck and answered with a cold tone, "Well, if she somehow gets out I'll do the same thing I told Nora if she wanted to try again."

André and Tori looked to each other with mirroring uncomfortable expressions as they remembered what Freddie had told them weeks ago when Tori was practicing for her audition: Freddie would send Nora to Hell if she tried again.

During the slight loll in the conversation, Cat slowly approached the group while holding pieces of what looked like her red velvet hair. "I fell asleep during study hall. Jade found me."

André looked on in shock while Beck instinctively reached up to his hair.

Freddie looked on just as in shock at what he was seeing and tried to process the idea that Jade would do such a thing to her best friend. He for from the corner of his eye the look of complete shock on TheSlap's webmaster's face then saw that the shock was quickly turning into anger from his eyes.

Sikowitz tried to comfort the girl, "Aw, don't be sad little one. I think your head looks great like that."

The bald teenager still holding onto the strains of hair whined out, "Of course, you do."

Dusty slowly approached the short girl and gave her a reassuring smile. He let his fingertips trail over the top of the girl's apparent bald head until he reached the back of her neck. His fingers started playing around that area until they nicked something. A moment later, his fingers slipped under the end and then pulled forward, taking off what turned out to be a bald cap. He ran his left hand through the folded hair to bring it out and behind her to show she still had her full head of hair.

Cat laughed out in surprise as she reached up and felt that she wasn't bald.

Dusty gave her a reassuring smile then kissed her forehead and walked past his ex-girlfriend.

Freddie called out with worry, "Where are you going?"

Dusty ignored him as he kept walking down the hallway.

* * *

Jade was quite busy in study hall as she scribbled down an answer on her sheet when the bald cap was flung at her and knocking her in the chest and sending her pencil flying out of her hand. She looked down to see that the end of her pencil left a long graphite streak across her paper. She grabbed the cap off the end of the table in front of her, looked up with furled brow, a murderous glare and a deep frown ready to tear a new one into whoever had the nerve to hit her with it and ruin her sheet. She shouted in outrage, "What the Hel—"

However, she was cutoff when her eyes met the equally rage filled eyes of Dusty leaning over from the other side of the table. He slammed his right fist hard on the tabletop and shouted in her face, "You damn backstabbing Judas!"

She didn't notice, but every other student in study hall turned their gaze towards the pair as they were obviously shocked at how he was speaking to Jade.

She blinked in shock and her mouth dropped open at the outright hatred shining from the Southern teenager's eyes. He continued with a rage filled voice, "She accidentally takes your eyebrows off and you make her think you shaved her head?! You do that to your _best friend_? What the _fuck_ is wrong with you?!"

Jade tried to speak, but she couldn't voice any sound.

Dusty gritted out through his teeth, "You know what? _I really don't care_."

He leaned forward resting his hands on the table so he could look directly into the pale actress' eyes and hissed out, "The only reason I'm not leaving you a bloody mess on the damn floor right now is because we're friends. That is the _only_ reason."

Jade swallowed down a lump of fear as she saw in his eyes that he was not bluffing.

He hissed out coldly, "I'm saying this once and only once: Cat is off limits. You touch her again and I will put you down like a rabid _bitch_ you obviously enjoy playing." He raised his voice so that the others could hear him, "I'm not Vega or any of these other ball-less and ovary-less cowards; you know I'm not afraid of you and I don't care if you have a vagina so don't you dare try me."

He stood up straight then blew out a disgusted breath in her direction and giving her one last cold stare before turning and headed out of the room, but was quickly stopped by nearly running into Freddie.

The former Seattleite gave the Southern teenager an impassive expression while Dusty returned with a look of barely controlled fury. Freddie took a soft breath through his nose as he saw the complete and utter rage in his friend's eyes while Dusty let out a soft growl.

If the tension in the room wasn't already to the maximum, it may have just broke the meter as they watched to see if the pair would throw down with one another.

However, Freddie sidestepped while keeping his eyes locked with his friend's eyes. Dusty maintained his cold stare as he walked past then broke eye contact when he reached the exit. He gave the door's horizontal bar a good shove to open it and taking some of his frustration out on as he exited.

Freddie turned his head to meet Jade's eyes as the pale girl held her breath with her eyes nearly bulging out of her eye sockets and felt a cold chill run down her spine. It wasn't the fear of what he could do that made her shiver, but realizing the significance of what she had done to Cat and him.

* * *

Author's Note: You didn't see that ending coming did you? In canon, Jade obviously did not shave Cat's head either, but in-universe put a bald cap on her to make her think she had shaved her head unless Cat can magically regrow hair in a week that would take her about a year and a half. I wouldn't discount the magic explanation as Dan has firmly established in his shows that it is real in-universe.

They'll probably be an update two weeks from now. Take care and remember to watch the series finale of Victorious on Saturday, February 2, 2012. A show cut before its time.


	18. Chapter 18: Wanko's Warehouse

Author's Note: I was going to save this for next Friday, but I got it done and tonight is the final episode of Victorious. I would say that it is bittersweet, but it's not… it's just bitter because it is ending because it is being replaced with another show which I don't need to name.

Anyway… let me address some reviews. Oh and for those of you that have read my other story 'Because Fate Said So', the last chapter was what Future!Dusty spoke about with being stabbed the first time by her.

PD31: I threw in some Teddie friendship, so sue me. I didn't think it would come to that big of a shock that the guy that has never hid the fact he had a thing for Cat would get upset over someone messing with her.

Challenge King: It is not my fault that I have to constantly try to salvage Dan trying to take these characters a step backwards after advancing them in previous episodes. Freddie rescuing Tori? That's what friends do.

Twilight Warrior 627: It's the unexpected blade that hurts the most and sometimes to the one that wields it too.

Fanfic-Reader-88: Freddie has a laundry list of reasons why he left and dealing with psychos was one of them. He also had his dealings with people never listening to him. How would Dusty react if he is pushed over the edge? Care what you ask, you just might get it one day.

Agent-M-0167: In-depth review that I hope I addressed thoroughly in the PM.

Jeremy Shane: Thanks.

darck ben: Thanks. I haven't been feeling well over these last few days, but I'm hoping to get back on 'iWHPHS' this weekend.

Pbow: The bald cap explanation is the only explanation for her having hair in the next episode and Jade not being expelled and arrested for assault.

A male-chauvinist pig? That's an opinion of only _one_ character… who openly admits he's a benevolent sexist (I hope people are seeing the irony in that) and doesn't necessarily reflect the opinions of the other characters or the author.

On with the story:

Rating T: Violence and I think some language.

* * *

Chapter 17: 'Wanko's Warehouse'

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Thursday, March 8, 2012

The Thursday morning was quite pleasant for Tori as she entered Hollywood Arts as had been the rest of the last week after Fawn Liebowitz had been sent to juvie and she was nearly finished with her filming her last scenes for her movie. The week had also taught her to never take for granted again being able to get several nights of restful sleep.

As she wore her cheery disposition and reached the main stairs, she was greeted by the tall, lanky sandy curly haired teenager with a smile on his face, "Hey Tori."

Tori raised her left hand and returned the greeting, "Oh, hi Sinjin."

Sinjin asked with a happy tone, "Guess what I did last night?"

A soft smile played on her lips as opened her arms wide and played along, "Ohhh… alright, give me a hint."

"Okay," he laughed out then swung his right leg around and kicked her hard in the right hip.

"Ow!" Tori shouted in pain and dropped to her left knee while grabbing her hip.

He laughed out, "I took a karate class!"

Tori winced out, "Thanks for the hint." She reached up with her left hand and asked, "Help me up?"

The tall teenager smiled as he answered, "Not today."

She dropped open in surprise as he walked off. She shook her head then winced as she stood up and hoppled over to her locker. However, before she could reach her locker, Trina came running up to her and excitingly yelling, "Tori… Tori, Tori…"

She turned to her older sister with a curious expression and asked, "Yeah?"

The brunette with blonde highlights eagerly asked, "Guess what?"

Tori snapped with mild irritation, "Y'know what, I really don't wanna guess."

"Shhh!" Trina hissed out then grabbed Tori by the right wrist and started dragging her down the hallway. The older Vega sister announced with a giddy tone, "Okay, Wanko's Warehouse is having a huge sale—eighty percent off everything!"

"Everything?"

Trina grinned as she answered and explained, "Yeah. Clothes, phones, TV's, games, food, shampoos, shovels…."

"Unitards?"

"Yes!"

André walked down the hall coming from where Trina had just dragged her sister and asked, "Hey, what are we talkin' about?"

Tori pointed to her older sister and started, "Trina was just telling me that—"

Trina backhanded her with her right hand and hissed, "Shhhh!"

Tori shouted in pain as she grabbed her right cheek, "Ow!"

The older Vega sister shouted in outrage, "It's a secret!"

Tori demanded, "Owww… why are you wearing so many rings?!"

Trina took a moment to look at her right hand to see how many rings she was wearing as André asked, "C'Mon, what's the secret?"

"Can we just tell him?"

Trina raised her left finger and dismissively replied, "No, the more people that know, the more crowded it'll be."

Jade and Cat walked down the main stairwell behind Trina. The pair stopped on the stairs where Cat could remain nearly the same height as Trina with Jade two steps up to look down at the rest of them. The redhead was the first to greet them, "Hiiiii."

Jade rested her left hand on the guardrail and asked with a slight smirk, "What is this, a meeting?"

Cat picked up, "That's what my brother called it when he and his friends hung out together and ate meat."

Tori's brow furled as she asked, "What?"

Cat softly laughed, "A '_meat_ing'. Get it?"

They all gave her a strange expression.

"He was a disaster," she finished with a laugh.

Jade disregarded the banter and asked, "What are you people talking about?"

Tori started to answer, "There's a big sale—" but Trina interrupted her, "A'shoosh a'shush shusha!"

Robbie and Beck exited the cut through hallway that also led to one of the girl's bathrooms with Robbie coming up beside Trina and Beck coming up behind Tori and between André. The ventriloquist, missing Rex at the moment, was the first to greet their group of friends, "Hey diddle diddle!"

Beck followed up with a friendly greeting, "What's up?"

André pointed at Trina and answered, "Trina has a secret and she won't tell us."

"Well that's jank," Robbie complained with a surprisingly harsh tone.

Trina raised her hands and retorted, "Look you guys, I—"

Jade interrupted with an irritated tone, "Oh, come on, just tell us."

The group started to chatter among themselves.

"No!" the older Vega sister shouted then looked as a light redheaded student passed in front of them. She continued motioning towards the passing student then an African-American girl following, "Look, if I tell you people then all these other losers are gonna hear."

Tori reached into her right back pocket and pulled out her blue PearPhone then started texting while speaking, "Okay then… André… Cat… Jade… Robbie… Beck—" she handed Trina her phone as she finished, "there—you can mass text them the big secret."

Trina relented with a bit of frustration lining her voice, "Fine, but you guys better not tell anyone else."

Jade was the loudest and the first to answer, "We're not going to tell anybody… except for Freddie." The rest of the group's individually started agreeing with the sentiment with their voices mixing.

Trina sighed out then quickly typed her message and commented, "And… send." She handed the phone back to her sister then several beeps started sounding between them.

André snorted out a laugh, "Whoo cool."

Jade raised an eyebrow and commented dryly, "Interesting."

"Nice," Robbie hissed happily.

"I'm in."

Cat started to yell with an excited voice, "A sale at Wanko's?!"

Everyone immediately hissed out to hush the excited redhead then quietly made plans to all go together to the sale tomorrow night then separated to head off to their individual first period classes. Tori on the other hand decided to head to the restroom to check her side where Sinjin had kicked her.

She entered the restroom and ignored the fact that it was empty, which suggested that she was probably already late to her first class, but her side was really starting to hurt her. She stopped in front of one of the mirrors at the sink and dropped her purse next to her feet and unbuttoned her jeans and unzipped them so that she could partially slide them down along with the pink waistband of her panties on her right side. She turned her hip towards the mirror and saw that on her right hip and a little further down that her skin had turned to a yellow discoloration with a hint of purple seeping into the bruise.

She touched it with her right pointer finger and hissed out in pain.

A female voice called out from behind her in the direction of the door since she had to turn her back in that direction to examine her hip, "Oh my God Tori, what happened?"

Tori quickly pulled her jeans and waistband back up and turned her attention to Ava, who wore a concerned expression on her face.

The shorter teenager pointed at Tori and asked her question again with a shocked filled voice, "What happened?"

The taller brunette took a breath and looked at her hip for a moment. She muttered out, "Oh nothing—"

Ava dropped her mouth open and demanded, "Nothing? You got a huge bruise on your hip. What happened?"

The singer cleared her throat and looked down to the sink in embarrassment for a moment. She quickly debated on how she could answer such a question to the girlfriend of the guy that had kicked her.

The shorter teenager took a step closer to her and asked with a worried lace tone, "Who hit you?"

Tori raised an eyebrow that Ava wasn't even assuming that she had just fallen or just some other mundane event, but that someone had hit her. The fellow student's valid assumption shot down any other excuse the lovely brunette could have made up, so she finally looked up and admitted against her better judgment, "Sinjin… Sinjin he kicked me a few minutes."

Ava took in a sharp breath and her eyes nearly bulged out of her eye sockets. The next moment she demanded a clarification with a surprisingly harsh tone from such a usually sweet girl, "He _what_?"

Tori cleared her throat then nervously responded, "He wanted me to guess what he did last night, so I asked him for a hint… he kicked me as his hint that he went to karate class." She subconsciously rubbed over her hip as she commented, "It really hurt then he didn't even help me up… he said not today."

Ava deeply frowned and crossed her arms under her chest. She took several calming breaths then whispered, "Strike two." She looked back to Tori with an impassive expression and motioned her head to the exit. "Why don't we take you to the nurse and get you some ice for that?"

Tori slightly frowned at seeing the shorter girl withdraw after being told that her boyfriend just kicked her. "But how am I going to explain it without getting Sinjin in trouble?"

The fellow actress lowered her gaze to the floor and thought about it for a moment, so Tori thought she was going to drop it, but Ava surprised her, "We'll just say you tripped on the stairs. Those things can be pretty tricky."

Before Tori could argue, Ava grabbed her right wrist and started pulling her out of the bathroom while the taller girl tried to button and zip her pants up before anyone could see her.

Hollywood Arts High School

Friday, March 9, 2012

Ava Cohen was furious and she was taking it out on her textbooks as she shoved them into her locker.

"_I was just showing her what I learned?" Sinjin desperately tried to explain with a goofy grin on his face._

_The relatively short girl shouted back with an absolutely furious expression on her face, "You kicked her! You weren't in some dojo! She wasn't some sparring partner! She's just Tori and you kicked her then you didn't even help her up!"_

_The tall teenager raised his hands up in the hopes that he was being submissive to her, "Baby, I think you need to calm down. You're overreacting. I was just having some fun and showing off."_

"_I'm not overreacting! She's got a hand size bruise on her hip. You're lucky she's saying she tripped on the stairs and not having you suspended or worst. Her daddy is a cop! This is the second time you've tried to hurt her. What's your deal?"_

_The glasses wearing teenager shook his head and blew out a breath as she was going back to _that_. "I told you: I had to help Sikowitz; he's my teacher."_

"_No you didn't! You could have told him no! There are plenty of guys that would have told him where he could have shoved it and been loyal to their friends than to the man that's treated us as second best!" The dark brunette quickly stopped as she saw Sinjin start to frown then the girl bowed her head and pinched the brow of her nose. She dropped her hands in frustration and looked back up at him and whispered, "Forget it. I don't want to talk about this anymore. We're just going to go in the same circles again."_

_Sinjin cleared his throat and looked everywhere other than his girlfriend. "So…" He turned to start back down the hallway. _

_Ava called out, "Where are you going?"_

"_I got to meet up with Burf. We've got to get ready to go camp out at Wanko's tomorrow? Remember?"_

_Her shoulders slumped as he just accepted her answer instead of fighting to work it out and he was more concerned about some sale. She blew out a breath of frustration and muttered, "Fine, you do whatever you want tomorrow; I don't care." She turned and headed off to lunch leaving him behind._

She clenched her jaw tight and slammed her locker shut.

"Hey?" a soft voice called out to her left.

She turned and gave a death glare to the boy who had the nerve to question her.

However, her look rolled off the young man like water off a duck's back since the teenager was Dusty Hale. His expression turned into one of even more concern instead of fear as probably most of the boys at Hollywood Arts would have reacted from her expression in that manner.

She bowed her head and blew out a breath through her lips as she knew there wasn't a chance in Hell of scaring him away. His reaction to Jade's 'payback' last week against Cat for accidentally waxing away her eyebrows had quickly filtered through the student body from those handful of students in the library. The combination of the news about how he had nearly knocked Beck out weeks ago for putting his hands on Jade, putting Randy down before the flunking student was finally kicked out and now that he had called out the scariest girl at school and daring her to try something against him (in which she _hadn't_ took him up on that offer), people were giving the webmaster a wide berth to stay out of his sights and not wanting to be caught in the middle of a potential war between the Alphas of the school.

Everyone seemed to be afraid of him now, but she felt pity for him that he could care for someone so much, but Cat didn't return the feelings enough to be with him.

"Hey," she dryly answered as even speaking was too much trouble for her.

He cautiously asked, "Your locker piss you off?"

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "No, something else."

He surprised her by chuckling and nodded along, but she could tell from the look in his eyes that he wanted to say more than his next words implied, but respected her enough not to pry, "Well, I hope that something works out."

She slightly bowed her head to break eye contact as she mumbled out, "I hope so too."

The pair fell into an awkward silence for a few seconds until the short girl looked to him with a nonchalant expression and asked, "You want to grab something to eat later tonight?"

He gave her a curious expression for a moment while she put up her best impassive expression. The Carolinian gave a slight nod of his head in acceptance as he indifferently replied, "Why not? I'll pick you up; just call me when and where."

She cracked a soft smile then asked, "Walk a girl to class?"

He gave a slight bow of his head then motioned with a hand for her to lead the way.

West Residence  
Los Angeles, CA

Mrs. West was placing one last item in her suitcase as she commented to Jade standing at her doorway of the master bedroom, "The fumigation should be done by late tomorrow afternoon, so hopefully it won't be too inconvenient for us."

Jade shrugged a shoulder. "It's okay; I'm going to spend the night with Cat. We're going to hang out tonight and tomorrow and Freddie'll be at work."

Ruby took a breath and looked to her daughter with a mildly surprising expression then it turning it into a questioning expression.

"Or I could spend the night in a hotel room with you?"

Mrs. West raised a hand and calmly replied, "No, staying with her is fine, it's just… I'm a little surprised she'd want to do that… after last week."

Jade subconsciously reached up to her right eyebrow or more actually, combination of fake eyebrows and eyebrow liner makeup since it would be a good three months before she would get her eyebrows back and hopefully just in time for graduation. "She's not really upset with me." She glanced down at the floor and crossed her arms under her chest. "Maybe this is my way of making up for… she always likes when we hang out for some reason. She's thrilled with me staying over."

The pale woman gave her daughter a hesitant expression, but commented anyway, "Okay… then I think that's a good idea, but… that still doesn't get you out of being grounded outside of doing stuff with her."

Jade nodded her head in acceptance. When her mother had found out what she had pulled on Cat, Mrs. West dropped the hammer on her with grounding her for a month. She wasn't to go anywhere else other than school and included taking away her PearBox, having her pay her own cell phone bill for the month if she wanted to keep her phone and Freddie wasn't allowed in her room after eight and asked Freddie not to let Jade into his past that hour. Freddie made no argument for Jade to mitigate the punishment and had no intention of trying to get around the punishment set forth by the West Matriarch.

Jade realized that other than doing that to Cat, it must have brought back some unpleasant memories of Taylor Shay losing all of her hair during ultimate futile attempt to save her from the leukemia and must have played a factor in the severity of the punishment.

However, it wasn't the grounding that was eating away at the dark brunette.

Her mother's next question pulled her out of her musings, "What about Freddie? Where is he staying tonight?"

"I haven't asked." Jade shrugged a shoulder trying to act like she wasn't caught off guard by the question. "I guess he could room with Cat's brother?"

"Well that's far more reasonable now since he's better."

"Yeah."

Mrs. West finished packing and zipping her bag then looked to her daughter. "Well, you have fun tonight and I'll see you tomorrow." She walked over and gave a soft kiss on her daughter's forehead. "I love you."

"You too mom."

Tori Vega: André is driving us ALL to Wankos (except for Freddie )! Cat is sitting by me. She smells GOOD FEELING: Giggly

Wanko's Warehouse  
Friday, March 9, 2012

André pulled the SUV into the parking space as the rest of the teenagers were shouting in approval: "Woo! Wanko's! Yeah. Woo."

The songsmith exited the driver's side door and happily announced, "All right, we have arrived."

Robbie happily cheered, "We're going to sale. Yes, Wanko's sale, yeah."

Tori motioned towards the building and spoke with a confused tone, "Hey! Hey look."

André asked, "What's up?" followed by Jade, "What?"

Tori pointed to a line of people that started at the entrance and complained, "There's already a line for the big sale."

Trina joined in her complaining, "There shouldn't be a line! It's only six forty five; the sale doesn't even start 'til seven!"

Beck joined in the course of complaints, "Oh, I really don't wanna wait in a big long line."

André shook his head. "I don't either. I don't like it one bit.'

Cat happily made her opinion known, "I love lines. They're like long, single-file parties."

Tori pointed to where the line bent at the corner of the building and commented, "Hey wait, look up at the front of the line. Isn't that Sinjin and Burf?"

Jade was the first to answer, "Oh yeah," with André following her this time, "Yeah, that's them," and Robbie finishing, "Yeah, there they are."

Cat idly commented, "Burf is Sinjin's friend."

The pale teenager glanced down at her friend with crossed arms double checking to see if the girl really made such an obvious statement.

Tori smiled as she had an idea. "Well, I'm gonna go talk to them, and get 'em to let us cut in line."

The brunette started on her way with Cat agreeing, "That's a good idea. Bye."

A thought occurred to the redhead and she shouted, "Ooh!" Cat turned back towards the SUV and hopped up so she could lean in through the open window and honked the horn.

Tori immediately ran back and desperately asked the shorter teenager, "What, what?!"

The redhead giggled, "I just wanted to see if you'd come back if I honked the horn."

Tori blinked and took a deep breath to calm herself then pointed to the songsmith and instructed him, "Restrain her."

André smiled and opened up his arms while stepping behind the childlike and called out, "Come on," while gently wrapping his arms over her shoulders and her letting out a soft giggle.

* * *

A security guard to the store started walking parallel to the gated line with a megaphone in his hand and started instructing them, "Attention! If you wanna enter Wanko's now and pay the regular prices go in that door down there."

He stopped just at the corner where Sinjin and Burf were camped out. The curly haired teenager called out, "We're here for the big sale!"

The guard snapped, "Shut up!" He dropped the megaphone from his lips and started his way back to the front of the store.

Sinjin looked to Burf who was relaxing in his chair while eating a cucumber with corn picks on either end and eating it like a piece of corn. "That's a peculiar way to eat a cucumber."

The fro wearing teenager countered with a lazy tone, "So?"

"You're so weird." Sinjin licked the back of his left hand and started grooming himself like a cat.

Tori quickly walked up to the pair and rested against the guardrail. "Hey, hey! Sinjin, Burf. Looking good, boys."

"Hey Tori," Sinjin eagerly greeted the brunette followed up by Burf with a smile, "Hello young lady."

Tori walked around the end of the guardrail and knelt down beside Sinjin to wrap her right arm around Sinjin's shoulders. She smiled and greeted him again, "Hey."

Sinjin smirked, "I like where this is going."

The brunette smiled as she began to answer then frowned in disgust, "Yeah, no. Ewe. Listen, I'm here with some of my friends including Cat and Jade… pretty girls, right?"

"Oh yes," Burf eagerly agreed.

Tori leaned over closer to Sinjin and whispered, "So, can we cut the line and hang here with you guys?"

The glasses wearing teenager looked to Burf to get his opinion. He only shrugged his shoulders with a small smile and started eating back on his cucumber.

Sinjin looked back to Tori with a bright smile and replied, "Sure, get the gang and we'll let you cut in line."

"Yay," she shouted for joy as she stood up and rustled the top of his bushy hair with her right hand.

"Oh, and at two A.M. we'll open our thermos of cocoa."

Tori continued with her happy tone, "Awesome, I'll go get..." until she realized what he had said and countered with a confused tone while brushing some of her hair behind her right ear, "two A.M.? We're not gonna be in this line at two A.M."

"Ya-huh. The sale doesn't start 'til seven."

Tori reached into her purse and pulled out her PearPhone, "I know, and it's uh, six forty-seven right now."

"Yeah, six forty-seven _P.M._"

"Huh?"

"The sale starts in the morning. Seven _A.M._"

"Seven A.M.?! You're saying that this sale doesn't start for twelve more hours?!"

Sinjin smile and nodded his head, "That's right, looks like we have a long night of snuggling ahead of us."

Tori blew out a tired breath and closed her eyes then turned to walk back to the rest of her friends.

Sinjin commented with a near dreamy tone, "She's so pretty."

Burf muttered out, "She's all right," then started back on her cucumber.

* * *

Tori walked up to the group and looked to her older sister with a look of irritation and questioned her with a sarcastic tone, "Trina. Hey."

"Hey what?"

The younger Vega sister continued with her sarcastic tone and finished in frustration by throwing out her hands, "The Wanko's sale doesn't start until seven A.M.! Tomorrow morning!"

There were a course of complaints from the rest including: "Come on! Are you kidding me?"

Tori continued with her frustrated tone, "You made us all drive ninety minutes here for nothing!"

Trina shook her head and replied as if it was no big deal, "It's not my fault!"

Tori crossed her arms under her chest and countered, "Yes, it is!"

The older sister shrugged her shoulders and muttered, "So?!"

"Trina! Come on!"

Before the Vega sisters could get into a fight, Beck raised a hand and slightly stepped between them and suggested, "Look, look, let's just go home tonight then we can drive back here tomorrow morning."

Jade looked with a disappointed expression between Beck then to André as he motioned towards the line with a hand and gave his opinion, "Man, the line's already long. You know what it's gonna be like by tomorrow morning?"

Tori shouted while pointing to them, "And they'll be sold out of all the good stuff by the time we get in the store!"

Beck raised a hand in an attempt to calm her, "Just relax."

"No. I'm all excited to get eighty percent off a unitard!"

Cat pointed to Tori and gave her a disapproving expression, "Dude. Not cool."

Tori squinted her eyes and looked to Beck and André to explain to her what she said that could have offended the redhead, but they looked just as lost.

Trina shook her head and suggested, "Let's just all agree that Tori has ruined our night."

For some odd reason the group was willing to accept that suggestion with mutterings and head nods, but Tori would have none of that, "What did I do?!"

Jade shouted to put an end to the argument, "Okay! You people wanna buy good stuff at Wanko's on sale?"

The group quickly agreed with the sentiment.

Jade smiled and started walking confidently with her arms crossed under her chest towards Wanko's as she called out, "Follow me into Wanko's, boys and girls and Robbie."

They stared following the confident dark brunette with Tori and Cat bringing up the rear. The lighter brunette idly commented to redhead, "I guess we're following Jade."

"I wish I had some cocoa."

Tori pointed towards Sinjin and Burf as she answered, "Oh. Sinjin said he has some."

"In a thermos?"

"Yeah."

Wanko's Warehouse

_Attention Wanko's shoppers. You're shopping at Wanko's._

The group of teenagers casually walked through the aisles with the dark beauty continuing to lead the way. She stopped at the end of Aisle 18 and Trina on her left eagerly asked, "Okay, so what's your big plan?

Jade looked over her left shoulder and hissed out, "Shh," as she saw one of the store employees walked around them and continued on his rounds. She kept her eyes on him to make sure he continued to walk away from them, but as soon as he was far enough in Tori's opinion, the younger Vega sister asked, "What's the plan?"

The pale teenager looked to her right and began, "Okay, we hide here..."

However Robbie quickly ran up to them and shouted while holding up a box of walkie talkies, "Hey you guys, look what I found on aisle fifteen! Walkie-talkies! And they have a range of six hundred yards! So, if I have one, and you have one. We could be six hundred yards from each other, and still talkie, while we walkie!"

Tori pointed out, "You have a cell phone… with an actual cell phone plan now."

Robbie continued to look at the green and black packaging and mumbled, "Yeah, so?"

"It lets you walkie and talkie to people all around the world—"

André picked up, "And text," with Beck finishing, "Which ya can't do with a walkie-talkie."

Robbie responded with a sullen tone as he walked in front of the group, "Well, now I feel bad."

The rest of them turned away from him but Cat approached and smiled to him and playfully scratched his upper chest, "It's okay. I like your stupid walkie-talkies."

Tori rested her back against the opposite end of the aisle from where Robbie had stopped and questioned the leather jacket wearing teenager again, "Your plan?"

Jade continued to look out wearily to make sure the Wanko employee didn't return then looked back to Tori to answer and glance around to the others as she explained with a soft smirk playing on her face, "Just before Wanko's closes at nine, we hide here in the store then after they close, we have the whole place to ourselves. We can walk around, pick out what we wanna buy, have some fun."

Tori happily pointed out with a motion of her hand to Jade, "And then, we're the first ones here tomorrow morning when the sale starts!"

Jade enjoyed the smirk on her face as she answered sly, "Yep."

André asked with a concerned tone, "But isn't that like breaking in?"

Beck shrugged his shoulders and his hands were stuck in his jean pockets while pointing out the obvious, "We're already in."

The songsmith answered with a sense of an epiphany, "That's some legit logic right there."

Beck tapped the side of his head with his right pointer finger and smirked.

Jade smiled to the rest and playfully questioned, "So? You guys up for an all-nighter at Wanko's?"

The rest started cheering in excitement: "Yeah! Wanko's! Yes! Yeah baby! Wanko. Oh, yes! Woo!" as Jade started a little dance and wiggling her hips.

Another employee started walking down from the opposite end of the aisle while looking over a clipboard and called out politely, "Hey guys."

They scattered to each side of the aisle looking at the assortment of plastic storage bins. Cat was eager to point out, "We're not doing anything."

Jade looked at a particular green storage bin and patted it as she casually commented, "I need bins so this is perfect."

* * *

A few minutes after ten, the security guard that had shouted at Sinjin earlier in the night was making his rounds and cutting through Aisle 18. He made a quick call on his walkie-talkie, "Aisle eighteen is clear go ahead and lock it down."

"_Copy that."_

"You wanna get some food at BF Wangs?"

"_Yeah, I'm up for some Wang wings. I'll go ahead and set the alarm."_

"See ya in the parking lot in forty-five seconds," he answered then leisurely jogged out of the aisle.

A few moments after the security guard left the aisle, most of the lights turned off leaving a soft darken air about the store. Tori had been hiding in a grey bin and popped the top off of it and let her booted feet hang out the end of it while pulling herself up. She whispered out in disbelief, "It worked!"

The rest started coming out of their hiding spots: Robbie in a neighboring blue bin to Tori, Cat out of a bin on the floor shelf of the left side scaffolding, Trina out of a round grey trashcan bin, Jade out of a rolling rectangular blue trashcan with André hiding behind it and Beck from a storage unit resting against the back wall.

"We got the whole store to ourselves," André excitedly commented while Beck helped Cat out of her bin and the redhead innocently laughing, "Hey!"

Robbie smiled as he suggested to André, "You wanna go sniff the scented candles with me?

"Yeah."

Tori turned to the rest and happily started rattling off, "This is gonna be the most fun night ever." She turned to Beck, "Oh! We can go play with..."

"Security system—_On_," the overhead speakers announced and about eight visible red laser beams came on at the end of the aisle.

The group instantly looked on in shock while Cat excitedly commented while playing with the ends of her hair, "Pretty!"

Tori Vega: TRAPPED by ALARM LASERS! WDFD?! FEELING: Caged

André commented with his annoyance at the situation dripping off of his voice, "Man, I don't get it, what are all these laser beams for?"

Robbie patiently explained, "They're part of the security system, if you break one of those beams, it sets off the store alarm."

Beck stepped behind and between the pair and rested a hand on each of their shoulders for support as he pointed out, "Ugh, and then we have cops."

Tori whined as she brushed some hair out of her face, "Oh."

Beck walked over to Jade and sarcastically asked while he leaned forward and getting his face up close to the dark brunette, "So, what's the plan now, _Jade_?"

André and Tori both took quick breaths as they had the same thought: thank goodness Freddie wasn't with them or he might not appreciate the attitude and aggressive body language he was giving the actress.

Jade snapped with a stern tone, "Don't give me attitude, Tori's the one who said we should hide and stay here after the store closed."

Tori shouted in outrage, "What?! You're blaming me?!" She approached Jade and pointed her finger as she continued her retort, "Okay, you, you were the one who said..."

Cat approached one of the laser beams with her tongue sticking out, but fortunately André noticed and shouted, "Cat, no!" while Robbie was able to grab Cat around the waist and pulled her away from the security beams.

Trina cried out, "What are you doing?!"

She innocently smiled and answered while playing with the ends of her hair again, "I wanted to lick the laser beam with my tongue."

Tori asked with complete bewilderment, "Why?!"

"Well..."

Tori asked with a slight whine as looked to her friend with a sad expression, "You wanna know what flavor it is, don't you?"

The redhead eagerly nodded her head.

Beck dropped his hands away from his face and impatiently demanded, "Can we just figure out how we're gonna get outta here?"

Tori threw out her hands and excitedly countered as she was obviously still filled with hope that they could salvage the night, "Our plan can still work. We hang out in this aisle, ya know, just, talk and, admire these vacuum cleaners and then, when the store opens in the morning, we'll be the first ones here for the big sale."

Cat happily spoke up, "One time my brother found a vacuum cleaner in our church basement. He took it home and now he keeps it in his room."

Trina suggested, "Well, you should call the church and tell them he has it."

The redhead immediately put on a worried expression, "Oh... they wouldn't want it back… he's going to buy them a new one."

Beck curious asked with squinted eyes, "How much time 'til the store opens?"

Robbie glanced at a clock hanging on an opposite wall then answered while starting to do the calculations in his head, "Well, it's ten fifteen P.M. right now, and the store opens at seven A.M. So ten point twenty five divided by seven, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, carry the two..."

André shouted out angrily, "About nine hours!"

Tori suggested while stepping behind and between the pair, "Okay then. Why don't we all just sit down?" she rested a hand on André's upper back then one on Robbie's as she continued, "Chill out, and have a nice long, fun night."

Beck clapped his hands and agreed, "Okay. Right."

Trina could be heard to reluctantly agree, "We can do that."

Tori encouraged the agreement with her idea, "That wasn't so bad. Sure."

The teenagers began to get comfortable taking various seats with Tori, Robbie and Beck sitting together on a pallet, André on a turned over blue trash bin, Cat resting against one scaffolding shelf, Trina on the opposite side taking a seat on a whicker basket and Jade standing up and resting forward against a blue rolling trashcan, femininely arcing her back.

Tori finished with a happy tone, "Okay, there we go. All right."

A few minutes passed and instead of chatting and having a nice setting of friendly camaraderie, the teenagers sat in silence. The silence wasn't helpful for André as he kept his focus on the red laser beams and they were having a profound effect on him. He started pointing to them and jumped up from his seat shouted out with fear, "Those beams! Those laser beams! It's like a cage! A cage!" He started running around the back, center pallet of storage bins and agitatedly shouting, "I can't take it! I can't take it! I can't take it! I can't take it!"

He finally stopped behind Jade and rested against the purple scaffolding.

Jade looked over her shoulder and gave him a slight smirk, "Hey just checking, can you take it?"

The songsmith responded in outrage, "No!" He looked to the rest and demanded, "Man, how long have we been sitting here like this?!"

Beck glanced at his PearPhone and answered, "Twelve minutes."

André shouted, "Ah! I can't handle being trapped like this! We're like animals!"

Cat giggled out, "Ooh, can I be a hippa-potta-moose?"

"What?" Beck asked with a confused expression.

"It's French for hippopotamus."

Trina sat on an upside-down bin as her legs bounced up and down and said, "I gotta wazz."

Jade casually answered with a flick of her hand as she continued to rest against the bin, "So wazz."

"Wazz where?"

"Just grab a bin," the pale girl impatiently retorted.

Trina answered with a tone that didn't hide her disgust, "Uh, Trina Vega does not wazz in bins."

Tori countered, "At that movie you wazzed in a popcorn bucket."

"A bucket is not a bin!"

Robbie whispered out, "I'm getting hungry."

André looked to the ceiling and shouted, "Freedom! Ah! I can't take it. I can't take it!"

Jade pushed away from the bins and walked to the three sitting teenagers. She raised her hands up and shouted, "Fine! Let's figure out a way to get out of here… and I might have an idea." She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed a number she hoped would answer on the other end.

Tori curiously asked, "Who are you calling?"

Jade only responded with a sad expression as she held the pear shape phone to her ear.

Inside Out Burger  
Los Angeles, CA  
Friday, March 9, 2012

Dusty had a seat on one side of the booth with Ava sitting on the other side. He gave her a curious expression as he rested his hands in his lap as he hadn't actually ordered anything. He still wondered why he agreed to meet up with her tonight. They weren't particularly close; sure over the last couple of months they had polite conversations at school and other moments of interaction: sharing a few nice dances at Halloween and New Years and staying together at the Wests' home during the early morning hours of New Years… let her have his jacket for nearly a day.

He took the moment to really study the girl as he really never took the opportunity beforehand. She had dyed her light brown hair to a darker shade of brunette (not as dark as Jade) sometime before Halloween, but it still suited her. She kept her hair away from her face and some brushed back from the top of her head. She still had a bit of what one could call 'baby fat' in her cheeks, but he would be the first to admit that he thought she was cute and had that 'Hollywood Homely' appearance, which wasn't a bad thing as Hollywood defined 'homely' far different than the rest of the country.

She popped in a French fry and curiously asked, "I'm not interrupting any plans for you am I?"

The webmaster shook his head. "No, I'd just be watching iCarly then going ahead and working on some homework."

She gave him a curious expression as she questioned, "You still watch iCarly?"

He gave her a coy smile. "Yes. I like Carly and as much as I don't care for Sam, I do think she has great timing, but Gibby… I can't stand him. I almost got into a fight with Sam and I'm glad I didn't meet him. I probably would have offended him."

"When did you go to Seattle?" she quickly asked then took a sip from her soda.

He gave her a playful smile as he shrugged a shoulder. "Ah… that's kind of personal."

"Okaaay," she dragged out while looking to him with her own confused expression. "Sam's pretty tough or so I hear from my sister."

Dusty smirked and answered with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Yes, I'm aware of her super-strength, but I think her fighting… 'talents' are more reputation than anything else."

"Well, I only know what my sister tells me and she tells me everyone is afraid of Sam, well they used to be. When school started and they saw the scar on her cheek and her trying to cover up her missing hair and not knowing what happened, I guessed some weren't afraid of her as much. I heard the soccer team decided to beat the chizz out of her."

"Oh? How does your sister know her?"

"My sister… twin sister, Eva, goes to Ridgeway."

"Twins? You're twins?" he softly laughed to see if he had heard her correctly.

"Yes… there are two of me," she snorted out a laugh.

Dusty let out a soft chuckle, "I guess the Lord wasn't satisfied with blessing the world with only one example of someone as pretty as you."

The fellow senior softly smirked and questioned, "Are you flirting with me?"

His brow instantly furled as he countered her question with one of his own, "What?"

Ava studied his eyes and realized he was genuinely confused with her question, so she decided to drop it. She took a bite out of her hamburger and chewed for a few moments then commented, "I heard about what happened between you and Jade… well everyone knows."

The Southern teenager looked up with a guarded expression. He whispered out with a cold tone, "Good… then I hope everyone got the message: Cat's off limits to be picked on—to _everyone_."

She nodded along and eagerly commented, "Yeah, saying that to Jade got everyone's attention, but you're not afraid of her?"

Dusty snorted out dismissively, "What is she going to do? Destroy my social reputation? Mine doesn't work like everyone else's. I'm still working off the Northridge rules: You're either one on the top of the food chain or you're someone's bitch and there isn't anything Jade can do to change that."

"Don't you think that might have been kind of harsh?"

Dusty leaned forward and whispered, "She made Cat think her hair was shaved off. She took something that was purely an accident and reacted like a petty child. I reminded her that there are some of us that will not put up with her shit and that there are actually consequences for the way she acts towards her friends."

The dark brunette shook her head and turned back to her food.

Dusty gave a soft smile as he asked, "So why are we here instead of you with Van Cleef going to that Wanko's sale?"

The one half of a twin set slightly frowned as she chewed the morsel of hamburger. She answered a few moments later, "I'm not too eager to spend all night long with him and Burf."

"What's wrong with Burf? You don't have to worry about him; he's a Southern gentleman."

She gave him a questioning expression.

He shrugged his right shoulder. "He's from Athens, Georgia. Anyway, what do you mean 'all night'?"

"They're camping out to be one of the first ones in the store when the sale starts tomorrow."

Dusty cracked a smile and nodded along. "And three's a crowd?"

Ava slightly frowned and took a quick sip from her straw. "Yeah… that and I'm mad at him."

"Is that why you got into a fight with your locker? I thought you two had worked out that thing about Sikowitz's stunt."

Ava looked down at the tabletop and hesitantly asked, "Not as much as I'd have liked, but that's not it. He kicked Tori yesterday."

Dusty's brow instantly knotted, "Kicked Tori? As in…"

"As in he lifted his foot and kicked her in the hip. I saw the bruise on her hip and upper thigh yesterday when I went to the bathroom. She was looking in one of the mirrors when I walked in."

He narrowed his eyes on the girl. "What the Heaven? What in the world possessed him to do that?"

"He wanted her to guess that he took a karate lesson on Wednesday, so he kicked her to give her a hint."

Dusty shook his head then whispered out cautiously, "Has he ever hit you?"

Ava saw the irritated expression in his eyes slowly turn into outright anger. She whispered out, "No, he's never hit me."

The lean teenager remained silent as he looked the short girl straight into the eyes.

She returned his stare with a frown realizing that he was trying to assess if she was lying. A part of her was a little offended by it, but another part realized _why_ he was doing it from his previous actions in regards to Beck and Randy: he was determining whether he was going to have to _deal_ with Sinjin. She finally answered with a slightly irritated filled voice, "I'm not lying."

It was his turn to hesitate as he continued to study her eyes. "Just checking. You know there are plenty of girls that would make up excuses and deny it."

"I know, but if he ever hit me, he'd never find his balls."

Dusty leaned back in his seat and smirked. "So sweet little Cohen's got claws?"

She smiled in returned as she whispered, "Just because I'm small doesn't mean I'm not tough."

He nodded with a soft smile and the pair looked at each for a few moments, but soon Dusty's smile faded and he put on a serious expression. "You know this puts me in an awkward position?"

"How?"

"Van Cleef hit Vega and left a mark on her; how can I _not_ tell Freddie? But if I tell Freddie, he just might leave _your boyfriend_ a bloody mess even if the others don't want to take it that far. Do you see my predicament?"

She curiously spoke with a mixture of it being a statement and a question, "He didn't do that to Beck?"

"Because _I_ dealt with Beck and maybe sheer dumb luck that day. When Freddie caught up with Beck at the Vega sisters' house, it was up in the air whether that night was going to end with Pretty Boy being left on the floor. I think the only reason it didn't end that way was because Jade needed Freddie more that night than beating the mess out of Beck."

Ava bowed her head and looked to her food as she thought on his words. She finally looked up and put on a confident expression as she replied, "You do what you think you have to do."

Dusty nodded his head, but she could see he uncertainty in his eyes about exactly what he should do. However, before either could continue, a ringing sound emanated from Dusty's right leather jacket pocket. He reached into his pocket then pulled out his rectangular PearPhone. Dusty gave Ava a weary expression as he glanced at the caller ID. He debated for a few moments whether he would answer the call or not, but finally decided to press the accept button then answered with a dry, cautious tone, "Yes Jade?" He patiently listened for a few seconds that asked with an incredulous tone, "You did what?" He listened for a few more seconds then blew out a soft breath through his nose. "What do you expect me to do? I'm almost, what? Two hours away? Why don't you call Freddie?"

Dusty closed his eyes and softly rubbed over his forehead with his free hand. He blew out a tired breath with his answer, "Okay, okay, we'll get there as soon as we can and I'll try to figure out something in the meantime."

Ava's eyes slightly narrowed at watching Dusty rolled his eyes then muttered, "I'm out with Ava." He waited patiently for a moment as he heard silence on the other end and wondered for those brief seconds if the call had been dropped.

She was about to question when Dusty finished, "Be there as soon as I can." He tapped the screen on his phone then slipped it into his pocket. "I hate to cut dinner short, but do you want to go with me on a quest to rescue our friends?"

Wanko's Warehouse

Over the last hour of waiting, André had calmed down from the idea of being trapped like an animal by playing a game with Tori on his PearPhone while Beck patiently kept Robbie occupied by playing along with his walkie talkies.

Cat and Trina were sitting together on the floor and surprisingly holding a conversation while Jade looked on with a guarded expression from her spot of leaning against the large plastic trashcan bin. She didn't question how Trina had stopped shaking from the need to use the bathroom nor did she really care at the moment. The pale teenager took a deep breath and pushed away from the bin to walk to Cat and Trina.

She carelessly interrupted the pair, "Cat? Can I talk to you for a sec?"

The redhead smiled up to her friend while Trina looked up with an irritated expression on her face. Jade ignored the older Vega sister while wearing an impassive expression as she looked on her shorter friend.

"'kay, 'kay," Cat eagerly got up from her seat.

Jade figuratively through Trina a bone to try to placate the older teenager, "We'll be right back."

Trina crossed her arms over her ample chest and slightly frowned, but the comedic actress held her tongue as apparently she realized the significance of Jade wanting to talk to the redhead in private.

Jade led them to walk around the end of the scaffolding shelf to walk to Aisle 17 as there were no actually security beams separating the aisle from the pathway against the back wall and they could have explored the rest of that side of the store if any of them had thought about it. Once they were in the middle of the neighboring aisle, Jade turned and gave the cheerful redhead a sorrowful expression.

Apparently the facial expression that Jade was wearing was so sorrowful that Cat began to frown in worry. Jade blew out a breath then whispered, "Cat, I'm sorry about… about making you think I shaved your head last week."

The redhead gave her a heart filled smile as she replied, "It's okay—"

"No it's not," she snapped out of habit.

Cat frowned and glanced down that the floor while she played with the end of her red velvet hair.

Jade took a breath and covered her eyes with the base of her palms. She dropped her hands so she could look back on her friend and continued with a weary voice, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that to you. I'm the one that asked you to help me with my eyebrows and you didn't mean to do that. You're my friend and I shouldn't have gotten that mad at you nor done anything to upset you or get you back. I'm sorry."

Cat pulled the taller teenager into a hug and rubbed a hand up and down Jade's back. "It's okay. It's okay Jade."

Jade closed her eyes and returned the hug without hesitation.

The friends just held on to one another and let the seconds tick by.

Wanko's Warehouse Parking Lot  
Friday, March 9, 2012

The cherry red Mustang pulled into a parking spot at the furthest part from the store near the road about seventy minutes later. The pair quickly exited the vehicle with them meeting in front of the classic car. Ava looked up to the taller teenager and whispered out as she saw the winding line of people waiting for the store to open in the next seven and a half hours, "Did you ever come up with anything?"

"Yeah, but…"

"What?"

He looked to her with a smirk on his face. "How mad are you with Van Cleef?"

She raised her right eyebrow as she gave him a confused expression.

* * *

Ava quickly cut through parking lot with a furious expression on her face. She stopped at the corner where Sinjin and Burf were camped out and started shouting, "SO YOU'RE FLIRTING WITH TORI?!"

The ones immediately around the couple and friend turned their attention to the outburst.

Sinjin stuttered in surprise as he looked up at his irate girlfriend, "Ah, ah—"

Ava leaned over to her sitting boyfriend and narrowed her eyes at him while grabbing his coat collar. She whispered out harshly, "You play along and shout back or you'll be in the doghouse until we graduate."

Sinjin blew out breath relieved that she apparently didn't know of his flirting with Tori earlier in the night.

Ava took a step back, "I can't believe you! We get into one fight and you start flirting with her! The girl that keeps stealing my parts at school!"

The glasses wearing teenager mouth was left agape for a moment then hesitantly responded with an overdramatic voice as he looked out to the rest of the crowd, "NO! I… I would never do that!"

"Oh you wouldn't?! I heard you were talking to her yesterday. You wanted to tell her what you did on Wednesday night! Why does she have to know what you did on Wednesday night?"

The couple's shouting drew the attention of people further in line as apparently they enjoyed watching the commotion to break the monogamy of just sitting outside. The crowd wasn't the only ones who attention was caught by the couple's shouting as the door reserved for opening sale opened with two security guards walking out.

Dusty knelt down behind one of the decorative bushes and watched as another security guard exited the secondary entrance used for the customers that wanted to shop before the sale to join his fellow security guards. The teenager was quick as he was able to cross the distance and slip behind and through the automatic doors before they closed.

He pulled out his phone and quickly hit speed dial for Jade's number. He brought it up to his ear as he made his way further in the store. The phone rang once then Jade answered, _"Dusty?"_

"Yep, it's me pulling your butt out of the fire. I got the guards out of the way for maybe a few minutes at best, so as soon as I have those lasers down, you get out the back."

"_What about the cameras? They have them watching the parking lot."_

"I'll worry about the cameras; you worry about getting everyone out."

Dusty stopped just in front of the security desks with the T-intersection to his left with a series of red security lasers and to his right leading to the other entrance to the store.

"Jade? How come I can see the lasers?"

"_I don't know,_" she answered with evident confusion as she didn't understand the significance of his question.

"Never mine." Dusty walked around to the desk towards the entrance with a large monitor hanging on the wall with to Dusty's eyes appeared to be the controls of the security system. He switched his phone to his left hand and ran his fingertips just above the display to help him read along the different sections. "Jade, which section are you in? The controls are divided into sections of the store."

There was a pause at the other end then Jade answered, "We're in—"

Dusty shook his head needlessly as he corrected himself, "Forget it, sorry, I don't know if turning any of them off will signal some other alarm and I have to turn the others off just for you to get out the back."

He was about to start tapping the controls, but stopped as he thought he heard soft foot steps coming up behind him (a near sixth sense he chalked up to gaining from having to constantly watch his back to literally avoid a knife in it while going to Northridge). He turned sharply and caught a pair of identical twins off guard.

Dusty looked on with a mixture of surprise and irritation at the sandy blonde twins dressed in dark clothing with one carrying a large dark blue duffle bag. "Hello?"

"Hi," the one standing on Dusty's right side answered with a deeper Southern accent than Dusty's accent.

The twins and Dusty looked to each other for another for a few moments.

"_Dusty?"_ Jade's voice called out from the phone Dusty still held against his ear and snapped him out of the staring contest. "Give me a second." He hit the mute button and pulled the phone away from his ear. He glanced between them and saw the obvious reason for their presence and commented, "Gentlemen, I do not have time for this."

The other twin asked, "Time for what?"

He smirked while answering, "To deal with a pair of burglars while I'm here to rescue my… people that I know from a stupid high school idea… from a girl who hasn't had the brightest of ideas as of late."

The twins looked to one another and gave each other questioning expressions.

Dusty decided to interrupt them before they could non-verbally agree to something that he might not like. "Louisiana? You boys are from Louisiana?"

"Yeah," they answered simultaneously and nodded their heads.

The one to Dusty's left questioned, "You sound like a Southern boy too."

"Yes I am, so as a courtesy between Southern Gentlemen, how about I get them out and you walk away and we can all call it a night from some very bad choices."

The one on the right retorted, "But we came here to steal and you've seen our faces so we can't let you leave. You could call the cops on us."

Dusty smiled and nodded his head and smiled. He brought the phone back to his ear and finished, "Jade, I'll call you right back." He pressed the end call button then slipped the phone back into his pocket. He looked between the brothers then muttered, "Yeah… _we_ call the cops when we get into trouble down South? You should know better than that. We call the sheriff to clean up the mess, not stop it."

The teenager chuckled for a moment that brought confused expressions on the twins' faces… which left them wide open for Dusty to throw a quick jab to the face of the twin to his right that sent his head snapping back and falling backwards to the ground. The other one looked on in surprise at seeing his brother go down so quick and easy, but he didn't have time to contemplate it as Dusty grabbed him by the shoulders and brought him down to jam his right knee under that twin's sternum.

The hit instantly drove the air out of his lungs then Dusty followed up with a hard slam of his right forearm across the back of thief's shoulders, sending him to the ground face first and grasping for air.

"I guess there's no Southern honor left," Dusty muttered in disgust as he looked down at the fallen brothers.

He turned his attention back to the monitor and pulled his phone out to redial Jade's number.

"_Dust—" _

"Kind of got hung up back there, I'm shutting them down." He quickly shut off all the laser beams. "Go, go, go!"

He could hear her shouting to the rest of them on the other end then the sound of running. She started again, "Dusty, than—"

"Save it and get your butt out of here," he snapped as he turned to another video monitor to the cameras outside in the parking lot and around the back of the building. Once he saw the group out of the camera views, he pressed the end call button and shoved the phone in his pocket while he turned the cameras off and looked over where the video was being stored. Thanks to the last year of working for TheSlap, he was able to identify the proper hard drive and it's physical location then pulled out a multi-tool from a jean pocket and quickly started unscrewing the casing of the computer under the counter. Once he got it off, he simply pulled the hard drive out and then made his mad dash away to head out the same back entrance as the rest of them had used.

* * *

After getting out of the back of the building, the Hollywood Arts gang made a wide arc around the parking lot so they could meet back up at the SUV. Most of them used it to support themselves or rest against as they caught their respective breaths.

"Oh my God, that was close," Tori muttered with a ragged breath with a hand over her upper chest.

André rested against the side of SUV and spoke as he attempted to catch his breath, "Yeah, let's never do that again."

Trina swallowed down then muttered out, "Right, let's never listen to another one of Tori's ideas."

The younger Vega sister turned to her and snapped, "Oh don't start with me!"

Trina quickly shut her mouth as she realized that she had pushed too far with her sister tonight.

As the rest caught their breaths, Dusty slowly approached the group with barely perceived labored breath. He glanced quickly over the other teenagers and took a particular moment to look at Cat then commented, "See everyone made it out?"

Jade was the first to answer, "Yeah, everyone's out."

Dusty returned with an impassive expression.

Beck took a step forward and asked with a concerned tone, "Yeah, but what about the security cameras?"

Dusty snorted out dismissively and held up the stolen hard drive, "I took care of the cameras Pretty Boy; you don't have to worry about them. No point in the trip if I didn't take care of them."

The actor frowned at who he was quickly thinking of as Freddie's sidekick.

Jade cautiously spoke, "Thanks… thanks for saving m—our butts."

The Southern teenager turned his attention to the pale teenager, but remained silent as he met her eyes with a reserved stare. She crossed her arms under her chest and met his stare, but not as a challenging one but as of one of apprehension.

The others may have wanted to add their respective courses of thanks, but decided to stay out of the awkward tension between Jade and Dusty.

Dusty slightly frowned then bowed his head to break eye contact with her. He shrugged a shoulder and muttered out, "Yeah, well…"

Jade looked down and nodded her head and decided not to push any further.

* * *

The security guards kept their distance as they were afraid of the little spitfire having it out with her boyfriend and all they could do is made sure no one else got involved. Burf in the meantime looked on with worry as during the couple's fake argument he let something slip that didn't help Sinjin's case and quickly turned it into a real argument.

Sinjin put on an outraged expression and shouted loud enough to get the rest of the group's attention, "Why are you out with him?!"

Ava shouted back in outrage, "We went out to grab something to eat; I don't need your permission to go grab a hamburger with someone from school! And why did you want to cuddle with Tori?! What did you want to do with Cat and Jade?!"

The lanky teenager ignored her question and "Is that why you blew me off tonight? So you could go out with him?"

* * *

Dusty looked over his left shoulder to turn his attention to the taller, curly haired teenager and instantly put on a frown. Jade followed his gaze and instantly recognized the expression of concern displaying on the webmaster's face. The leaner teenager shoved the hard drive into Beck's hands and instructed, "Hold this." He quickly walked over to the pair, specifically to Ava's side and asked with a sharp tone to indicate that Sinjin needed to drop the act if he was continuing with it, "Is there a problem?"

The taller teenager snapped, "Yeah, you took my girlfriend out on a date."

Dusty gave him a curious expression. "Took her out on a date?"

Ava looked up to Dusty with a tired expression while he looked to her a sympathetic expression. He looked back to the irritated taller teenager and countered with a near dismissive tone, "I didn't take your girlfriend out on a date."

He looked Dusty right in the eyes and questioned, "Who paid?"

Dusty frowned and narrowed his eyes on the taller boy as he wasn't sure where he was going with the question. "I paid."

"That's a date," Sinjin reiterated.

Burf whispered over, "For us, that doesn't prove it's a date."

Sinjin looked to his friend with a knotted brow.

"Cultural differences," he explained simply.

Ava raised her hands and shouted, "It's been a long two days and I'm tired of dealing with you."

Dusty leaned over and whispered, "I'll go ahead and take you home."

Sinjin's mouth dropped open then took a step forward and stated, "Whoa, you're not going home with him."

Before the lanky teenager could take another step closer, Dusty took a step between them and snapped, "You need to take a step back."

Sinjin frowned as he met the slightly shorter teenager's stare.

"I know what you did to Tori Vega and I won't let you touch Cohen and if you think I'm bluffing _boy_ then you are quite dumber than I thought."

Some of the others had approached from behind and curiously looked to Tori as to what he meant, but she looked down embarrassingly. Jade raised her pierced eyebrow in confusion while André spoke up with concern, "What did he do?"

Tori looked up to them as if she was caught then glanced to Ava.

Sinjin looked around Dusty's left shoulder and questioned, "You told him?"

The shorter girl snapped back, "It came up."

Jade put on a worried expression as she crossed her arms tighter under her chest and softly demanded of Tori, "What did that mop-headed freak do?" The dark brunette knew quite well that Ava might take offense to the insult to her boyfriend, but she didn't care, but another thought quickly came to her as her mind put the pieces together: Dusty was standing between Sinjin and Ava in concern with what he could do to her because of what he knew happened to Vega which meant… "Did you hit her?" Jade snarled out and gave him a death glare.

Tori started clearing her throat while André's concern grew greater.

Sinjin started nervously clearing his throat as his anger might have held back Dusty's cold stare for a few moments, he couldn't deal with Jade, André's and Beck's glares joining him. "Ah, ah…"

Beck took a step to Dusty's left to give Sinjin a cold glare while André did the same to his right and demanded, "Answer her!"

Sinjin nervously looked to Ava and begged, "Ava? Honey? Please?"

"You shouldn't have kicked her, so you made your bed… now lay in it." She turned and walked away in the direction of Dusty's Mustang. Jade looked on the passing girl with a sympathetic expression, but didn't know what she could say to make it better.

The security finally decided to step in before someone really did get hurt. "Okay, break it up. Time for you kids to go home."

Sinjin let out a relieved breath as the teenagers took a few steps back. However, he quickly put back on his worried expression as he caught a glance of André's eyes that showed he debated whether or not to go through the guards to get to him. The techie's worry was quickly replaced with surprise as Dusty laid a hand on André's shoulder at what looked like he was going to reel him in from doing something Sinjin could regret, but his worry quickly returned when Dusty commented, "You can deal with him on Monday… where we can all say he threw the first punch after they carry him away."

André nodded his head, but gave Sinjin one last glare before turning to walk to his SUV with the others quickly following him while Dusty headed to his car.

* * *

Ava was waiting by the passenger's side door of the vehicle with her arms crossed and thin line mouth expression. He pulled out his keys and slid around her to unlock her door then walked around the back to get to the driver's side.

The pair slipped into their respective seats with Ava pointedly ignoring him as she buckled her seatbelt then rested her hands in her lap.

Dusty spared the girl a sympathetic glance, but she ignored him by looking out of the passenger window. He spoke barely above a whisper, "I'm sorry Ava."

She continued to look out of the passenger window as she whispered with a thickening voice, "Could you just take me home please?"

The Southern teenager let out a regretful breath through his nose then nodded his head even if she couldn't see him. He reached over and rested his right hand on her left hand then curled his fingers around to slide his fingertips in her palm. He waited for any kind of response from her from the gesture, presumably anger from the presumptuous on his part to touch her, but she gave his gripped fingers a gentle squeeze.

A few moments later he slid his hand away to put in the key to turn the ignition then put the car into gear.

* * *

The others gathered back to the SUV with several climbing into the vehicle and André wearing a frown as he climbed into the driver's seat. Tori gave him a worried expression before climbing inside. Beck idly commented with a shake of his head to Jade, who was still standing outside of the vehicle with her back turned, "Lucky Cat was with us or we might still be stuck in Wanko's."

Tori looked to the actor from her seat with a slight frown at being so insensitive about the situation. He quickly got the message and put on an embarrassing expression as he shut his mouth.

Jade whispered out as she saw the cherry-red Mustang pull out of the parking lot, "I didn't tell him Cat was with us… just that I needed his help."

Beck's eyes opened up wide in surprise along with the rest of them and looked to each other to see if each had heard the same thing. She turned to look at the teenagers at various levels of surprise and commented with a curt tone, "Let's go home already."

Valentines' Residence

The time was approaching two in the morning as Jade snuggled into Cat's pillow as she was physically and emotionally exhausted from the last several hours. As soon as André had dropped her and Cat off at the redhead's home, the dark brunette had changed and swung by Frankie's room to give a goodnight kiss to Freddie who remained asleep through her sign of affection then went back to Cat's room to crawl into the left side of the redhead's bed. She may have been starving, but she didn't bother to stop to eat she was so tired.

However, she was not going to get her peaceful sleep as she heard the beeping sound of a camera turn on and realized exactly what Cat was attempting. "Turn it off!" she shouted in frustration.

"No, it'll be fun," Cat replied as she happily took a seat on the other side of the bed and pulled the sheet over her crossed legs with remote control in hand.

"No it will not," Jade whined.

The redhead hit a button on her remote and the lights turned on. She looked into a camera set up at the foot of the bed and began, "I'm Cat and this is Jade."

"Turn off the camera," the tired dark brunette shouted as she sat up in bed.

"Jade's house is being fumigated for bugs, so she's spending the night with me."

"And I'd like to get some sleep; I'm tired," she retorted with a frown. She stared at the happy teenager for a moment then voiced a concern, "Did you eat a lot of sugar when you got home?"

Cat started laughing signaling to Jade that she had been correct in her assumption.

The camera cut and started again with the girls sitting side by side. Cat wore a happy expression while Jade wore a tired and irritated one.

"You'll have to excuse Jade; she's feeling a little cranky tonight. Okay, when I was little—"

"Kill me," Jade interrupted with a flat tone.

"I used to love bedtime stories."

"I'm going to vomit."

"So, if you have a baby sister or brother, go get them because Jade and I are going to improvise our very own original bedtime story."

Jade complained with a quick glance to her shorter friend, "I thought you had a guest room?"

"We don't."

"So go sleep in your garage."

Cat started laughing again.

"I meant that," she continued with a dry tone as she may have loved Cat and made up with her hours ago, but she was at the bottom of her patience reservoir.

The redhead smiled in return somewhat surprising the actress in that it didn't get a rile out of her. "Okay kids, now Jade and I are going tell you a bedtime story and make it up as we go along." She padded her hand on Jade's right folded arm and suggested, "Jade, you start."

The dark brunette wore guarded expression which signaled to Cat that she would have to start, "Um, once upon a time, there was a little girl that always dreamed of being a princess and now Jade will tell you the little girl's name."

"Her name was Blowtus."

"I don't… I don't think that's a girl's name—"

"Her name is Blowtus."

Cat hesitantly continued, "The little girl's name was Blowtus, so um, Blowtus wanted to be a princess—"

Jade interrupted, "But then she got hit by a bus."

"So Blowtus who dreamed about being a princess—"

Jade smirked as she interrupted with a point of her finger, "Who was hit by a bus."

Little Red stuttered for a moment on how to respond to Jade's addition to the story, "Was hit by a bus, but… she also had a magic bunny that fixed all of her injuries."

"Then an elephant stepped on the bunny."

The redhead looked worried, but continued to improvise, "But the bunny was okay."

Jade laughed and shook her head, "No, no, the bunny was far from okay." She calmed down from her laugh and whispered, "No."

Cat turned her head and frowned at her friend as she retorted, "Should you be joking about someone getting hit by a bus when Freddie was hit by a taco truck and broke his leg and wrist and had to spend weeks in casts?"

Jade's eyes shot open and she shouted, "Cut this right now!"

A few minutes later the camera was back on with the girls still in their same positions. Cat happily laughed, "Okay, after talking it over with Jade, we decided that we're going to start over."

Jade continued with a surprisingly genuine smile, "Yes, there was this little girl name Sapphire—"

"I thought you said her name was Blowtus?"

"I'm changing the name!" she shouted with a snap of her head towards her.

Cat quickly shut her mouth.

The pair looked back to the camera and Jade waited patiently then commented, "Continue."

"Okay… so Sapphire dreamt of being a princess—"

"A strong independent princess… like the late Princess Diana."

"And—and to do that she would have to meet a handsome prince—"

"That could accept a strong woman and not a damsel in distress and all her eccentricities that others might find strange… but she decided that she didn't need a prince to be a princess, only that she needed to overthrow a tyrannical king and declare yourself queen… then find her a handsome knight that had always supported and loved her to make him her king consort."

Cat looked lost on what to say next then finally muttered in a childlike tone, "And they lived happily ever after."

Jade smirked as she whispered, "Yes they did…" She looked to Cat and with all her patience finally gone, asked, "Can I go to bed now?"

"Where did you come up with the name Sapphire?"

"'night Cat," she answered with a curt tone and snuggled back into the pillow.

Cat looked back into the camera with a soft smile and shrugged her shoulders and asked, "Is that what you're going to name your daughter with Freddie since you played a queen?"

"Turn the camera OFF!"

Valentine Residence

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Jade was resting peacefully in Cat's bed as the giddy redhead approached from the right side of the bed. Her brother Frankie was standing on the left side holding the camera from last night as she quietly explained, "Hey, Jade spent the night last night, so I thought I'd wake her up with a funny joke."

Cat leaned over and shouted, "Knock, knock!"

Jade's eyes shot open and she shouted out in shock and maybe a little bit of fear. She grabbed Cat by the waist more out of instinct than conscious thought and wrestled her down on the bed. Cat shouted as Jade continued to wrestle her down, "Turn it off, turn it off!"

* * *

"I told you a billion times to never wake me up when I'm sleeping—why is your brother recording this?" Jade quickly questioned when she saw Frankie behind the camera behind the foot of the bed.

"So I can put this video on TheSlap."

"What video?"

"Me telling you a funny joke."

"No."

"Pleasey?" the redhead whined like a child.

Jade blew out an irritated breath. "Okay, just get it over with."

Cat happily started, "Knock knock."

"Come in," the taller girl dryly answered.

Cat frowned and shouted, "No, cut."

The camera cut then started again with Cat trying to tell her joke with a high pitched voice, "Knock, knock."

"Who's there?"

"Purple bathtub."

Jade whispered out with a dry tone, "I hope a purple bathtub falls and lands on you."

Cat frowned and immediately pouted.

Frankie on the other side of the camera gave Jade an annoyed expression.

Jade covered her face her face with both her hands and exhaled a loud breath. Cat was trouble enough to deal with this morning, but dealing with Cat's older brother was an entirely new experience to deal with since he regained his sanity. She dropped her hands away from her face and commented with an apologetic tone, "Sorry… last night was not a good night."

She looked back to the camera. "Okay, you said 'knock, knock', I said who's there and you said, 'purple bathtub', so I ask, 'purple bathtub who'?"

"Purple bathtub rub-a-dub-dub!"

The redhead started giggling up a storm while Jade pinched the bridge of her nose and bowed her head and Frankie gave his sister a patient and loving smile.

The green streaked hair girl threw the covers off of her legs and jumped out of bed then turned to the older Valentine sibling. "Is Freddie awake?"

Frankie gave a sad smile as he answered and turned off the camera, "Sorry, he's already headed to work. I thought he'd let you know before he left?"

Jade shook her head and put on a bashful smile. "No, he doesn't like disturbing me before going." She looked to both siblings and commented, "I'll meet you two down for breakfast." She walked over to the dresser and picked up her PearBook and headed out of the room towards the bathroom.

Frankie raised an eyebrow and questioned his baby sister, "Why is she taking her laptop?"

Cat smiled and shrugged her shoulders

"Maybe she wants to watch something then take a quick nap before breakfast like you use to. It was pretty late when we got in and I did wake her up."

The older Valentine momentarily frowned at the mention of his former behavior, but quickly replaced it with a smile and quick kiss on his sister's forehead to prevent her from drawing any negative conclusions from his facial expressions. He motioned his head towards the door and answered, "Come on, let me go fix us some breakfast."

She gleefully shouted, "'kay, 'kay."

* * *

Jade locked the bathroom door behind her after entering the colorfully decorated room then had a seat on the toilet seat cover. She dropped the PearBook on her lap and opened it up. She was grateful that Cat's house had wi-fi as she pulled up a browser window and directed to a PearChat window. She typed a simple, one line message in the hopes that the web-hostess would reply at least at some point during the day, "I think you might be right and I was wrong… I think I'm in your shoes now. Help?"

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you liked this take and remember to watch the final episode of Victorious tonight and any and all following repeats. Also, yes, Freddie did not appear in this chapter. Even Nathan needs a vacation at times… or needed for filming elsewhere. He won't return my calls. Finally, the last scene is a modification of the Cat and Jade's Slap video.

Guest Starring Frankie Grande as Frank "Frankie" Valentine


	19. Chapter 19: The Blonde Squad

Author's Note: Hello everyone. I hope everyone has had a nice week. I'm surprising you with a new chapter. Well, I'm trying to pick up the pace with all my stories since both shows are now over. I don't know how successful I'll be, but I'm going to try and that is why hopefully I'll have 'A Coffee and a Smoothie' and 'iGuess We're Roomies' updated by late Friday evening and 'iWould Have Pounded Him Silly' by the weekend.

Thanks everyone for reviewing. I think I answered everyone, but if I missed you, please PM to remind me. I would appreciate it.

On with the story:

Rating: High T for Language

* * *

Chapter 19: 'The Blonde Squad'

Black Box Theater  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
~5 PM, Wednesday, March 15, 2012

Tori rushed inside along with Cat and Jade into the office and shouted while pointing to a wall safe where the door was blown open and hanging on by only one hinge, "There's been a burglary."

Jade shouted with a high pitched voice, "They could still be here."

Cat shouted, "Bananas!"

The trio pulled out individual bananas and pointed out away from one another in a style not too dissimilar to 'Charlie's Angels' which was quite appropriate as they were dressed up as blonde wigged starlets right out of the late seventies. Cat wore a very short orange mini-dress, Tori wore an equally short red and black checkered dress (in respect to her height) and Jade wore a randomly line patterned mini-dress with a shorts style hem and black leggings.

Cat instructed with a serious tone, "Check the room."

Sitting off the stage, Beck was in his director's chair and snapped his fingers while looking at the monitor. One of Sinjin's friends from his tech-crew handed Beck a coffee as André held up a boom microphone and Sinjin filmed the scene. A blonde teenager was sitting just off to Beck's right presumably taking notes with Burf off to her side. On the front right side of the stage, Freddie and Dusty sat next to one another in the common grey metal chairs of the school watching the performance.

Tori shouted out dramatically as she held her banana under her mouth with a pistol grip, "Under desk—clear!"

Cat went to a closet next to the desk and quickly opened it and checked it. She turned away from it and stated loudly, "Closet clear!"

Jade stood near the door and motioned out with her left hand as she stated in a continued high pitch satirical valley girl impression, "Middle of the room, this area from to like right around here… this whole section I'm indicating with my hand gestures clear!" She retook hold her banana with a pistol grip, however she was pointing the end towards her face.

Tori whined out and motioned with her left hand then rested it on her hip, "Tonnie, you're holding your banana backwards."

"Are you sure, because it was my understanding that the banana—" A pop sounded and Jade collapsed gurgling sound from her throat to sprawl out on the floor as if she had been shot in the head.

Cat and Tori strutted over with Tori resting her hand on her left hip as Cat commented with a hint of disgust, "I told the chief that they shouldn't put idiots on the 'Blonde Squad'."

Dusty leaned over and whispered to Freddie, "I am not putting this up on the school's SplashFace page unless he rewrites that scene."

Freddie slightly shook his head as he kept his gaze on Jade lying on the ground as he wasn't happy with the scene either and didn't understand why Jade had agreed to appear in the film if that was what was going to happen to her. He didn't find watching Jade doing a death scene funny at all even if it was just a parody. The fact that Beck wanted Jade in the film for that part nagged at him and wondered if there was a deeper meaning behind it.

The squawking of the parrot inside the black metal cage sitting beside the blown safe caught the girls' attention with Tori shouting and pointing to the cage, "That's McKulsky's bird."

Cat walked past the taller teenager and shouted with a short tone, "Hey bird!" She reached the cage and pointed her banana at the front of the cage and demanded, "Hey, who cracked that safe?!"

Tori brought up her banana and demanded as well, "Talk!"

There was a slight pause then Beck looked away from his monitor and whispered in Cat's direction, "Cat… Cat?"

The redhead under the blonde wig turned to look at Beck getting up from his chair and instructed, "You have the next line."

Cat answered innocently, "No, the bird does."

Beck whispered back, "No, we put in the bird's line later."

She brushed some of her blonde hair away from the left side of her face and answered with a smile, "Okay, I'll wait."

Tori let out a soft sigh as she dropped her hands to the side and looked up at the ceiling.

"And cut!" the 'fluffy' haired teenager shouted as he snapped his folder shut.

He turned away as Jade got up from the floor and asked, "How is it that I'm playing the dumb girl?"

Beck raised a finger and shushed her.

Freddie frowned at the taller teenager just brushing Jade off while Dusty shook his head as he came up with several answers in his head while relaxing back in the cushioned metal chair.

Tori smiled as she bent over to look at the parrot then whispered tenderly, "Oh, who is a pretty bird? Yes, who's a pretty—"

André rushed behind her and held up his hands while shouting out, "Don't touch him!"

His shout so shocked the brunette that she jumped back from the cage and palmed her upper chest.

Beck spread out his right arm from under his open folder and asked, "Was that necessary?"

"Yes, you know the rules: you can borrow my grandmother's bird to be in your little student movie, but no one is allowed to touch him."

"I know—"

The songsmith held up his left hand and shouted, "Hey!"

The brunette tried to innocently defend herself, "I was just—"

Jade walked behind André to get back on the set while the songsmith pointed at Tori and shouted, "I said 'Hey!'"

"Don't cut her off!" Dusty snapped from this seat.

André dropped his hand and looked to the Southern teenager in surprise along with Tori and a few others.

Dusty cocked his head to the side and commented dryly but with a clear underlining sense of challenge in his voice, "Why don't you come over here and point your finger in my face? See where it gets you."

André blinked in surprise at the blatant challenge while Freddie looked to seated friend with concern to his friend: he still hadn't shaken his foul mood from Jade's prank of making Cat think her head had been shaved and it didn't look that it was going to waiver anytime soon with what he had been told the webmaster's reaction to Sinjin's behavior towards Ava in their relationship. Over that last several days he had been meaning to bring it up to the Southern teenager, but wasn't exactly sure how to approach either subject.

Before anything could escalate, Cat leaned her head back and brought her right hand up to start scratching at her scalp and commented, "My wig is hurting my head."

Tori looked away from eyeing her friend and the sitting teenager and turned to her shorter friend. "Here, I'll fix it," Tori offered then walked around the desk.

A voice from the door the trio had entered the set called out, "Ta, ta, ta, ta, hands off please!"

Tori sighed out to Robbie, "Why can't I—"

Robbie smugly asked, "Who is the wig-master on this film?"

The girls sighed out in a tone that showed their annoyance at his intrusion, "You are."

Robbie answered with a snooty tone, "That's right and only the wig master may touch the wigs."

Tori placed her hands together with the banana between them and bowed her head and sarcastically answered, "Well fix hers wig-master."

Robbie pulled out a comb and started poking into Cat's wig.

Dusty pinched the bridge of his nose and mumbled out just loud enough for Freddie to hear, "Does his life have that little meaning?"

The tech-producer shook his head, but remained mute as he wouldn't comment on what little validation it may have given to Robbie's ego to have such a hand in the film.

André and Dusty finally broke away from their staring contest when the songsmith's wristwatch beeped catching his attention and glanced down at it to comment, "It's almost five o'clock." He walked over to the birdcage and started to open the door. "Come on Larry."

Beck curiously asked, "What are we doing?"

"I told you, Larry has to get some fresh air every hour." He turned and instructed the red bird that had made his way up to the top of the cage as the friends conversed, "Come on Larry, fly to my finger."

The bird took off and flew past the songsmith with him shouting, "You missed my finger." Larry flew to a metal rod holding up a stage curtain.

"Stay there! I'm coming son," André shouted then dashed to the left exit of the theater.

Beck called out with a light sarcastic tone with a wide opening of his arms and closing his business folder, "I guess that is a wrap for the day." He started to turn and head out the side exit to the theater with his staff while Jade and Cat started heading out, but Dusty got up from his seat and walked to the director and spoke up (catching everyone else's attention as well), "Good, because we need to talk."

The director stopped and turned as he curiously questioned, "About what?"

Dusty thumbed over to the stage "You got to rewrite that scene and take out the part where Jade gets shot in the head or I'm not putting that up on the school's SplashFace page."

Beck knotted his brow. "When did you get to decide what gets posted or not?

Dusty bowed his head and pinched the bridge of his nose as he was clearly irritated with the question. He looked back up with a slight tilt of his head and answered as if he was explaining a difficult concept to a child, "Since they put me in charge, I have always had editorial control over anything anyone wanted to post on TheSlap and it's the same with the SplashFace page since it's a school approved site that reflects on the school." He looked over to Robbie. "We don't want a repeat of someone using their slap page to cyberbully anyone…" He looked back to Beck to finish, "…or put anything vulgar or explicit and labeling it 'art' as an excuse."

Robbie curiously asked, "How about offensive?"

Dusty shrugged a shoulder and spared a slight look over his right shoulder to the ventriloquist. "That isn't a criterion; you don't have a right _not_ to be offended."

Jade was by Beck's side as when Dusty originally spoke up to Beck, she was halfway out the door. She started to question, "I don't really min—"

Dusty turned slight to look at the wig wearing pale teenager and answered with a soft, but clearly impatient tone, "I don't remember asking for your opinion on the matter?"

Jade blinked and crossed her arms under her chest with the surprised reaction. Dusty held his stare at the teenager for a moment with an even expression other then the slightest hint of a furled brow. The others started looking uncomfortable and to one another as they still trying to process someone willing to openly challenge Jade without fear or hesitation.

Freddie softly whispered out, "Dusty?"

The slightly taller teenager glanced to the more muscular teenager and asked in most neutral voice he could manage, "What?"

The pair stared at one another for a few moments each debating internally how far both wanted to go and trying to guess how far the other was willing to go at this place and time. The potential standoff sent the tension further up a few notches.

Of all the people to interrupt, Beck reasserted himself into the conversation, "It's not vulgar; it's a parody. Helen will let me put it up…" he finished with a soft smirk.

The L.A. immigrant turned his attention back to the director and countered, "I don't care how much that affirmative action hiree likes you; I'll tell her the same thing: I am not putting up your sick little fantasy about wanting to have your ex-girlfriend shot in the head, okay? It's not open to discussion. Change the scene or it doesn't get posted." Dusty snorted out in disgust then walked passed the director to head out of the Black Box.

The teenagers exchange quick looks to assess what the others thought about what just happened. The couple looked to each other with reserved expressions trying to see what the other thought about what just happened. Freddie tried his best to hide his feeling that Dusty had just summed up and put into words the distressing feeling he had since Jade decided to take the part despite wanting to be supportive of Jade while she didn't know what to make of Dusty apparently drawing the line in the sand for her benefit.

They finally realized that they would have to verbally share their concerns when they got home later tonight, so the couple turned and started heading out with Cat as the others started out the side exit, but Tori quickly caught up with them and asked the girls, "Oh hey, you want to grab some sushi from Nozu?"

Cat eagerly shouted, "Yay."

The pale actress commented dryly as she had other things on her mind, "I don't want to, but I will."

The wig wearing redhead quickly spoke up and pointed to her head with her left index finger, "Oh, remember, we have to let Robbie take our wigs off."

Tori smiled and pointed the end of her banana at Cat and suggested, "Or…" she grabbed the right end of her wing and finished, "…we could go to Nozu in our wigs."

Jade had her arms crossed under her chest and dryly asked, "Why?"

"Because…?"

Tori retorted with a slightly offended voice and finished with a more upbeat tone as she twirled one end of her blonde wig with a finger, "Haven't you ever wondered what it's like to be a blonde?"

"No," was Jade's curt response.

Cat eagerly countered, "I've wondered that. I've also wondered why lemonade is a drink and first aid is for the injured. Like, what if a thirsty person gets injured? Do you give him first aid first, and then lemonade? Or lemonade first and then second aid?" She paused briefly as the pair of girls looked to her curiously. "Lemonade," she finished innocently then softly laughed, "He-he-he."

Tori looked back to Jade and asked, "So sushi?"

"Let's go," Jade agreed then turned to give Freddie a soft kiss on the cheek. "I'm taking the Charger," she stated without hesitation and slipped a hand into his jean pocket to pull the keys out.

He softly laughed as he gently grabbed her wrist to keep her from going for a moment then leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Okay, but you're still grounded? What am I going to tell your mom?"

"I'm going out with Cat, so it's alright."

"Okay… you do look cute as a blonde my Nancy," he playfully answered which drew a smirk from his pale girlfriend. He leaned away as she turned to catch up with the rest of the girls that had patiently waited at the exit.

Freddie smiled as he shook his head then started out to follow them and hopefully catch up with Dusty before he left.

The tech-producer was able to catch up with the webmaster just as he reached the Asphalt Café parking lot. "Can I bum a ride? Jade's taking the Charger."

"Sure," he answered without hesitation then the Southern teen curiously asked, "So, why is Van Cleef doing the filming and not you?"

Freddie thought about ignoring the question to follow up with Dusty on his insistence against Beck regardless of Jade's feelings, but decided pushing him at the moment could be counterproductive, so he shrugged a shoulder, "I guess Beck would whether deal with the guy that kicked his friend than the guy that's with his ex?"

Dusty let out a soft chuckle, "Point, but sounds like he's cutting his nose off to spite his face… speaking of Van Cleef, why haven't you left him a mess on the floor anyway? It's been a few days and since you've had the time and Vega's your friend—very dear friend from what I saw at her house—you could take a second look about readdressing his part in Sikowitz's little dating stunt last month?"

Freddie snorted out an irritated breath and softly shook his head as he admitted that Dusty was right on all those points. "It's not for a lack of will, but I figured from how pissed off André was on Sunday during our workout that I should leave it in his hands. He wants to deal with him and I'm going to respect that."

"So that begs the question: 'When is Harris going to pound him into the ground?'"

Freddie chuckled, "I figured sometime after they get done with Beck's movie… no point in messing up Beck just to mess up Sinjin."

As they reached the Mustang, Freddie cautiously asked from the passenger side, "Speaking of Sinjin… how's Ava?"

Dusty paused at opening the door and looked over the roof to meet Freddie's eyes. He whispered out, "And how should I know?"

Freddie smirked at the slightly taller teenager. "You drove her home… it's about a ninety minute drive and I doubt you've avoided her over the last few days."

He cracked a soft smile. "Like Carly, anything told to me explicitly or implicitly in confidence is not something I'm going to talk about with others, but…" The smile faded as he continued with trepidation, "…from my observations… she's hanging in there." His smile returned, soft and small, but noticeable and Freddie could swear he heard a hint of admiration in the slightly taller teenager's voice as he finished, "Ava may be sweet, but ah… scrappy little thing and tougher than one might think."

The tech-producer gave a nod of his head and remained silent at Dusty referring to her by her first name instead of her last name as Dusty opened the driver's side door and slipped inside then unlocked the driver's side door for him.

Freddie slipped into the passenger seat and pulled his seat belt on then asked with conversational tone, "How long are you going to be that hostile to Jade?"

Dusty slightly frowned and gave a slight nod of his head. "I wasn't being hostile; I was just making a statement to her."

The brown eyed teenager rolled his eyes and clarified, "Okay… how long are you going to passive aggressive to her?"

The Southern teenager stuck the key in the ignition as he answered, "Until I stop being pissed off at her? I think that sounds about the right time to stop."

Freddie slightly frowned and pointed out, "You know she and Cat have made up?"

"Doesn't make me any less mad at her…" Dusty bowed his head down slightly as he whispered, "If I would have done the exact same thing to Jade, you'd punch me out for that, right? Making her think she lost her hair?"

Freddie answered without hesitation, "Yes I would," then quickly shut his mouth realizing what he had spoken.

"Right… but I can't knock her out, so I have to deal with my anger in another way; I'm letting her know I'm not in the mood to deal with her… there are consequences for pulling stuff like that on friends."

"Her mother grounded her for a month," Freddie pointed out in the hopes of easing some of Dusty's animosity towards Jade in telling him that Jade was suffering some consequences.

"Good for her," he flippantly retorted as he started the vehicle.

Freddie shook his head and turned his attention to the front windshield as he knew he wasn't going to persuade his friend from his annoyance at not really being able to defend Cat because it was Jade, but he could try to sympathize being in a position where it wasn't possible without making things worst.

"Then could you answer this: If you're so mad with her, why are you giving Beck grief?"

"I told you along with rest why I'm not putting it up even if Jade says she doesn't have a problem with it… _I_ have a problem with it."

Freddie bowed his head slightly and whispered in a conspiratorial manner, "I have no problem with you doing that personally, but if she asks…"

"Assuming I'll acknowledge her? You support her decision one hundred percent?"

"I'll let you make any assumption you want on my opinion in this case."

Dusty chuckled while turning the key for the ignition.

Tori Vega: I'm having sushi… and I'M BLONDE! This excites me. FEELING: Light-haired

Nozu  
Los Angeles, CA

Tori cheerfully commented as the three sat at the bar, "This is so cool, we're blonde." She grabbed the ends of her locks and shouted out, "Whoo… we're like princesses."

Jade let a playful smirk form on her face as she asked, "Can you be the princess who gets poisoned?"

The false blonde smirked as she playfully retorted, "Didn't you already play that part?"

The pretending blonde tilted her head to the side and smirked with a narrow gaze to the hidden lighter brunette who decided to let out a soft laugh.

Cat asked curiously, "Why are you so excited to be blonde?"

Tori gleefully answered, "Because guys love blondes, especially with blue eyes. You watch…" She smirked and wiggled her shoulders as she confidently stated, "…we are going to get _extra_ special treatment."

Jade smirked as she pointed out, "I naturally have blue eyes… and I've been getting extra special treatment for a long time."

Tori rolled her eyes and softly shook her head as she playfully stuck out her tongue.

Cat playfully spoke up, "My brother use to get special treatment from special doctors…" She finished with a strange sense of seduction, "…it was court ordered."

Both girls remained silent from commenting on Frankie's past behavior and need for treatment due to his traumatic brain injury from years ago.

The waiter walked up to the three girls from the other side of the bar and laid out three glasses of water and spoke, "Here's some water."

As he turned away, Tori looked to her companions and asked with a verbalization of her voice, "Ahh… huh?"

Jade asked with a muted expression, "What?"

"He just gave us water." She turned to Cat to finish and motioned her left hand up and down to emphasize her point, "Do you see what blonde girls get? Free stuff." She pumped her left fist then slashed across with her hand and voiced, "Chaching, yeah."

Jade commented dryly then took a sip from her water, "It's a magical night."

Cat suddenly turned and looked to Tori with a confused expression as she asked, "You have to go to the bathroom?"

"No."

"Oh, I do," she answered then took a moment to think. She looked back to Tori and commented, "Back in a boo." She got up from her seat and Tori waved her off with Jade doing the same with her right pinky finger.

Cat started on her way to the restroom and walked behind her friends. She just about made it to the opening that led to the hallway to the restrooms with a tall teenager stood up from a booth just next to the exit. He had light brown hair and a solid medium frame similar to Dusty's frame and near identical haircut, but even taller. He gave her a smile as he was caught off guard by the sight of her and blurted out, "Hi… hey."

"Oh, hi."

"What's going on?" the taller teenager asked with a plastered smile on his face.

Cat motioned with a hand to the entrance as she answered, "Nothing, I'm just going to the bathroom… I mean, not right this second."

The teenager softly laughed at her unintended joke and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

She brushed the hair from either side of her hair then asked curiously, "What?"

"You're just really pretty," he admitted with a smile and pulled his hands out of his pockets.

"Oh?"

"I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have said that."

"No, it's okay, I like compliments." She softly poked him in the stomach and smiled up at him.

He motioned behind him to the booth he was sitting at and asked, "Well… you wanna sit down with me and maybe talk for a little bit?"

She turned her head to look over her right shoulder back at the girls and hesitantly answered, "Umm… I don't know if I should," then snapped her head back around and finished, "Okay!"

She tried to slid into the opposite seat, but he motioned to the entranceway and asked, "Wait, don't you want to hit the bathroom first?"

"No, you seem way more fun than a bathroom," she answered with a happy tone then slid in her seat.

He didn't argue and slid in his seat across from her.

Jade looked up from her plate and commented with evident concern in her voice, "Hey, Cat just sat down with some guy."

"Huh?" Tori softly patted Jade on the side of her arm commented with a grin, "See what blonde hair does for a girl?"

Jade made a grunting sound of irritation as she rolled her eyes to the ceiling.

A young man came up from behind Tori and tapped her on the right shoulder to softly interrupt the pair, "Excuse me."

Tori turned in her seat and smiled as she answered gloriously, "Hi…"

"Well, hi there."

"Can I borrow your soy sauce?"

"Oh?" She turned to Jade and smirked. "He wants to borrow our soy sauce."

Jade shrugged her shoulders and opened her arms out not really knowing how to respond to the lighter brunette, "Wow?"

Tori playfully asked, "What's your name, cute thing?"

He cracked a smile as he answered, "Reese."

Tori gave him a seductive smile, "Well, Reese... if you wanna hang with us blondes…"

"My God," Jade muttered and turned back in her seat from the embarrassment.

"…you don't have to pretend that you wanna borrow our…"

An older, well-built gentleman took a step down from the raised platform against the side of the wall that Tori and André had used to perform weeks ago and called out, "Reese!"

"Dad, I was just…"

"I told ya to get some dang soy sauce!"

Reese mumbled out and motioned to Tori, "I asked this girl for it but she…"

The angry father snapped at Tori, "Are you gonna lend us your dang soy sauce or what?"

"Sure, here…" She nervously smiled at him then passed a quick glance at the bottle and commented, "Oh, it's low-sodium."

He squinted his eyes and looked to her in disbelief as snapped at her, "What are you, a Doctor?" He quickly snatched the bottle from her hand and started chewing out his son.

Jade shook her head and mumbled before sipping her water, "Wow… another ganky father, what a surprise."

TheSlap Computer Room  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Thursday, March 16, 2012

Lunch time was approaching for this period of students running and maintaining TheSlap. Since Dusty was supervising what was in essence a computer class study hall, he was about to dismiss them to head for lunch, but Beck and Helen walked into the room. The principal wore a disapproving smile while Beck wore his trademark relax expression.

Dusty wore a guarded expression to the visit as he had never had a pleasant dealing with the former child-actress. He glanced around to the rest of the staff and suggested, "How about everyone goes ahead and head for lunch?"

Helen smiled and waved off the suggestion, "No, I'm not here to interrupt; this won't take a minute."

Dusty greeted the pair with barely veiled respect, "So what do we owe the pleasure of your visit Principal Dubois?"

The principal instantly lost her smile as she looked to the Southern teenager. She had also lost the friendliness to her voice as she stated, "I wanted to talk to you refusing to post Beck's short film?"

Dusty walked around a computer station and leaned against the edge to retort with a smile on his face, "I have absolutely no problem with posting his film… he just has to re-_shoot_ a scene."

Beck stuffed his hands into his jean pockets and rolled his eyes.

Helen frowned as she answered, "When I agreed to allow for the site to host the students' short films, I didn't say anything allowing you to _discriminate_ against students—"

The Southern teenager stood up and softly challenged, "You also have made it quite clear ma'am that we—I am to make sure nothing inappropriate is posted on there that could reflect badly on the school or you… putting a film up, where he has a scene of his ex-girlfriend shooting herself in the head and killing her on screen I would think count as inappropriate."

Beck rolled his eyes and muttered in a tone that suggested how little he thought of Dusty's point, "It's just a parody."

"'It's comedy' is your defense in putting in a scene where the character your ex-girlfriend plays shoots herself in the head? I knew you were messed up, but this is a new low."

Beck frowned and gave him a cold stare which Dusty matched in a heartbeat.

Helen frowned and interrupted before anything could escalate between the teenagers, "It is just a comedy. It's not a big deal. You will put his short-film up tomorrow."

The lean teenager looked to Helen and countered, "No."

The principal blinked then clenched her jaw tight for a moment before snapping, "Excuse me?"

"I said no, I'm not… why don't you go bully that Josh kid? You know the guy that didn't have any balls to not put up with your crap or so your docu-comedy showed? I'm not going to do it."

Helen looked like she was about to unleash a verbal assault on him, but Beck spoke up, "Why are you so adamant about this? Jade doesn't have a problem with it."

"I don't care if she doesn't have a problem with it, _I do_. She's still your friend and cares about you, probably still loves you deeply on the platonic level, so she's willing to let it slide to help you out for a good grade since this is a final course grade. I have no such complications to cloud my moral judgment."

If possible, Helen put on a deeper frown as she glared at who she thought was a nuisance. "So this isn't personal? You've had your problems with Beck before."

Dusty knotted his brow and flippantly retorted to the school principal, "Personal? No, this has nothing to do with the fact that he's an asshole that makes Ryder Daniels look like a saint on how to treat girls."

Beck's eyes shot open from the comparison while the rest of the students looked to one another in shock and a little bit of fear. Before anyone could respond, Dusty continued, "What this is about is him taking a cheap shot at his ex and using the site so he can rub it in Freddie's face to the world in the guise of it just being a school project because he knows if he takes a real shot at her, Freddie'll kick his ass over it. I'm not going to have anything to do with that and I'm not going to dirty any one else's hands in inadvertently supporting what he's doing."

"Freddie wouldn't do that—"

It was Dusty's turn to look surprised and asked with mild disbelief, "You really think he wouldn't? He may have made up with Carly, but you are still a wild card in this whole thing, especially with this stunt."

Beck bowed his head and licked his bottom lip before smirking. He looked back up to the Southern teenager with a surprisingly confident voice, "That wouldn't be as easy as you think it would."

"Really? I put you on the floor with a 'love tap' Pretty Boy, what are you going to do to _him_ you limped wrist pansy if you really piss him off and he decides he has nothing to lose in just letting you have it? The guy can shrug off beatings from a girl with superhuman strength, what do you expect to do to him? Hope to poke him into submission before he pounds your face in?"

Beck deeply frowned as he gave Dusty a harsh glare and the webmaster returned it.

Helen interrupted their staring contest with an irritated filled voice, "Enough! If you won't do it, I'll get someone else to do it."

Dusty broke his stare and gave the principle a tired glance, "I'll just take it right back down."

Helen's voice cut through the room, "Not if you're not in charge anymore."

The temperature in the room felt as if it had dropped several degrees to the other students while the statement by Helen apparently caught Beck off guard.

Dusty took a deep breath then slowly let it out as he gave the former actress a cold stare. "So… either I post his short film or you're sacking me and putting in someone else in charge that will do it? I am I understanding you correctly?"

Helen smirked as she coyly answered, "Yes."

Dusty nodded his head then looked to Beck. He studied the other teenager's eyes for a moment trying to assess what he really wanted the end result of this situation to be then looked to the teenagers he had worked with for the last year. He smiled to some of the ones that he really enjoyed their company and the now sophomores he took under his wing after the whole fiasco from the Robarazzis mess Robbie had dragged them into when they were freshmen and didn't know any better.

"Ladies, gentlemen…" He paused to make sure he looked at the younger students and tell them directly hoping that at least one would understand and appreciate what he was saying, "honor would accept no less, so…" He looked back to the actor. "I know this isn't how Jesus would want me to say this, but…" He took a step to looked Beck straight in the eyes stated in a clear and precise tone, "This is my answer to you wanting me to put up a film that reflects on the school and everyone else in this room that shows your ex-girlfriend… my friend getting shot in the head: go fuck yourself."

Beck blinked in complete shock and his jaw slightly slacked.

Dusty cleared his throat and have a regretful smile as he commented to the rest of his former staff, "Not the most Christian response, but… sums up how feel."

He turned and grabbed his black leather hooded jacket and threw it on then looked to Helen and whispered with a more pronounced Southern accent, "You can't bully me." He walked around the shocked actor and principal to exit a room he had no intention of ever returning.

Main Hallway  
Hollywood Arts High School

"Hey, Tori, here…" her older sister called out after taking a quick blow of her nose in some piece of cloth while walking down the main hallway from the direction of the main stairwell then meeting her at her locker and handing her some article of clothing.

Tori pointed to the article of clothing in her older sister's hand and asked with outrage, "What are… is that a pair of my underwear?!"

Trina answered with a slight nod of her head then a quick sniffle after she finished, "Yeah. My allergies have been so bad today."

"What?!"

The older sister looked down at the underwear and explained, "Tissues make my nose red and sore and these…" she stabbed at them with her left pointer finger, "…are so soft." She blew her nose into them again.

Tori shouted in outrage, "You've been blowing your nose in my underwear?!"

Trina softly laughed, "Yeah, they're like a giant soft hanky."

"Giant?!" she shouted then folded her arms under her chest in disgust.

Robbie smiled with guitar in hand as he approached the girls from behind Trina and cheerfully greeted the pair, "Well, if it isn't the Vega girls."

Trina dryly commented as she leaned against the row of lockers and didn't even want to turn and face him, "Gross."

Tori gave him a friendly smile as she commented, "You're in a good mood."

"Yep… Because I finished the song I've been writing."

The brunette blew out a tired breath as she asked with slight disbelief, "Aw, is it another song about worms?"

"Not this time," he cheerfully answered.

Trina rolled her eyes and blew out a breath of disgust, "Hate this guy."

"This song's about a girl—" he started in a dreamlike tone and rested his shoulder against a locker.

Trina started, "Ugh, Robbie…" She turned to face him. "I've told you, I'm not interested in you."

Robbie quickly tried to explain, "Hey, I didn't mean you—"

The older Vega sister raised her hands and motioned towards the ventriloquist with them as she interrupted, "Listen. Ya know when sometimes girls say, 'I just like you as a friend'?"

"Yeah?"

She placed her hands together as if she was going to pray and answered, "I don't even like you that way." She turned and threw the used underwear to Tori then walked away in disgust.

The younger sister stuck her tongue out in disgust as she held her soggy underwear away with her fingertips.

Cat started shouting as she ran down the short hallway with the drink machines, "Free hugs! Who wants a free hug?"

She wrapped her arms around an underclassmen girl and hugged her tightly enough to lift her off of her feet and shouted, "I'm hugging you!" She let her go then dashed to Tori and wrapped her into a hug and started spinning her around with a high pitch scream.

"Ah… Oh, wow," Tori laughed as the redhead let go of her then turned her attention to Robbie to pull him into a hug and leapt off of her feet for a moment to hang on to the teenager.

"Someone's a happy Cat," Robbie commented as she took a step back.

Cat gleefully answered as she brushed some hair behind her left ear then played with the end of one of her red strains of hair, "Yeah, me!"

Tori smiled and eagerly asked, "Wait, is this because of that guy you met last night?"

The redhead eagerly nodded, "Uh-huh."

Robbie nervously asked as he stuffed his hands into his jean pockets, "Oh, you… you met a fella?"

"Yeah, his name is Evan…" She looked to Tori and eagerly continued, "Oh, and I invited him here tonight to watch Beck's movie."

Tori closed her locker and looked between her friends and motioned with her right pointer finger as she answered, "Oh yeah, the screening's tonight. I hear the movie came out pretty good."

Robbie eagerly pointed out, "I was the wig-master."

The girls gave him awkward looks then Tori turned and playfully asked her redheaded friend while wrapping her left arm around her shoulders and starting to lead her down the hall towards the main stairwell, "So what'd Evan do when you told him your blonde hair was really a wig?"

Cat stopped walking and asked as if she hadn't heard her friend correctly, "What?"

"_I say_… what'd Evan do when you told him your blonde hair was really a wig?"

Cat answered with a worried tone, "That did not come up."

Robbie stuck his hands in his pockets and cautiously asked, "You never told him you were wearing one of my wigs?"

She turned to face her taller friend and answered quietly, "I guess not."

"Or blue contacts?" Tori asked with a slightly worried tone and pointed towards her own eyes.

Cat turned to look at her other friend and whispered with a timid tone, "Also did not come up."

Tori asked in a tone that showed she couldn't believe what she was hearing from the redhead, "So, you spent like five hours with this guy and he still doesn't know what you really look like?"

The childlike teenager sucked in a breath then answered with a scared voice while turning to Robbie, "No… oh my God! What if he hates redheaded girls with brown eyes?"

Tori smiled and tried the reassure the shorter girl with a soft hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry, he won't."

Apparently that wasn't enough reassurance as Cat started to cry.

Robbie asked with a concerned voice as he reached to gently take her by the left elbow, "Are you crying?"

Cat turned to look to Robbie and smacked his hand away. "I can't help it," she answered through her first tears. She yanked the underwear out of Tori's hand as she finished, "I cry when I'm scared."

She blew her nose and wiped her eyes into Tori's underwear then pulled them away to look down at the garment in her hand and curiously asked, "What is this?"

Tori awkwardly answered, "Underwear."

Cat whined in disbelief as she held them out, "They're so big."

Tori yanked them out of the girl's hand and shouted, "You know what?!" She turned and stomped down the hallway in frustration in thinking she had a large behind.

Asphalt Café  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA

Tori, Cat and Robbie were sitting at another blue grated table than their usual one for lunch, but none of them had any food in front of them. Tori awkwardly smiled up at Jade and greeted the pale girl as she had a seat on the back side of the table and setting her red Pearbook down in front of her, "Hello."

Jade sarcastically replied as she began to open up her red shell PearBook, "What do you want?"

Tori pointed out the obvious, "You're the one that sat down here."

The pale actress finished opening the laptop and dryly commented, "Yeah, lucky you."

Cat whispered out, "I'm so upset."

Jade turned her head and asked Robbie with an accusing voice, "Did you try to play pirates with her? Do you not see how Dusty is right now? He's going to break you in half without a second thought if he finds out."

Robbie desperately answered with a hint of offense in his voice and found a momentary bit of courage to retort, "No, but he wouldn't be all 'Hulk Smash' right now if _you_ hadn't made Cat think you had shaved her head."

Jade clenched her jaw tight and glared at the boy so harshly that for a moment Robbie thought he might pee himself. He quickly looked down at the table to avoid the death glare.

Tori quickly spoke up to avoid a potential argument (or Jade committing great bodily harm to the ventriloquist) while wrapping her right arm over Cat's shoulders, "Cat is bugging because she and that guy Evan really hit it off last night, but he thinks she has blonde hair and blue eyes."

Jade took several calming breaths then looked to Cat with a furled brow as she asked in a disbelieving tone, "You never told him you were wearing a wig?"

The redhead played with the ends of her hair and asked with a worried tone, "I forgot, what if he hates redheaded girls?"

"He won't," Tori tired to reassure her with an upbeat tone.

"You're being silly," Robbie threw in his support for the actress' statement.

Jade asked while looking at her computer screen, "What's this boy's name?"

Cat continued to play with the end of her red hair as she answered, "Evan, I forget his last name. It rhymes with sniff."

Tori offered, "Could it be Smith?"

Cat excitedly answered, "That's it! God, it's been killing me."

Jade started typing as she asked, "Where does he go to school?"

"Briarwood," she answered and Jade immediately started typing on her keyboard.

"When he sees how I really look, he's going to be disappointed—"

Robbie grabbed a bottle of water sitting on the table and threw it to the side as he stood up. He shouted, "That does it! Caterina Valentine, I will not sit here anymore and listen to you talk bad about yourself. You are adorable and any guy would be lucky as cheese to go out with you."

Cat looked to with a somewhat dismissive tone (as much as possible for her), "Thanks Robbie, that's really sweet, but you don't know how guys think."

He mouthed in disbelief, "What?" then looked to Tori for support that wasn't there. He shouted in frustration, "Good day!" He grabbed his book bag and leapt off the blue bench seat.

Tori leaned over and asked the worried redhead, "Cheese is lucky?"

"YES!" Robbie shouted from the distance.

The brunette turned her attention to the darker brunette and asked while running her fingers to the ends of Cat's hair, "Jade, tell Cat that when this boy sees her pretty red hair tonight, he's going to like her even more?"

"Ahhhhh, can't do that."

"Why not?"

She looked up from the laptop's screen and answered, "I'm looking at Evan's SplashFace page and scrolling through pics of his ex-girlfriends. Blonde, blonde, blonde, whoa, ugly blonde, ah blonde, oh and his blue eye dog with blonde fur." She softly smirked as she finished, "I'm thinking Evan goes for blondes."

Cat sucked in a worried breath.

"Oh, that doesn't mean anything." Tori turned back to Jade, "What is his likes and dislikes?"

"Ah, likes… sushi, video games…" Jade looked up from the laptop and smiled at Tori as she finished, "Girls with blonde hair and blue eyes."

The redhead sucked in another worried breath.

Tori asked with a hint of worry in her voice, "Dislikes?"

"People who pretend to be something they're not."

"Oh no!" Cat started taking quick breaths and waving at her face as tears started rolling down her cheeks, "Can I have your underwear again?"

Tori reached into her book bag then handed Cat her underwear.

Jade gave them a confused expression as Cat started crying into the underwear.

Hollywood Arts High School  
Thursday, March 16, 2012

Jade and Freddie walked together, fingers laced with one another, down the main hallway towards the Black Box Theater a few minutes before it was to start. The brown eyed teenager loved seeing Jade in anything, but was not eager to see a comedic death scene. However, he kept his mouth shut about it and would give her a supportive smile whenever he'd glance her way since they left home.

As they approached the end of the hallway before their turn, Freddie recognized a familiar leather jacket and decided to call out, "Dusty?"

The Southern teenager turned and gave the couple a weary smile. "Hey."

Jade put up a casual expression while Freddie hesitantly asked as they stopped just in front of him, "Why are you here?"

Dusty had his hands stuffed in his pockets and shrugged a shoulder with a slight tilt of his head. "Oh I wanted to see the whole thing that got me force out of TheSlap."

Jade blinked in surprise while Freddie looked down uncomfortably as he had heard it from someone in his last period class. The dark brunette asked while her surprise slipped in her voice, "You what?"

He smirked to the tech-producer and explained, "It's either I post Pretty Boy's film up on the school's SplashFace or Helen would get rid of me and put someone else in charge to do it anyway, so I quit and told Beck to go fuck himself for willing to do such a thing to you."

"Why?" Jade asked in complete and utter disbelief. "Why would you quit over that? I told you—tried to tell you that I really didn't have that big a problem with it."

For the first time since the whole head shaving prank, Dusty gave her a soft smile and answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Because honor would…" He lost is smile and corrected himself, "…because you're my friend and that's reason enough."

Jade took in a sharp breath and closed her mouth tightly.

He put on a grin and motioned over his shoulder with a nod of his head. "Now, let's see if he pulled this film off without you for most of it?" He turned and started back on his way to the theater then shouted over his shoulder, "But I doubt it!"

Jade looked to Freddie with a lost expression and tried to form words, but didn't know what to say.

The tech-producer smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Let's just enjoy the film and we can figure out everything when we get home?"

She nodded her head then allowed him to lead her by the hand to the theater.

Black Box Theater  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Thursday, March 16, 2012

The theater was nearly filled with teenagers and a few adults; some of them were already taking their seats while others were mingling about as Beck took the slightly raised platform of the stage.

Beck held a microphone in hand as he smiled and greeted the gathered audience members. "Thank you for coming to see my semester project… a funny, short film called 'The Blonde Squad'."

By some coincidence the same three Northridge girls, blonde, redhead and brunette that had were there at Sinjin's game show when it was at the high school started clapping and shouting, "Yay! All right, Beck! We love you, Beck!"

Beck smirked and pointed to the girls as he rhetorically with a smooth tone asked, "Northridge right?"

The brunette Dusty had acknowledged was cute weeks ago at the rehearsal nodded her head eagerly as she answered, "Uh-huh."

He gave them a boyish smirk and acknowledged, "Yeah." He turned his attention back to the rest of the audience and continued, "Anyway… hang out, get some popcorn, we're gonna start…" He looked up and noticed that Sinjin controlling the projector was grabbing a handful of seeds what looked like a bag of seed like he was a bird.

Beck instructed the curly haired teenager with a hint of impatience, "Sinjin, please stop eating bird seed."

The techie snapped out in irritation, "Don't you think I would if I could?" then started shoving another handful of seeds into his mouth.

The 'fluffy' haired actor decided to go with the flow casually replied, "All right. Uh…"

André quickly jumped up on stage and took the microphone away from the actor and announced with a somewhat labored breath, "Real quick, real quick. I'm sure most of you have heard by now, I'm looking for a bird… name-a Larry. If ya happen to see him, please alert me by saying something like uh… 'Hey André… there's your bird'." He handed the microphone back to his friend and quickly went back to the audience to take his own seat.

Beck nodded along with a forced smile, "Thanks. Thanks for that," then waved to the audience as he left the stage.

* * *

The unlikely couple was able to catch up to the former webmaster and they enter the theater through the left curtained entrance to come upright behind Tori.

Jade dryly asked Tori as she let go of Freddie's hand and crossed her arms under her chest, "You've seen Cat's boy-toy yet?"

Dusty furled his brow and questioned Jade, "Cat's boy-toy?"

The pale dark brunette was about to answer, but Tori was quicker, apparently not hearing Dusty's question, "Yeah… Right over there."

The quartet looked over to see Evan in a red button up shirt in a seat and his back slightly turned to them as he spoke with a girl standing behind the row of his seats. Freddie and Dusty blinked at seeing him as he had a very similar build to Dusty and haircut, but slightly taller.

"Oh, so she's meeting him here?"

Dusty glanced to Jade and asked, "A little back-story Angel Girl for those of us not in the know?"

Jade looked to him, pleasantly surprised he was willing to talk to her even if it was still with a guarded tone. "She met up with him yesterday when we were at Nozu. She was heading to that bathroom and they started chatting… for five hours, but…"

"What?"

"She was wearing the wig and contacts and didn't tell him that she was wearing them, so he thinks she really has blonde hair and blue eyes and is afraid that if he finds out, he won't like her."

"What? He doesn't like redheads?" He softly rolled his eyes as he corrected himself, "Dyed redheads?"

"He likes girls with blonde hair and blue eyes… all his past girlfriends are blonde hair, blue eyes and a blonde furred dog."

"Sounds a little too Aryan to me," he answered with a worried frown as he stared at the back of the boy's head.

The pale girl shrugged her shoulders.

Freddie laughed, "You didn't tell me that he was built like Dusty. You don't think that might have a factor in her wanting this guy to like her?"

Dusty directed a slight frown towards his friend and Freddie awkwardly smiled in returned with a shrug of his shoulders.

Tori smiled and spoke up, "But none of it matters that he likes those kinds of girls because I guarantee you when he sees what she really looks like he's gonna be even more psyched—"

Jade interrupted in surprise when she saw Cat entered the theater through the back entrance wearing a blonde wig and a short pink dress, "Whoa whoa…"

Cat softly waved at Evan and whispered, "Hi."

He smiled up to her and motioned for her to have a seat next to him on his right, "Uh…"

Tori whined in defeat at seeing how Cat dressed, "No. Oh Cat."

Jade put on a worried expression as well at seeing that Cat couldn't be herself to the potential boyfriend.

Dusty wore a guarded expression as he looked on the sight with Freddie picking up a troubled feeling from the fellow L.A. immigrant's eyes.

Robbie started walking out from the side of stage with his wig-master belt around his waist.

Tori quickly approached him with an irritated expression with Dusty right on her heels. She quickly demanded from the curly haired teenager, "Hey, did you do that to Cat's head?!"

He sighed out, "I couldn't talk her out of it!"

Tori retorted in outrage, "You helped her?"

Robbie pointed to his belt with his left hand and answered, "Do you see this belt? I am a wig master; helping people with their wig needs is my duty."

Dusty grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close almost nose to nose. He gritted through his teeth in response, "And it's my duty as her ex-boyfriend to beat the chizz out of anyone that would hurt her. I put Pretty Boy down to the ground with a love tap and the others in between without breaking a sweat; what do you think I can do to you if I really cut loose?"

Tori grabbed Dusty's right arm and slightly pulled on it in what she knew was a futile effort if he really wanted to hurt Robbie (and hoping that since she was a girl, he wouldn't swing on her to get her to let go of him).

Dusty saw the outright fear in the younger teenager's eyes, but instead of hitting him, he gritted his teeth for a moment then let go of the curly haired teenager's collar and shoved him away.

Robbie swallowed nervously and brushed the front of this shirt down.

Cat held up an end of the blonde wig and asked the Briarwood student, "Here, sniff it."

He laughed softly as he decided to indulge her.

* * *

A few minutes later, everyone took their seat and the movie began playing:

Tori rushed inside along with Cat and Jade into the office and shouted while pointing to a wall safe where the door was blown open and hanging on by only one hinge, "There's been a burglary."

Jade shouted with a high pitched voice, "They could still be here."

Cat shouted, "Bananas!"

The audience immediately started laughing at Cat's line and Beck smiled relaxing against one of the support pillars and arms wrapped in front of him, relieved that they apparently liked it.

The trio pulled out individually held out bananas and pointed out away from one another in a style not to dissimilar to 'Charlie's Angels'.

Cat instructed with a serious tone, "Check the room."

Tori shouted out dramatically as she held her banana under her mouth with a pistol grip, "Under desk—clear!"

Cat went to a closet next to the desk and quickly opened it and checked it. She turned away from it and stated loudly, "Closet clear!"

Jade stood near the door and motioned out with her left hand as she stated in a continued high pitch satirical valley girl impression, "Middle of the room, this area from to like right around here… this whole section I'm indicating with my hand gestures clear!" She retook hold her banana with a pistol grip, however she was pointing the end towards her face.

As 'Tonnie' spoke, Sinjin continued to eat the bag of bird seeds and some dropped through his fingers and on top of Cat's wig.

Tori whined out and motioned with her left hand then rested it on her hip, "Tonnie, you're holding your banana backwards."

Suddenly the red bird landed on top of redhead's head as she was midway getting a piece of popcorn from the shared bag.

"Are you sure, because it was my understanding that—" The next sound was a loud bang then 'Tonnie' made dying grunting sound as she collapsed to the floor.

Freddie cringed from the sound and seeing her dropped to the floor. He didn't realize it, but he had squeezed Jade's hand and pulled her attention towards him. The disturbed look in Freddie's eyes sent a slight shiver down her spine on how disturbing the sight of her getting 'killed' in front of him even if it was just a for a comedic play could be for him and why he insisted on not filming one of her in the future. However before she could reassure him, André jumped out of his chair and shouted out, "Larry! Oh my word! Stop the film! Stop the film!"

The shouting from the songsmith and the flapping of Larry's wings caught Evan's attention and spoke in surprise, "Whoa."

André raised his hands and cautioned her, "Cat, don't move!"

However, the redhead ignored him and Cat stood up from her chair as the bird started widely flapping its wings. "I gotta go freshen up!" She dashed out of the back entrance with André right behind her desperately shouted, "No, no, Cousin Larry! Our Grandma needs ya'!"

Tori, Robbie, Freddie, Jade and Dusty were right behind them with Tori shouting, "André!"

Once they had exited the theater and made it several yards down the hall, Tori shouted, "Cat… Cat… Cat…"

André chased the bird down the hall shouting, "Larry! Larry!"

They quickly caught up with the wig covered redhead in the middle of the hallway just short of the main stairwell.

Cat turned to them and held her messed up wig on top of her head and desperately asked Robbie, "Please, fix it, Robbie? Fix my wig?!"

"Okay," Robbie answered with a tired breath and took a step forward.

Tori shouted and pointed her finger at the redhead, "No! This ends now."

"Tori…" Cat whined as she rung her hands in front of her.

Tori softly rested her hands on Cat's shoulders and responded with a kind and hopeful voice, "You are a beautiful girl, with a beautiful personality. Any guy would be insanely lucky to go out with you."

Freddie smiled to his redhead friend and agreed, "Tori's right on all those points and a few others she missed."

Robbie inserted, "Lucky as cheese."

Tori softly rolled her eyes then looked back to Cat and nearly begged, "Please… just tell Evan the truth. Show him the real you and I promise he'll think you're amazing."

The redhead glanced to Dusty and whispered, "Being the real me wasn't good enough for you… you didn't find me amazing."

Dusty clenched his jaw tightly and took a sharp breath through his nose.

Tori took in a soft breath and wore sad expression as she realized that she probably had just lost her argument in wanting Cat to be happy being herself. Freddie clamped his mouth shut while Jade put on a sympathetic expression, but a look of surprise was mixed in with both their respective expressions as neither had ever heard Cat openly talk about her past relationship with Dusty.

Dusty licked his bottom lip and let out the soft breath. He looked to her and whispered, "But you were never real to me… you wouldn't show me the real you. We all have our secrets… I know I have mine and I wasn't expecting you to lay all your cards out on the table, especially after only a week, but… you wouldn't even hint that you might one day show me the real you… that you would drop…" He motioned up and down in front of her a pointed out, "…this act at least with me."

Cat took in a surprise breath as she stared back at her ex-boyfriend.

Tori's brow furled as she questioned, "Act?"

He spared her quick glance to the lovely actress and explained in a patient voice, "Some of her innocent behavior is real, but most of it's an act. She's a lot more insightful and intelligent and understands things than she lets on. Just watch some of her Slap videos; her mask slips in a few of them… especially in tweeting with Cat when someone asked her what she likes in a guy… that was a big glimpse."

Robbie frowned as he didn't look convinced. Tori remained silent as she didn't know how to respond to his statement.

The Carolinian looked back to the redhead and gently took Cat's hands and continued with a soft voice, "I don't know why you retreated this far into this persona you put up over the last year. I don't know if it was your way of coping with your brother's deteriorating condition or something happened to you at Thompson's party last spring to really start up going this far with an act or you just can't deal with how ugly the universe really is along with its beauty, but please… if you are going to make _any_ relationship work… you got to be honest with the guy and show him the real you… _the real you_."

The others remained quiet as the former couple looked to one another. Tori was still at a lost as to what she could say as this had went far beyond just Cat's deception for Evan. Freddie and Jade gave him sympathetic expressions to both their friends at what was clearly something that had been put off far too long in addressing between them: what exactly did the pair mean to one another and why they weren't together and could they ever try again.

Cat looked back to him with a lost expression and softly bit her bottom lip then whispered, "Soapy… I… I…" She shook her head and looked down at the floor unable to look at his soft brown eyes.

Dusty took a slow breath then let it out with his shoulders slumping as he cast his eyes down to avoid looking at her.

The others held their breaths waiting for either to make a move and it didn't take even another moment before Dusty lifted his head and commented in a forced conversational tone, "It's been a long day for me… so _I'm done_. I think I'll skip the rest of the movie. Good luck Caterina… I hope this works out for you." He quickly walked around the wig wearing redhead and headed out towards the exit down the hall.

The redhead quickly turned and wore a look of shock as she watched him leave.

The others remained quiet as none of them knew what to say at witnessing something significant and deeply personal between their friends. However, one of them had enough wits about them to do something: Jade immediately started after Dusty.

Freddie remained silent as he didn't question his girlfriend's choice then spared a glance to Robbie to see how he was reacting. The wig-master still looked dumbfounded and Freddie guessed that he may have not understood the significance of what just happened for him with his less than discrete liking to the redhead.

Evan approached from behind the group and started with light concern lacing his voice, "Excuse me… have you seen a blonde girl, she's—" He stopped when they all turned to face him, but he caught sight of Cat with her disheveled wig and she turned around to face him. There were a few tears running between her cheeks and nose.

Tori and Freddie's hearts broke at seeing that their friend was finally dealing with the ramifications of her relationship with Dusty.

"Cat?"

She reached up and pulled off the wig from the top of her head. She whispered out with clear uncertainty in her voice, "I guess."

"A wig?"

"And the blue eyes were fake; they were for Beck's movie. This is me…" Cat finished with a tone that made Tori and Freddie wonder if the girl was questioning herself.

Evan smiled and happily replied, "Well… you're beautiful."

"I am?" she answered with hope in her voice.

"Totally…" He shrugged his shoulders and casually finished, "But I'm really into blondes. Later." He started walking passed them and Cat dropped her mouth in shock then quickly closed it. The others looked on with equal surprise, but no one knew what to say at his offhand rejection of Cat.

Black Box Theater  
Hollywood Arts High School

The theater was cleared of people (but strung with a mess they didn't bother cleaning up of discarded popcorn bags and cardboard soda cups) other than Cat sitting in a seat on the front row with her purple stuffed giraffe (Mister Purples) in her lap and Tori and Freddie turned to look at her, one on each side of her. The brunette whispered out with regret, "Aw Cat… I feel like I've done something terrible to you."

Freddie spoke up softly to disagree, "No… you didn't."

Both girls turned their attention to her with questioning expressions playing on each of their faces.

He quickly continued and focused on Cat, "No, you had to be honest with him… no relationship can work on a lie and that's what you were trying to do: lie your way into starting a relationship with him. We weren't going to interfere with what you were doing, but that doesn't mean we have to be sad or feel guilty that it failed because we know it would have just hurt you more in the long run. If you would have been able to fool him at first, you couldn't have kept it up and then you'd be hurting more. We all love you too much for that to happen."

Cat looked away from Freddie and held her stuff animal close to her chest. After a few moments Cat spoke up with a whisper, "Can I just be alone now?"

The brown haired friends looked to each other in concern from her request then Freddie suggested, "Are you sure I can't give you a ride home?"

The red velvet haired teenager shook her head. "No… my brother's picking me up."

Freddie swallowed down his nervousness then looked back up to meet Tori's fearful eyes. He tried one more time, "I'm not sure that is the best idea."

She looked back up to him with a sad expression and asked, "Please?"

The brown eyed teenager let out a soft breath and gave a regretful nod of his head. She may have not felt like it, but Freddie leaned over and wrapped his arms around her for a hug with Tori soon following into a group hug. Cat sniffled and closed her eyes tight as she tired to stop herself from crying as she may have felt miserable, she couldn't deny the love she felt from her friends.

The pair soon released the girl (with Freddie leaving a soft kiss on her temple) and saying their respective goodbyes and instructing her to call either of them if she needed them. She placated them with a nod of her head then the pair stood up to head out with Freddie leading Tori out by the arm.

Once Cat was alone, Robbie timidly walked from behind the pulled curtain to the left of the stage with holding his guitar by the end of the neck. He whispered out with a hint of fear, "Hey."

"Hi."

"I think that Evan guy is really dumb for not seeing how great you are… and Dusty for letting you go."

The redhead remained silent and looked downcast to the floor.

Robbie hopefully asked, "You wanna hear the new song I've been working on?"

Cat slightly shrugged a shoulder and whispered out hesitantly, "I don't know if I'm in the mood to listen."

"Please?"

She whispered out nearly breathlessly, "Okay."

The ventriloquist started drumming on his guitar and started his song, "I think you're swell…"

He went on for over a minute comparing what they were to each other including: she was the peanuts to his butter, dental floss to his teeth, she's New York and he's the buildings, and how he was Captain Kirk to her Picard. He also told her how much he loved her such as more than the original Star Wars trilogy and a Cops marathon on TV.

When he got to the part about how if she got hungry he would make her spaghetti, she interrupted him with a raised hand while he took Tori's seat, "Would there be meatballs?"

He smiled and nodded his head. "There would."

He finished sing he last line with a soft drum on his guitar, "And I think you're swell… I think you're swell… And I think you're swell…"

Cat smiled to him then a thought occurred to her, "Hey!"

Robbie looked up to her with a hopeful expression.

Cat softly rested a hand on Robbie's right arm and whispered, "What if I just dye my hair blonde?"

Robbie shook his head.

Asphalt Café

Hollywood Arts High School

Los Angeles, CA

Dusty sat on the table with his feet resting on one of the rounded divided seats of the table and forearms resting on his knees while looking up at the sky.

Jade cautiously approached the table then walked around to stand in front of him. Her hands cupped a plastic soda bottle and offered it to him with a whisper, "I got you a Peppy Cola… born in the Carolinas… a little piece of home?"

He looked down from staring at the sky to give the dark brunette a curious expression. He looked to the bottle then instinctively took it which brought a soft smile to Jade's lips. "Where in the world did you get this? You certainly didn't get it here."

She turned slightly to her right and pointed behind her to a Peppy Cola delivery man closing up his delivery truck several yards away. "He was the one that delivered the drinks for the screening and I was going to buy one off of him, but he just gave it to me."

Dusty looked around her to see the delivery driver that bore a striking resemblance to the delivery man in the Peppy Max commercials. The delivery driver smiled and tugged at the bill of his hat to Dusty then headed to the driver's side door.

Dusty snorted out a chuckle then shook his head. He gave the driver a quick wave of his hand then quickly twisted the top off the bottle then took a sip of the soft drink.

Jade's brow knotted and asked with uncertainty lacing her voice, "What's so funny?"

The lean teenager slightly bowed his head and answered softly, "Nothing."

The pale girl accepted the answer then ran her hands down the back of her skirt so she could have a seat next to him. "Which Carolina are you from?"

Dusty put on a sad smirk. "You mean there's more than one?"

Jade snorted out a breath and shook her head as a soft smile formed on her face.

The Southern teenager looked back up at the sky while Jade looked to him with a sympathetic expression.

She whispered, "I'm sorry."

He casually retorted, "I'm not the one you owe an apology."

"I wasn't talking about…" She took a breath then tried again, "…but I'm sorry I hurt you too with doing that to her. I didn't think how it would affect her… or you knowing how much you care about her even after all you've done for me. I just wanted to get her back and I didn't think."

He averted his eyes to the ground then took a swig from his drink. He continued to avoid her eyes as he whispered, "I've been in a real knife fight Jade, up close and personal… and that blade hurt less than the blade you figuratively put in me. At least in the fight I could see the blade coming, but…" He whistled then slightly shook and remarked, "I didn't see that coming…"

She looked away from him and towards the ground and truly started understanding how Carly could have felt after New Years with how Freddie felt about her. She realized that she would have to talk to Carly again at some point in the future, but that would have to wait.

She looked back to him and rested her right hand on his upper arm as she finished, "I really am sorry Dusty and I'm sorry you lost TheSlap… I'm sorry your heart's broken."

He took a sharp breath, but before he could respond, Jade continued with a whisper, "I always wanted decent friends that I could count on… I've been so disappointed and bitter about not having them most my life, it's been hard to recognize when it finally happened and I got them… all of you there when I needed you the most and the other times you've stood by me… even to the point of costing you something dear. I failed to realize that if I want that and to keep it then I need to be that decent friend that they can be counted on too… so I'm sorry for everything and I'm here if you need me."

She dropped her hand away from his arm as he remained silent. He took another sip from his drink then looked up at the sky in a vain attempt to see the stars. She swallowed nervously and looked up to the sky with him unsure what else to do than to sit with him.

The next few moments she felt touch on the top of her hand then a gentle squeeze. She looked down to see his left hand resting on her right one then looked to him as he was offering her a sip of his drink. She gave him a soft smile and took the bottle from him with her left hand even if he couldn't see the smile as he continued to look up at the sky.

She took a sip of the drink then rested it on her knee as she joined him in looking back up at the starless sky.

Author's Note: I hope you liked that interpretation of the episode and some characters. I will be honest, even I couldn't fix that somehow Beck finished the film when the girls never came back and shot more (since Cat stayed so long with Evan) and they could never catch Larry. I'm disappointed that I couldn't find a way to fix it, so just go with it.

Hope to see you all in the next update.

Special Guest Appearance by Richard Speight Jr. as the Peppy Cola Delivery Man


	20. Chapter 20: The Hambone King Part 1

Hello my dear readers. Happy Valentine's Day for the next three or so hours within the continental United States. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Fingers crossed that I have another surprise for later tonight or late tomorrow.

For the reviews of the last chapter, I can't thank you enough and I believe I got to everyone's except for Layla's, but let me know if I didn't address your points.

I would like to address an overall point: once again I used a _secondary_ character to advance the plot and character development of some primary characters, i.e. Jade and Cat.

Layla: I just picked a small town where one of his relatives lives or lived, it's up in the air if she moved. Mary is just a very common name, that's all (people will probably start mentally throwing things at me on who I have in mind with casting for her). I found out recently that it was my great-grandmother's name… and my great-grandfather's name was John… anyway… also, everyone knows who the Pepsi Max guy is, so I used him for the parody. Don't read too much into it and ignore the fact that apparently they knew each other, please?

About the 'other story', some things that butterfly are not dependent on Freddie and Jade's actions. Of course the primary focus of this story is Jade and Freddie.

Okay, on to more happy reading.

Rating: T Language, Violence and the employment of common sense within the story.

* * *

Chapter 20: The Hambone King Part 1

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Robbie was standing on the center landing of the main stairwell as he was telling a story in front of a number of fellow students standing on the various steps and in the hallway. The fact that they seemed quite enthralled with his story drew André and Beck's attention as they were standing together near the musician's locker, but were too far away to hear their curly haired friend speak. André commented with a soft smirk while holding a bag of sunflower seeds, "Mm… man, Robbie is loving all that attention."

Beck softly laughed, "I know, right?"

André laughed as he looked to his friend, "I bet he does his signature 'flirt' move."

The actor slightly knotted his brow as he questioned, "Flirt move?"

André motioned out with his hands while answering, "Yeah, you know, the giggle chin."

The handsome actor gave him a lost look to show he wasn't familiar about to what he was referring.

The songsmith casually explained, "It's where he giggles and then he puts his fist up to his chin."

Beck slightly raised his brow as he retorted, "I don't think I've ever seen Robbie do any..."

Robbie let out a laugh to his audience and raised his right arm to rest his chin on his fist.

André laughed out in approval, "All right," while Beck joined him, "Ah. Yes."

The pair started clapping in approval with André commenting, "Well played," followed by Beck, "Giggle chin."

Beck noticed the bag of sunflower seeds in the songsmith's hand and grabbed them. "Ooh, sunflower seeds."

André looked on in surprised and muttered with a hint of annoyance, "I guess I'm sharing today."

Tori walked from behind and around the pair to stand to André's right. She put on a confused expression and pointed up to Robbie as he continued to entertain, "Hey, why are all those kids paying attention to Robbie?"

Beck casually answered, "They love the video he posted on The Slap."

"What video did he post on the—"

"Hi!" Cat's happy voice called out from behind them.

The trio turned to see the redhead wearing a royal blue cardigan and baby blue skirt. She laughed out as she tap-danced, "Don't worry; there's nothing wrong with me. I'm doing this on purpose." She danced for a few moments then finished with a cheerful laugh and throwing her hands out, "To-do!"

Tori gently corrected, "It's 'ta-da'."

She shouted in return, "Ta-da!"

Beck folded his arms over his chest and curiously asked, "Why are you tap-dancing?"

"Because I'm auditioning for a new musical, and I have to tap-dance."

The actor answered with a look of enlightenment, "Oh."

Cat pointed past them towards Robbie and spoke up in a louder voice, "Hey, people are talking to Robbie, that's so weird."

The songsmith explained, "Yeah, they're all excited about his video on TheSlap."

Tori threw down her hands as she eagerly asked, "What is this video?"

Beck motioned to his friend and suggested, "Show her."

"All right..." he answered as he pulled his book off of his shoulders while Beck stole his bag of sunflower seeds.

Robbie laughed to his audience as he switched hands to rest his chin on his other fist, "And I can also do it with this fist..."

As André brought up TheSlap website on his green mark two PearPad, he asked, "Uh. What'd he call the video again?"

"The Hambone King," the school's heartthrob answered as he lifted his eyes off the back of the sunflower bag.

Tori questioned with a slight tenor of nervousness in her voice, "Hambone? Did you say 'The Hambone King'?"

André softly laughed, "Yeah, wait 'til you see this."

The redhead curiously asked while standing next to the songsmith, "What's hambone mean?"

Tori nervously laughed, "Who cares?"

The musician paused for a moment and gave her a hint of a questioning expression, but remained silent as he turned the pad to Cat. "Look..."

Tori cleared her throat as she joined the pair at looking at the video, "Um... Ahem."

They watched their friend seated in the Black Box Theater and started slapping himself in various places on his thighs and chest.

Cat softly laughed as she held on her André's left arm, "That's so fun!"

"Yeah, must take a lotta practice."

Beck pointed out with a clear tone of dismissiveness as he held some sunflower seeds in his left hand, "Well, what else is Robbie gonna do?"

The bell signaled throughout the school and the brunette nervously laughed, "I uh... I gotta get to Sikowitz's class." She turned and started walking away as Cat called out, "We don't have Sikowitz today. He's sick!"

The brunette called out in frustration as she climbed the stairs, "It's a different Sikowitz!"

André thumbed over to the retreating form of his friend, "What's her deal?"

Beck distractingly answered while he looked at the sunflower bag again, "Not sure. Ya know my problem with these sunflower seeds?"

André flippantly remarked, "So, first you're gonna steal my seeds and now you're gonna criticize?"

Beck shrugged a shoulder and answered with a nonchalant tone, "Yes. It's too much trouble to open'em."

Cat happily called out as she took the bag from him, "I'll open 'em!" She took the bag out of Beck's hands and sprinkled the contents on the floor then started tap-dancing on them.

Beck started while the girl tap-danced, "Um, Cat..."

"What?"

André answered with a patient tone, "Baby... nobody wants to eat sunflower seeds that have been tap danced on the floor."

Sinjin happily called out from behind the redhead, "Ooh! Pre-cracked sunflower seeds. Don't mind if I do." Cat turned to see him and walk to stand between her friends as the curly haired teenager dropped down to his knees and started pecking down on the ground at the seeds.

André shook his head and commented with a bit of disgust in his voice as he still hadn't got a chance to deal with him for kicking Tori, "This man is nuts."

Tori Vega: Sushi with Cat and Robbie. P.S. Robbie is asking stupid questions :o FEELING: Sushified o_0

Nozu  
Los Angeles, CA  
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Cat, Robbie and Tori sat at the bar with their backs towards the entrance of the establishment as they enjoyed their early dinner. The glasses wearing teenager was quite energetic as he looked back and forth between Tori on his left and Cat on his right, "Okay, so tell me... how do girls put on skirts? Do you do it one leg at a time, like pants? Or do you just jump right in?"

Tori answered with a smile and a hint of a laugh, "One leg at a time."

Cat quickly answered before taking a noodle in her mouth, "I jump right in!"

Mrs. Lee approach with a bright smile and greeted him with a respectful tone as she placed a pink bowl in front of him, "Excuse me, Robbie Shapiro."

"Yes?"

"This is for you. It's a special Tempura ice cream dessert, just for Robbie. It's free."

He picked up the bowl and brought it to his lap.

Tori smiled as she eagerly asked, "Ooh, can I have one?"

"No," she responded with a curt tone.

Tori put on a face of embarrassment as if she really was a child being scolded, but suddenly felt a spike of anger and retorted, "I thought you let that go. Did you lie to Freddie?"

Mrs. Lee's eyes shot opened for a moment and took a sharp breath.

Robbie refrained from commenting at the short exchange as he tried the dessert then curiously questioned, "So good, but why the free dessert?"

Mrs. Lee took a calming breath and put back on her cheerful disposition to answer, "Because you are 'The Hambone King'."

The ventriloquist asked with a hint of smugness in his voice, "Oh, you saw my video?"

Mrs. Lee happily answered, "Yes, on TheSlap dot com. You Hambone like a champion."

He smirked as he waved her off, "Aw."

The restaurant owner turned to look over her right shoulder to see her heavyset waiter/food preparer looking around the corner of the enclave to the back exit. She waved him over and hissed out, "Kwakoo, don't be shy. Come over here."

After a moment of hesitation, he trotted over to slip behind the bar, but hid behind his boss. She instructed with an exasperated tone, "Kwakoo, just ask him."

He walked around her and handed out a pad in front of Robbie and nervously asked, "Mister Hambone King...?"

"Oh," Tori moaned out and bowed her head to place her fingertips between her eyebrows.

The waiter eagerly asked, "May I have your autograph?"

Cat softly laughed, "That's so cute."

Robbie smiled as he happily took the pad. "Sure ya can, Kwakoo." He quickly signed it and handed it back to him, "Here you go."

Kwakoo quickly took the pad and dashed away while Mrs. Lee turned to look at Robbie. "Bye bye... Hambone King." She softly slapped him on his left cheek then turned away.

Robbie put on a confused expression as he looked to Cat to see if she had any clue as to what just happened.

Tori took a quick sip from her drink then got up from her seat, "I'm gonna go to the restroom," then took off without waiting for a comment.

Robbie shrugged a shoulder as curiously asked, "Hm, I wonder why it's called a restroom."

Cat quickly agreed, "Yeah. It's not like people take naps on toilets."

The ventriloquist reluctantly admitted, "My grandma does."

Cat raised a hand, "My brother use to! Up top!"

The pair gave each other a high five.

* * *

Dusty blew out his breath as he entered the restaurant with Jade by his side. He mumbled out with a hint of irritation, "Why am I here again?"

"Because you need to get out instead of being stuck up in your room since you don't…" She cleared her throat and licked her lips before finishing with a hesitant tone, "Since you don't have TheSlap to take up your time and I don't want you to mope."

Dusty gave her a sharp look and corrected, "I do not mope… brood, but I don't mope and I was not brooding and TheSlap was not the be all and end all of my life."

Jade had her arms crossed under her chest and returned the stare as she contemplated if he was telling her the truth.

The potential stare off was averted as Dusty noticed that Robbie and Cat were sitting at the bar with an empty third spot next to Robbie's left. He slightly frowned and asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice, "Is that the real reason or did you just BS me?"

Jade knotted her brow as she looked to him for a moment then turned to see the pair sitting at the bar. She took in a sharp breath then quickly whispered, "I did _not_ know they were going to be here."

He spared her another glance and was about to speak when the pair turned in their stools and looked to their opposite pair. Cat and Dusty immediately locked their eyes. Robbie apparently had enough sense to remain quiet or he was just terrified of the look Jade was giving him to remain quiet.

Dusty was the first to speak with a cautious tone, "Hi."

Cat put on a small smile and responded with a nervous tone, "Hi."

The former couple looked at each for a few moments with Jade and Robbie remaining silent as well as they looked back and forth between the pair.

Dusty was the first break the silent with a soft tone, "Well…" He thumbed over to his left shoulder and commented, "I'm going to go eat with Jade. I'm treating her to some dinner."

Cat's mouth slightly parted and paused for a moment before she whispered out softly, "'kay, 'kay."

Dusty turned and walked up the steps of the platform situated in the corner of the restaurant.

Jade looked between Robbie and Cat and was unsure how to respond but a allowing a lost expression to form on her face for a brief moment before she turned to follow up the former webmaster.

He picked the free round table then draped his leather jacket over the backrest of the seat he picked where his back would be to the wall. The table had three seats around it positioned as corners for an equilateral triangle and Jade took a seat at Dusty's left hand corner.

The Southern teenager picked up the one menu laying on the surface and began scanning over the options.

Jade watched him for a moment and gave him a sympathetic expression as she commented softly, "You just can't avoid her."

Dusty looked up from his menu with a slight frown and narrowed his eyes as he met her concerned blue eyes. "I'm not avoiding her. I said hi. I gave her a polite greeting. What more do you want me to do?"

"You haven't talked to her in nearly a week."

"More like five days, so?"

"So? Just so? That's what you have to say?"

He sat the menu down on the table and shrugged his right shoulder. "We don't share any classes, we're not involved in the same productions and I'm not in your clique of friends, so we don't really have a reason to interact on a regular basis unless we specifically plan for it. If my life hadn't intersected with Freddie's and yours because you needed your films posted, Cat and I probably wouldn't have interacted at all after we broke up. I would just be a background shrugger that doesn't shrug. I'm just going about my life. I'm not avoiding her, but I'm not going to go out of my way to see her. That sounds stalkerish."

The burgundy streaked hair (which matched her top) girl slightly frowned as she couldn't really argue against those points and nothing came up for them to hang out until she nearly dragged him to go out. She realized that they really never just hung out either, but only interacted when something unexpected came up or they needed him for something. She slightly frowned at the realization that they mostly used him than really being a friend. She sat that thought aside for a moment as she picked up the menu he had sat down and glanced over the selections. She idly picked up some chopsticks between her fingers of her right hand while scanning the menu. After a few moments she asked, "Do you want to split a soup?"

Dusty focused his eyes on her and answered with a borderline flippant tone, "You know I don't split a check with a lady."

She let a soft smirk formed on her lips at him still considering her a lady. "No, I meant get one to share."

He shrugged a shoulder as he casually answered, "It's about the only thing I'll eat here, but if you want a soup, get a soup. You don't have to penny pinch because I'm paying."

She gave him a playful smirk as she intended to get a big one for them and 'penny pinch' as he put it.

Jade turned back to the menu, but they didn't get a chance to order as a blonde headed male teenager called out while walking into Nozu with a slightly shorter curly haired teenager, "Hey, Robbie Shapiro?"

Robbie turned on his stool and gave a pair a curious expression. "Yeah?"

The longer haired with curls teenager picked up the dessert out of the bowl and tossed it over his left. The dessert splattered on the wall, just missing Dusty's head.

The Southern teenager turned sharply and swore out with a confused expression, "What the Heaven?" He looked over to the potential confrontation between Robbie and two teenagers. He instantly frowned as he saw that Cat could quickly get caught in the middle of whatever mess Robbie had found himself. Jade wore a concerned expression as she looked back and forth between Dusty and the potential commotion besides her concern for Cat.

The glasses wearing teenager shouted out in outrage, "That, that's my dessert."

The blonde teenager snarled out, "Now your dessert's on the wall."

Robbie looked to him in shock and sputtered out, "What's that for?"

The slightly taller teenager snapped back, "'Cause you're a liar. You're calling yourself the hambone king, He's the hambone king."

His companion agreed with a cocky tone, "Me."

"Him."

"Not you."

"Him."

Cat innocently asked, "Haven't you guys seen Robbie's hambone video?"

The blonde teenager answered with a harsh tone, "Yeah, we've seen it."

The other curly haired teenager replied with a disgusted filled tone, "Made me sick."

His friend quickly added, "Jerold could hambone better than you when he was nine years old."

Robbie curiously asked, "Wait… who's Jerold?"

The longer haired teenager snapped, "I am!"

His friend readily agreed, "He is."

At that moment, Tori stepped out from the back of the restaurant after finishing using the restroom and stopped, frozen in place at seeing the teenagers standing in front of Robbie and Cat.

Robbie nervously laughed out, "Listen, fellas… I… I don't want any trouble."

The slightly heavier teenager retorted, "Well, you got it."

"Outside, you and me."

Robbie nervously snorted out, "I'm not goanna go out into the night with the two of you."

The blonde snarled out in disgust, "Then I guess you need to be convinced."

Tori hid her face by stealing a tray from two patrons at the bar and darted behind the two teenagers, hoping not to be noticed as Jerold nodded his head to his friend and commented with a smug tone, "Give this girl a tornado."

Cat asked with childlike tone, "What's a tornado?"

The blonde boy stepped up to Cat's face and pursed his lips to blow breath right in her face for several moments.

Cat blinked and shook her head then shouted in surprise, "Ewwww, that was so weird!"

Robbie jumped up from his seat and shouted, "First off she's not my girl." He turned and looked to her with a hopeful expression, "Unless you wanna be?"

Cat looked up at him with a lost expression and whispered, "No, I'm good."

Jerold impatiently stated, "You better come outside… or else he's gonna give her another one."

Robbie looked to Cat one more time and saw her innocent look towards him. He blew out a breath and motioned out toward the back exit of the restaurant, "Let's take this outside." He turned and led the pair around the bar towards the exit while a number of other patrons noticed and started to follow him out.

Cat immediately jumped up from her seat and headed to Jade and Dusty.

"Jade, Soapy! Robbie went outside alone with those two boys..."

The pale teenager looked wide eye in concern to Dusty to see how he would react to the obvious request for help.

Cat whispered out with a pitiful expression, "Dusty…"

His answer surprised them both, "Finally, one of them is manning up." He got out of his seat and quickly pulled on his jacket as he walked around the table and jumped off the slight rise. Jade took Cat by the hand and quickly followed behind him as he dashed to catch up with the rest of the patrons.

Dusty heard the chanting, "Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight..." just as he made it to the threshold of the exit. "Shit," he swore under his breath thinking that he was already too late and the pair had jumped the ventriloquist.

Once he was outside, he glimpsed only for a moment that the patrons were standing off to Robbie's left near the wall to give them space to fight. Robbie looked nervous and apprehensive in facing the pair with his fists lazily held up, but oddly enough they looked nervous too with the blonde passing an anxious glance to the others shouting for them to get the fighting going while trying to look as if he was cool about the situation.

Dusty thanked the Lord that Robbie wasn't already a mess on the ground (and that Robbie hadn't suddenly gone all King David on them and missed him whooping them) and took the opportunity to jump in before they could go at Robbie.

The Southern teenager charged the blonde one immediately with his right fist colliding with the heavier boy's face. The blonde teenager jerked his head from the impact and sending him spinning and towards the back wall.

Fortunately for him, his face missed the metal grated window and the potential for a face full of glass from a broken window. Unfortunately, the teenager sitting on the brink guardrail to the door dodged out of the way, so the blonde he went face first into the brick wall then bouncing off to lie sprawling on his back with blood pouring from his nose.

He twitched on the ground but there was no indication that he was going to get up on his own anytime soon without someone's help.

Jerold sucked in a breath at seeing that his friend go down so easily and started stepping away.

The Southern teenager turned to him and raised his arms up ready to start swinging. He growled out, "Come on!"

Jerold threw up his hands in surrender as he took a few steps backwards. "I don't want to fight."

Dusty dropped his fists and gave him a hard glare as snorted out dismissively, "No shit—you wanted to beat him down. Sorry, but that's not happening. Either put your hands up for a fight or pick your bitch up and get out of here before they have to carry both of you away."

Jerold quickly shook his head and nervously stated, "No, I just… I just wanted a hambone off with him to show him that I'm the king."

The lean teenager's brow knotted up. "What?"

"Hamboning. It's—"

Dusty cut him off, "I know what hamboning is, but why is a Jew and a white guy arguing over it?"

The question drew some curious looks from the surrounding teenagers, but the serious look on Dusty's face mean that they were not going to question it.

The longer curly haired teenager swallowed down his embarrassment then rallied his courage and shouted, "I'm a national champion… the real hambone king and he's a liar."

The former Carolinian crossed his arms over his chest and patiently question, "So you're here to defend your title?"

"Yeah, that's right," Jerold answered with a little relief as it looked like for a moment he wasn't going to be joining his friend on the ground.

Dusty cocked his head slightly to the side as he continued with a slight distaste to his voice, "So instead of being a man and honorably challenging him, you act like a dick, have your bitch spit in her face then threaten to do it again if he didn't come out here while making it look like you were going to beat him down?"

Jerold cleared his throat and admit cautiously admitted, "Yeah."

The lean teenager nodded along for a moment then whispered dismissively, "Wow… you're pretty pathetic aren't you?"

The question drew a few laughs from the other teenagers and Jerold looked down in embarrassment just as the blonde groggily called out as he tried to pick himself up, "Hambone off!" He wasn't entirely successful as Jerold had to help his friend to his feet.

He noticed the blood dripping down past his nose and onto his shirt. He wiped the blood from under his nose and muttered out as he was still trying to get his senses back, "What hit me?"

Dusty hissed out with a cold stare, "I did."

The blonde cleared his throat and looked on in fear of the other teenager.

Jerold looked to Robbie and near demanded with his question, "So, are we going to hambone? Let me show who the real king is?" Apparently Jerold believed that he could still salvage the situation if he could beat the ventriloquist.

Cat piped up, "My third grade teacher's name was Mister Bonoff… he died."

Robbie took a breath and thought for a moment on whether or not to accept the challenge. He glanced to the eager faces of the surrounding patron then made his decision by snapping his fingers to the pale teenager and thumbing behind his left shoulder, "Jade... bring me that crate."

The crowed let out a cheer that they were going to watch a match.

Dusty looked to the ventriloquist with a mixed look of disbelief and disapproval, "You did not just snap your fingers at her?"

Robbie cleared his throat and looked down embarrassingly. He turned to get his own crate. He took a seat on it and asked his friends, "Where's Tori?"

Cat offered, "Maybe she's in the restroom napping."

The blonde reached into his sleeveless denim jacket pocket and pulled out a coin as called out, "All right! Standard international Hambone rules apply."

Dusty questioned with a detached voice, "Is the US a signatory to those rules?"

The blonde looked to him in with a confused expression.

Dusty asked slowly, "Did the US organization for hamboning agree to those rules?"

"Yes."

"Just checking."

The blonde had to press the back of his right hand to under his nose as he was still bleeding a little as he tried to ignore the pain in his cheek and nose. The way it was hurting, he wondered if it was broken. He flipped the coin in the air and shouted, "Call it."

Robbie called out, "Quarter."

"Yeah, we know it's a quarter!"

Jerold called out impatiently, "Heads or tails?!"

Robbie shouted in outrage, "Who can tell? It was flipping through the air so fast!"

Dusty blew out an impatient breath as he answered, "He calls heads."

Cat quickly agreed, "Yay, heads!"

Jerold's assistant lifted his hand to look at the coin, but in such a way to shield it from the view of the others. "It's tails. I go first."

Dusty quietly demanded, "Let me see the coin."

The blonde questioned, "What?"

Dusty narrowed his eyes on the heavier teenager and whispered, "Lift you hand up so I can see the results."

He hesitantly lifted his hand and showed that the coin had landed on heads.

"So you're liars as well?"

They remained silent as the crowd shouted and hissed in outrage.

Dusty snorted out dismissively, "Wouldn't that disqualify you right off the bat under your 'international rules'?"

The pair looked embarrassed as the others laughed at them. They were obviously losing the crowd.

The former webmaster laughed out, "Shapiro goes first."

Jade pulled out her red PearPhone to record the event as the blonde somehow produced a red stool for Jerold to sit on across from Robbie and took his jacket off for his 'king'.

The blonde reluctantly announced as Robbie would get to start instead of his champion, "Ready... Hambone!"

Robbie started his routine of slapping himself while Jade recorded him.

The king and his one man entourage were not impressed at all at the opening hamboneing. Jerold started his routine of various slaps at a much quicker pace and complex pattern than Robbie with the crowd cheering him, "Woo! All right. Yeah!"

The champion finished and Robbie started another routine. Cat cheered him on, "Come on Robbie!"

The ventriloquist finished another routine with a smile plastered on his face. They routine was not as tight or as coordinated as the champion's routine, but apparently enough to impress the crowd.

Jerold started again with a tighter and sharper routine that looked as if it was planned versus Robbie's haphazard approach. The blonde shouted, "Come on Jerold, you can take him."

The crowd shouted their encouragement to the champion along with his assistant, "Yeah, yeah, come on... Woo! Whoa!" He finished with a confident smile and a sharp ending with a complicated slapping with crossed arms.

Robbie started one more time with the crowd shouting various encouragements, "Come on Robbie! You're doing it!" However well Robbie was doing, he unfortunately finished his routine by miscalculating his slaps and hitting his crotch. He grimaced while making a high pitch whine and fell off the crate, face first into the ground.

Jade burst out laughing and turned her head away as she held her phone up to finish recording the match.

Jerold shouted as he jumped up from the stool, "Oh yeah! Oh yeah, baby."

The blonde shouted, "Jerold wins! Again!" The blonde lifted the 'champion's' hand up and shouted, "The real... Hambone King."

Dusty snorted out breath and pursed his lips to try to hold back a laugh. He was only successful for a few moments before he started loudly laughing at Jerold and gaining the curious attention of everyone before they headed back inside.

Jerold shouted in outrage, "What's so funny?!"

"You, you little _boy_."

The others looked on in surprise at that the confrontation wasn't over.

Dusty raised his left hand, palm up, and softly laughed out with hint of disbelief lacing his voice, "What did this prove? You beat him, big deal. This just comes back to how small your dick is… metaphorically speaking, in that you're a National Champion that is threatened by an amateur posting a video to a school website? Really?" The Carolinian started laughing again and slightly started shaking his head while looking at Jerold.

Some of the other male patrons started laughing along with Dusty's point.

The former webmaster looked to the rest and joyfully asked, "Hey, why don't we all challenge Lance Armstrong to a bicycle race? Or maybe Kobe Bryant to a one-on-one basketball game? Then act all surprise when they beat us?"

The other patrons started laughing as they apparently saw his point about how ridiculous Jerold was acting.

Jade let out a soft laugh then commented, "Reminds me of the Ricky Flame story."

Dusty looked to Jade with a curious expression, "Ricky Flame? The cooking guy they competed against?"

"Yeah. He was so embarrassed that Freddie and they beat him in a cook off, he quit his show and stayed in bed. They convinced him that he was a great cook, but instead of going back to his show he decided to sign up to the local community center wrestling program… for children. It turns out it wasn't the cooking he enjoyed, but the winning. So he fought people that couldn't beat him so he was guaranteed he'd win. Sam had to put him down to get him to quiet. Freddie said that he curled up into a ball and cried like a baby after Sam did that."

Dusty looked to her in complete disbelief, "How was he allowed to do that?"

"It was recommend, not required to be that age."

"Jesus… why didn't any of those kids' dads beat his little pedophile ass into the ground?"

She shrugged her shoulders as she idly answered, "It's Seattle; they'll all messed up there." She turned to Jerold and commented, "And it looks like we have another pathetic loser who has fragile ego."

Jerold frowned and turned a harsh glare towards Jade.

Dusty spoke with a sharp tone, "Take a step to her and they'll carry you out of here."

Jerold cleared his throat at seeing the dangerous look in the slightly taller teenager's eyes and took a step back.

The Southern teenager snorted out and dismissively nodded his head way, "On your way little boy king… and don't forget your little bitch. I'm not looking to adopt any today."

The other patrons started laughing as Jerold frowned with his one man entourage dutifully walking behind him caring the silver briefcase, jacket and red stool.

The other patrons started heading back inside as they realized they just watched two losers. However, Kwakoo tore up his piece of paper with Robbie's signature and threw the pieces down on him.

Cat knelt down behind a crying and sniveling Robbie and gently scratched his sides and whispered, "Robbie, come on."

Jade had her arms crossed under her chest and shrugged her right shoulder and whispered, "Yeah, we'll get you some ice for your uh... injuries."

Robbie started crying, "No, just... just leave me here on the dirty ground where I belong."

Dusty retorted with a sharp voice, "No… you don't get that choice." He walked around to the front of Robbie and bent down to grab him by the upper forearms. He stood up and yanked Robbie to his feet.

Robbie looked on in shock to Dusty's cold stare after being abruptly brought to his feet. He hissed out, "You want to irrationally mope about losing out to a _national champion_, that's your business, but you are not going to just lay there and cry. Understood?"

Robbie cleared his throat and nodded his head as he clearly got the message.

Vega Residence

Robbie may not have been allowed to curl up and cry on the cold ground outside of Nozu, but he was allowed to curl up into a near ball and lie on the couch closest towards with door with his head lying in that direction.

Jade was sitting at the end of the other couch and rested her right arm against the armrest looking at the sniveling teen while Dusty sat next to her, shaking his head still trying to figure out why the ventriloquist was so upset.

"Shapiro, this is getting ridiculous," Dusty muttered out as he was losing his patience for the pathetic display.

Jade commented, "Okay, big deal, you lost a hambone competition, but it's over and it's not like the whole world saw it."

Cat tap-danced just inside the threshold of the kitchen as she refuted, "Uh-huh! It's all over the Internet."

Robbie shouted in disbelief, "How'd it get on the Internet?!"

Jade shrugged her right shoulder and answered with a playful tone, "I might've uploaded it."

Robbie heaved another cry.

The former webmaster snorted out a laugh, "What did you title it as? Little manhood champion threatened by amateur?"

Jade rolled her eyes at what he thought was a cleaver title as Trina trotted down the stairs and asked, "Why do you guys need slippers?" She handed them to Jade and the pale girl immediately got up to head for Cat while calling out to Dusty, "Grab the Cat."

Dusty blinked and gave her a questioning expression, "You're seriously asking me to do that?"

"You want to hear this all night?" she questioned as she motioned to Cat.

He rolled his eyes then got up from his seat without pointing out the fact that he wasn't going to be here all night. He tucked his hands under Cat's armpits and lifted the redhead off of her feet. The former couple looked to one another with guarded expressions and remained silent.

Jade quickly slipped the slippers on her friend then commented, "Enjoy."

Dusty sat the shorter girl down to her feet then turned to head back to the couch.

Cat remained silent for a moment then started tap-dancing again just as the doorbell rang out.

While Jade and Dusty had slipped the slippers on Cat, Trina had made her way to the kitchen to get something to drink. She leaned forward against the kitchen island and called out with a slightly impatient voice, "Just open it!"

The door opened with Freddie holding a small watermelon on his left shoulder. He nodded his head upward and greeted everyone, "Hey."

Dusty curiously asked, "Why are you here?"

The tech-producer smiled as he answered, "Jade texted me and said Robbie got hurt, so I brought a watermelon."

He blinked in surprise. "Why? And how did you get a watermelon in _March_?"

Freddie gently placed the melon on Robbie's chest and the ventriloquist hugged it close to him. "Robbie loves watermelons and I got it from one of those organic places that import them…"

Robbie mumbled out while Freddie walked around the couch and had a seat on the end, "Wa wa."

Dusty slightly frowned as he explained with an even tone, "Don't get too attached; we're eating it in a few minutes."

They all gave him a mix of curious and disbelieving expressions and Robbie put on a momentary expression of fear.

He passed them all quick glances and explained, "This nonsense interrupted my dinner and I still haven't eaten… and you don't wave a watermelon in front of a Southern that hasn't had one in more than half a year."

Freddie shook his head as he was not going to argue with the teen.

Tori walked down the stairs with a PearPad cradled to her chest. She stopped just between the couches and whispered out, "Okay... Somebody turn on the TV."

Jade leaned over a grabbed the remote as she answered, "I'll do it but only because I want to."

Cat stopped her tap dancing and had a seat on the end of the other couch next to Dusty. The pair share quick glances, but remained silent towards one another.

Freddie looked on with curiosity towards the brunette and gently asked, "What's this about?"

Tori whispered out, "Just watch."

Trina cheerfully complained as she walked around the couch towards the door, "Oh darn, looks like there's no place for me to sit. Oh, well." She dropped in Freddie's lap and wrapped her arms around his neck and over his chest while Freddie instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist and over her bare thigh so she wouldn't fall.

Jade blinked in complete surprise at the blatant flirtation from the older Vega sister.

Freddie looked to Jade with wide open eyes and even mouth expression, just as surprised by Trina's stunt.

The pale teenager rolled her eyes just let it go as the screen started playing two children dressed in police uniforms sitting together and started hamboning in sync.

Cat happily pointed out, "Aw, that little girl looks just like Tori."

Tori softly replied, "That little girl is Tori. Seven years ago."

Freddie snorted out a laugh, "You look adorable. Was the police uniforms your dad's idea?"

Tori softly nodded as she hypnotically watched the television.

Jade slightly frowned as she whispered, "That's gross."

The Southern teenager shook his head and muttered out, "Wow, White people stealing from Black culture again… now the Latinos are doing it too…"

Freddie looked across to give Dusty a questioning expression.

Dusty shrugged a shoulder. "Look up the history of hamboning."

Robbie pulled himself to a sitting position and looked impressed as he commented, "That's some top-notch Hamboning."

Tori paused the video with her PearPad and softly admitted, "We were top-notch."

Jade curiously asked while Tori sat her PearPad down on the coffee table, "Who was the little boy?"

The brunette let out a soft breath, "Jerold. Jerold Ardbeg."

Dusty knotted his brow. "That dickless wonder?"

Freddie narrowed his eyes as he asked for clarification, "His name is Jerold Ardbeg?"

Tori explained, "Yep and we were the best boy-girl Hambone team in the Western United States. We were supposed to compete in the nationals."

Trina rolled her eyes and muttered out in irritation, "Do I have to hear this story again?"

Freddie whispered out, "Trina…" He looked Tori and finished, "Go on."

"Jerold was jealous of me because everyone knew that I was better at hamboning than he was. It drove him crazy. He started being really mean to me. He even wazzed in my Yello Kitty purse and then—"

Dusty spoke up with his arms crossed over his chest, "I assumed your dad whooped his little ass for that, right?"

Tori blinked in surprise at the question.

"What?" Dusty asked in disbelief. "Pop'im in the butt early on and they're fine."

"No, he didn't," she whispered out in a pitiful tone.

The Southern teenager snorted out dismissively. "Do none of you here have a decent father around here? Not one of you?"

They all gave each other curious and embarrassed expressions then looked to him.

He looked up at the ceiling and breathed out, "Oh my God, never mind."

"Anyway, one day I..." Tori trailed off as she bowed her head and covering her face with her right hand.

Freddie gently asked, "What happened?"

"I... I... I caught him hamming with Suzy MacAllan… Oh…" she finished with cupping her face in her hands.

Dusty raised an eyebrow as he questioned, "So guys cheating on you started at an early age?"

They all looked to him in disbelief at the insensitive remark.

"What? It seems like every guy she goes out with cheats on her or is playing her." He looked back to Tori and sympathetically commented, "Lady, you need to get some better taste in men. I suggest you find someone like Freddie or Harris."

Tori shouted in outrage, "We were not a couple."

Dusty softly nodded his head. "He was your partner and you're obviously upset it was with another girl, so he cheated on you."

Freddie may have agreed with the sentiment, but he spoke up, "That's not the topic at hand."

The Southern teenager heeded his friend's advice and dropped the matter.

The tech-producer continued, "All right... all right, wait a second here. If you're better than Jerold... then let's challenge him to a Hambone-off. Get a little payback for what he did to you."

Robbie sat the watermelon on the couch and jumped up to Tori, "You can avenge my defeat!"

Jade immediately spoke up, "You don't have to."

Dusty quickly followed with a hint of disappointment and disgust, "You want _her_ to fight _your_ battle? That's hitting a new low even for you."

Before Robbie could retort the mild insult, the brunette shook her head and quickly explained, "Oh, no... no, no, I can't. I haven't Hamboned in years, but Jerold has never stopped. It's his whole life! I could never beat him now."

Robbie desperately pleaded, "Then train me. Train me to Hambone better than Jerold Ardbeg."

Tori thought for a moment the cautiously asked him, "How bad do you want this?"

Robbie hesitantly answered, "Like, on a scale of one to ten? Maybe eight? Eight-and-a-half?"

The brunette brightly smiled as she answered, "Then I'll do it."

"Oh, oh! Yea!" Robbie shouted.

Dusty raised a hand and hated to rain on their parade, but he needed some answers, "Okay I'm confused. You think this really helped Jerold's reputation? He's probably a laughing stock among the 'professional' hamboners for being threatened by an amateur as soon as they see the video. Everyone was laughing at _him_ at Nozu when they left and weren't even paying attention to you. What's the point of having a rematch? If he had any sense, he'd turn you down and hide himself under a rock for a while and hope as few people as possible sees Jade's video."

"I have to avenge my defeat," Robbie pointed out what he thought was the obvious.

"You got defeated by a _national champion_. They may have tried to cheat about which one of you went first and acted like an overall jackass, but he beat you fair and square. What is there to avenge?"

Robbie looked back at him as if he was a deer in the headlights, unable to comprehend the Southern teenager's point.

Dusty blew out a breath then looked to Tori. "If you can't beat Jerold because he's never stopped, how can you train him in any reasonable amount of time to beat him? And wouldn't that be kind of painful for you now?"

Tori gave him a curious expression with a raised eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Ah… they were slapping their chests in the routine…" He nodded his head back and forth hoping she would get what he was trying to say without saying it. "…and well… men and women are different in that area… and in that video, you hadn't hit puberty yet."

The brunette eyes shot open and her mouth opened to answer, but she couldn't think of a retort.

Dusty raised his hands, "I'm just pointing out the obvious. I really don't care what you do."

He looked to Jade and softly shook his head. "You people get into some strange crap… and that's coming from a guy whose family has always been involved in strange crap."

West Residence  
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The couple was sitting in Jade's room in front of her television getting in a late evening game of Gears-of-War. Over the last couple of months, Freddie had gotten pretty good at it and provided Jade a good challenge. However, he was still having trouble getting her into the genre of games he enjoyed which he guessed was due to the level of geekyness of the genres compared to the others. However, he couldn't deny that he imagined them going to Webicon together at some point and seeing her dressed as some character from World of Warlords… perhaps a particularly sexy character.

As he blasted away through a number of enemies, he casually asked, "So, how is he?"

Jade narrowed her eyes on the screen as she maneuvered her character to a more opportune firing position and answered, "I couldn't tell since our dinner was interrupted. He started slightly annoyed with me insisting that he go with me then had to deal with Jerold, so I couldn't get an even reading off of him. He seemed pretty happy eating that watermelon before we left."

Freddie nodded. "Probably the best part of the night for him."

"Other than knocking the blonde guy out? He was ready to go at it with both of them."

"Maybe… but why did he jump in?"

"I really don't know. Maybe because Cat asked him or he just didn't like the idea of Robbie being jumped by two guys… or he just wanted to take out his frustration for giving up TheSlap. You'll have to ask him."

He nodded. "I'd expect him just to do that to Beck."

Jade tensed for a moment as she debated the probability of Dusty just going at Beck.

Freddie wasn't blind to the reaction, so he steered the conversation into another direction, "How's Cat then?"

Jade paused a moment to take out her frustration on a number of enemies with the virtual machine gun a blazing then answered, "She was… silent around him… withdrawn when they would have to speak to one another."

"Do you think Dusty is right? Cat's hiding? I don't have anything to compare it to since I really haven't seen her any different."

Jade hit the pause button on her controller and looked to him with a concerned expression. She took a soft breath then answered, "Cat has changed and it started right after Kenan's party. Everyone has just ignored it, but she wasn't as… she wasn't as much a child as she acts now. She could still have her moments, but not like she's acted over the last year."

"Do you have any idea why she's changed? Do you think Dusty's right about her brother's condition changing her? Could something have happened to her at Kenan's party or after? Something…" Freddie bowed his head and whispered, "I'd hate to speculate or assume the worst."

Jade bowed her head too as she didn't like where that line of thought could take them. "I don't… I hope not. She was with us throughout the party and left with us, so… nothing happened there and after… I don't know."

"Maybe this is the time to address it? The only one I'm betting she'll open up to is you, so…"

Jade quickly retorted, "Tori would be better at that emotional—"

Freddie slid closer to her and wrapped an arm around her waist then whispered, "You are her best friend and you are far better at handling the emotional stuff than you think. I should know." He gave her a bright smile.

She gave him a bashful smile before answering, "Maybe, but… what if she just retreats further? What if I screw up?"

He leaned slightly forward to rest his forehead against her forehead and answered playfully, "You could, but you're the one who's been willing to risk big."

She slightly smirked as she met his eyes. "Yes I have."

The pair rested that way for a few moments to enjoy each other's company and Jade to contemplate his words.

Freddie took a soft breath then whispered out, "I hate to bring this up right now, but… I'm not happy with 'The Blonde Squad'… it's really starting to bother me. I've been trying to brush it aside, but… watching you getting shot in the head even if it is with a banana and a parody isn't making me feel any better."

She took several soft breaths then quietly asked, "I could tell at the screening. I didn't get to bring it up because of the whole bird in Cat's hair thing. I can ask Beck if he could take it down. Maybe ask the others if they'd be willing to reshoot some scenes?"

He gave her a patient smile as he answered, "I doubt he would voluntarily do such a thing after the trouble he went through to get it posted." He lifted his head up and questioned with a slightly annoyed expression, "Why did he have you play the dumb one? Why did he even write that scene for any of you being shot in the head?"

She quietly answered, "I don't know." She had tried to suppress her inner debate in thinking on that point since the movie done and no more point in debating about it.

Freddie's voice filled with more irritation as he continued, "The more I think about it the more it disturbs me that he would want to see you like that. I don't know how to interpret that from him. For me it's going to be hard enough to film you coming back from the dead, how can he…" He shook his head as he couldn't get inside Beck's head or reasoning behind such a decision.

She raised her hand to gently stroke his right cheek and whisper, "It's okay."

The gesture and words seemed to calm him and they fell back into their peaceful enjoyment of each other's company. Freddie once again broke the silence, but on a more pleasant note, "I just realized that aren't we around the one year anniversary of us meeting one another?"

She softly laughed and answered, "I think you're right."

He raised an eyebrow. "It may have been a chizzy way to meet, but I'm glad it happened. It's the one thing I would thank Steven for."

"I am definitely happy that night happened and on the upside, it was a fun night."

"Yeah, singing and partying…" He softly laughed out, "Other than the singing, I remember you wearing this plaid shirt and if I'm not mistaken… I saw peaking out a royal blue bikini top?"

"I had just gotten out of the hot tub… wait, were you looking back then?" She knotted her brow as she finished her question.

Freddie cleared his throat then answered with a surprisingly confident voice, "You didn't button the shirt all the way and the red and blue were a stark contrast to draw the eyes to. You can't hold that against me."

A corner of her mouth lifted as she responded with a coy tone, "Well… I don't believe I wore that one during our second trip to the beach during the summer… I might have to correct that on Memorial Day weekend."

He softly chuckled out, "Something to look forward to?"

She slipped the hand resting on his cheek to behind his neck and grinned as she pulled him into a kiss.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The second half of the 'episode' should be up next Friday. Don't be show with reviews. Take care, OneHorseShay.


	21. Chapter 21: The Hambone King Part 2

Author's Note: Hello my dear readers. I hope you've had a nice week. I got a new chapter for you I hope you'll enjoy.

PD31: I thought I'd bring a little sanity back to the episode as Dan was really pushing the limits for it. Will they get to the bottom of Cat's behavior before she flips out in Cell-Blocked? That is a very good question. You'll have to wait and see.

Challenge King: Did Dusty step in because of Cat?

Beck got Robbie the watermelon in the episode, but I didn't see any reason why Freddie wouldn't know that tidbit of information and do the same thing, so he got him a watermelon… and Dusty still ate it.

Why Cat became more childlike from the show perspective is because Dan wanted to turn her into a caricature instead of keeping her a real character, but I can't have that as an in-universe explanation. In many ways it is kind of sad and a waste for the character.

Twilight Warrior 627: I think it needs some counterbalance, especially in the episodes where Dan suddenly forgets to have his 'straight man' characters to balance his comedic characters. Freddie is the straight man on iCarly as Tori and Beck are the straight ones on Victorious. In this particular 'episode' Tori was just as 'crazy' as the rest of them, so there needed the balance. Also, I just wanted to point out in the story some of the ironies of the entire premise: Jerold threatened by such an amateur and arguing over who is the best of something that doesn't culturally belong to either.

What strange crap could Dusty's family is involved in? I don't know, I'm just the author.

Layla: I'm going to try my best to handle why Cat became so childish after iParty with Victorious. I also think that the Jade/Cat friendship was never explored enough within the show and what did shine through was the natural friendship of Elizabeth and Ariana and should be touched on for the character growth of both.

Jade thinking back on how deep their friendship (including Freddie's) goes was intentional as in so many words, she realized that they basically 'Call him when they need something' and not really anymore than that. I hope to explore that aspect of friendship in a subplot.

I don't know how you found my fic either if you don't really watch either show :P I'm not aware that any of my stories were listed in any kind of Supernatural archive, so who knows.

I've inserted and tying faith because of the times Dan inserted it in his shows and I don't believe you can separate it from the human condition regardless of whatever faith, lack of a faith or agnostic (with the various degrees of each) of people in long term storytelling without making it some artificial and forced separation in the hopes of not offending someone. This is a work of fiction, not an advocacy piece for any particular faith.

Thank you for praise.

darck ben: Dusty was used for commentary on the original episode. I will get to iWould Have Pounded Him Silly when I can.

Fanfic-Reader-88: Dusty being the 'Ass Saver' will be addressed in future chapters, I assure you in the continuing exploration of what friendship means.

Agent-M-0167: I'm aware of that Tom and Jerry episode if I'm thinking of the same episode. He has this over exaggerated mustache.

Other than the story being a Jade/Freddie centric story, it would be more logical for Jade to tackle the issues with Cat as though Tori has become her friend, Jade has been a friend far longer as shown in the flashback of 'Ping-Pong Scam' episode. She would couldn't ignore the starkness in the change of behavior because presumably, Cat acted like Season 1 incarnation from their Freshman year until Pilot which is ~March of their Sophomore year.

In the canon, Bade was broken up during that time. It is just my personal interpretation, but I thought he was just being a jackass to her. In the story, it is up to you for interpretation as to why Beck would have her play the dumb one.

Pbow: Well Dusty was _alluding_ to that exact dichotomy by pointing out their respective ethnicities of both trying to claim of being a king of something neither have any historical cultural ties. The reason Dusty didn't go further might be spoilers for this chapter, so I'll refrain for commenting.

I'm shocked I didn't even catch the significance of the watermelon as it was given to Robbie and I was surprised of them getting one relatively out of season. However, it isn't the first time Dan has done something racially questionable as with Robbiarazzi episode where they were taking photoshopped ketchup bottles for André.

You'll have to wait and see about Cat/Jade.

The Question23: Well thank you. Don't be shy in the future to review future chapters.

Okay, on with the story.

Rating: T Language

* * *

Chapter 21: The Hambone King Part 2

TheSlap Computer Room  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Freddie glanced around the computer room as he took several steps inside before first period was to start. The room didn't look any different, but he could feel that there was a subconscious shift in the feeling of the room. A number of teenagers were at the computer stations and he noticed that there seemed to be a little less energetic and looked almost depressed being there.

He brushed it off for the moment in assuming that it was just due to it being just before the first class of the morning and they were still trying to get going for the morning. He turned his gaze to notice a black haired teenager sitting at the station he would usually find Dusty sitting. He figured that person would be in charge for this class period, so walked over to the teenager.

Freddie softly tapped his shoulder to grab his attention and gave him a soft smile and greeted him with a cordial tone, "Hey, are in charge for this class period?"

The teenager turned and Freddie instantly recognized him as the one that gave Dusty an evil eye at being told to leave the room when the former webmaster wanted some privacy with him and Jade so he could show them Carly's broadcasted apology. He didn't pay much attention to his physical appearance the first time around, so he took the brief moments to see he was a similarly lean teenager like Dusty, but shorter and with longer black hair that went past his ears and over his forehead (similar to how it would look on Freddie when he grew it out).

"New webmaster actually—oh, hi Freddie."

"Hi…"

"Dalton," the teenager provided.

"Dalton… I wanted to talk to you about TheSlap."

"Okay, about what exactly?"

Freddie forced a smile as he answered, "I want my server back."

The new webmaster raised an eyebrow. "Your server?"

"Yes, the one that's helping to manage the traffic for the site. It was a loan, but now I want it back."

Dalton softly laughed in the hopes of lightening the mood from where the conversation was leading into, "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about. All our equipment is through donation, our club budget or whatever money we can fund-raise."

Freddie smirked and patiently waited for a moment to see if Dalton was going to keep up with act. When the other teenager remained silent, Freddie continued with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "How did you think you got the server? You could just dump a couple of thousand dollars for it?"

The black haired boy smirked as he answered smoothly, "I didn't handle the bookkeeping. I don't know. I didn't ask Dustin where he got it."

The tech-producer instantly knew he was lying and frowned in return. He bowed his head slightly and blew out annoyed breath.

Freddie chuckled for a moment then replied, "I'm sorry; I think you're misunderstanding me: I'm not asking you for my server back. I'm telling you to give it back to me. It may be a few years old now, but it is still a several thousand dollar server and I don't know you. For all I know you might steal it, so I want it back… _now_ or I'm going to Helen and she'll get it from you the hard way."

The black haired teenager looked hesitant for a moment with it spiking by Freddie taking a step forward to look him in the eyes. Freddie whispered, "This is me being nice. I could easily hack the site and shut it down completely in the meantime… or I could shut _you down_ right now and take it anyway, but… I'm trying to let go of all my bitterness and anger and be me again."

Dalton took a deep breath then let a bit of fear seep into his voice, "We can't run the site now without it with your and Jade's page."

Freddie gave him an even expression and answered with a hint of coldness in his voice, "Not my problem. You're the new webmaster; do your job and figure it out how to make it work."

The leaner teenager stood up and bowed his head slightly as he whispered out with a hint of annoyance in his voice, "Is this because Dustin isn't the webmaster anymore?"

The tech-producer shrugged a shoulder and dryly answered, "It doesn't matter why; I just want it back."

Dalton frowned and gave Freddie a soft glare. He muttered out before turning and heading to the service closet of the room, "Give me a minute."

Asphalt Café  
Hollywood Arts High School

"Hey," a soft voice called out across the table where the former webmaster was sitting and eating his lunch of a hamburger and some fries.

Dusty looked up in surprise to see a hesitant smile on Ava's face. He commented with a cautious tone, "I haven't seen you around."

She slightly nodded her head as she answered with a resigned tone, "I've been keeping to myself. I was a shrugger. It was easy to slip back for a week or two."

Dusty gave her an agreeing nod while looking to her with guarded eyes. He asked in a hushed tone, "You okay?"

The darker brunette took a seat across from him and answered with a hesitant smile, "I was going to ask you that."

He gave her a slight smirk as he retorted with a charming tone, "I asked you first, so…"

She softly smiled and bowed her head. She answered a moment later, "I'm doing alright."

Dusty nodded along content with the answer for the moment. He cautiously inquired, "Which leads to the presumptuous question, but how are you and Van Cleef?"

Ava softly laughed and raised a finger, "Nope, I answered your question, so you have to answer mine before you get a second one."

He raised a playful eyebrow. "Okay, I'll play. I'm fine."

She gave him a questioning eyebrow. "Really? After quitting TheSlap?"

Dusty slightly bowed his head to the side and answered with a calm tone, "She gave me a choice and I made it."

"Even after what Jade did?"

The Southern teenager held up three fingers and responded, "That's three questions you owe me, but I'll go ahead and answer yours." He dropped his hand to pick up his drink for a quick sip. "I don't know if you've seen Pretty Boy's film, but if you have then you'll see the problem and whatever kind of annoyance or anger I felt for Jade was trumped by what he filmed. Shit happens between friends and you deal with it, but as my Uncle Cas once told my father and my uncle: sometimes you just have to stow your crap to deal with bigger issues and that was a bigger issue."

She put on a sour frown as she replied, "I have seen it—on the school's SplashFace page. It seems… petty to me after apparently everything seems fine between them after Carly's visit."

He snorted out with a hint of bitterness in his voice, "I'm not going to even try to analyze anything deeper with him. He's just a straight up asshole. What you see is what you get: scratch the surface and you get more surface."

Ava whistled out and looked away for a moment. She looked back to him a few moments later then commented, "I thought they might have exaggerated what you said to him. I guess not. So you are taking losing TheSlap personally?"

"He made a film where his ex-girlfriend plays a character that is shot in the head and he sees it as comedy. I'm taking _that_ personally. TheSlap… that's another story for maybe another time."

"Maybe another time?"

Dusty leaned forward to rest his forearms on the table and answered, "In all honesty Ava, I don't know you. Why should I spill my guts out to you?"

She paused for a moment to assess what he had just pointed out and asked of her. She didn't hear any malice or sarcasm in his voice, but genuine curiosity in his voice as if he expected an answer. After a few moments of being under his watchful eye, she answered, "I'm Ava Cohen. I was born in Seattle, Washington, but moved here with my mother shortly after I was born. My parents decided to pull that stupid Parent Trap thing about splitting twins between them. I don't know if I'll ever forgive them for that, but I can't stand my sister because it's like looking in a funhouse mirror and seeing a warped, distorted image of me, but I love her anyway."

She reached over and stole his drink for a moment. She took a swig from the can (drawing a curious eye for him) then continued, "I don't gossip and I try to get along with everybody. I like sweet and honest boys who won't bullchizz me and honest with themselves. I've been going here since my freshman year, but I've been ignored for lesser talented people due to pure favoritism." She finished with a confident smirk, "I can out sing, perform, write and direct better than the great Tori Vega can in my sleep."

Dusty grinned as he titled his head slightly to the side. "I assume you make Van Cleef brush his teeth a few times after he spits out his food before kissing you… I would like to finish that drink. I nearly have to kill to get a Peppy-Cola around here."

She gave him a tired smile. "He never pulled that on me and I haven't kissed Sinjin since before Wanko's."

The former webmaster nodded his head.

The pair looked to one another for a few moments until Dusty tore off a chunk of his hamburger he hadn't touched and laid it in the fry tray with his half-finished fries and slid it over to her.

"It's lunch, you should eat." He started back on the rest of his hamburger while refusing to meet her curious eyes.

She softly smiled to him then accepted his offer.

The pair remained quiet for the rest of lunch.

Tori Vega: Time to train Robbie in hamboning. Why do I always get involved? FEELING: Coachy

Vega Residence  
Thursday, March 22, 2012

Tori and Robbie were wearing sweat clothing as Robbie had a seat in one of the side by side seats facing in the direction of the living room with Cat standing in front of them. The brunette was standing behind her chair and began, "Okay Robbie. Your rhythm's a little loose, so we gotta tighten that up."

Cat readily agreed as she was ready to start tap-dancing. "Gotta tighten your rhythm."

The ventriloquist leaned back in his seat with his arms crossed over his chest and tiredly answered, "Okay."

Tori continued, "Now... you and I are gonna do the Hambone routine I taught you yesterday, but... we're gonna do it to the rhythm of Cat's tap dancing."

Cat started counting, "Five six seven eight!" then started her dance routine.

Robbie followed along with Tori as they started their slapping routine while in sync with Cat's dancing. Tori happily encouraged her friend, "Good! Good!"

"Let's keep it going!" The redhead sped up a little faster and Robbie kept pace. Tori cheered him on, "Nice!"

Robbie slowed down and stopped slapping as he wore an apprehensive expression. Tori quickly answered in concern, "Why'd you stop?"

He hesitantly answered, "I... I need to get some air."

Cat pointed out with a confused expression, "There's air in here."

Robbie shouted out as he exited through the back glass kitchen doors, "I don't want your air!"

The redhead turned to Tori and looked to her with a bewildered expression, "What's wrong with my air?"

Tori quickly exited the kitchen to join Robbie in the truncated patio. "What's the matter with you?"

He had his back to her and pitifully answered, "Nothing."

The brunette whispered out in a desperate tone, "What's the matter with you?"

The curly haired teenager turned to face her and shouted, "I'm afraid! Alright, you wanna hear me say it?! You wanna break me down?! I'm afraid I'm gonna lose to Jerold again and humiliate myself."

Tori attempted to reassure him, "You can beat him if you want it bad enough."

Robbie shouted back, "Who are we kidding?! He's the best Hamboner in the country! What am I?"

"What do you wanna be? A coward? Or do you wanna be 'The Hambone King' again?"

"I never was The Hambone King! Don't you get it?! I was a fake! A joke! I'm not even worthy of eating ham from a bone!"

Tori's brow knotted up as she questioned, "Huh?"

The curly haired teenager shook his head and mumbled out, "Forget it."

He walked around her towards the door then turned back to her. "What's the point of this? What's the point of anything? I mean this whole conversation—it just sounds like bad writing even if there's someone else coming up from behind trying his best to salvage it."

Tori asked in outrage, "So you wanna quit?! You wanna just walk away from a challenge because you're too scared and nerdy?"

Robbie knotted his brow, "Nerdy?"

Tori looked away and shook her head in embarrassment then apologized, "I'm sorry, that just slipped out." She took a breath and continued, "You have to try. You have to do your best and then if you lose at least, you'll know that you gave Hamboning everything you've got."

"If I do try my best... do you think I have a shot at out-Hamboning Jarold Ardbeg?"

Tori softly smiled while answering, "I think you can be anything you wanna be."

"Even your boyfriend?"

The brunette whispered out quickly with a disgusted expression on her face, "Oh God no."

Robbie bowed his head down shamefully.

"So...?"

The ventriloquist gave a soft nod and smile as he answered, "Let's Hambone."

Asphalt Café  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Friday, March 23, 2012

Jade and Freddie were sitting across from Tori as they sat around the usual table eating lunch. The rest were off to spots unknown and hadn't joined them for lunch before Sikowitz's class.

The pale girl asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice, "So how is Robbie's 'training' going?"

Tori nodded along like a proud parent. "He's a natural even if his self confidence is a little shaky. I had to finally give him a pep talk last night. I told him he could be anything he wanted to be…" She frowned as she trailed off then picked up, "…then he asked me if that extended to the possibility that I could be his girlfriend."

Freddie blinked in surprised and asked, "What did you tell him?"

"I told him 'Oh God no'."

Freddie whistled out then shook his head. "So he's interested in Cat, but he's still making passes at you?"

Tori regretfully nodded her head.

Freddie and Jade shared quick looks of worry, each for different reasons.

The tech-producer commented, "I think I need to have a talk with him."

The younger Vega sister slightly frowned. "Why?"

The brown eyed teenager gave her a patient smile. "He can't keep doing that. He can't chase after Cat if he's going to turn around and try with you. It's not fair to either of you."

Tori softly laughed out, "But I'm not interested in Robbie."

The brown eyed teenager shook his head and softly laughed with her in the beginning, but not the end of his answer, "Neither is apparently Cat, but he can't jump back and forth between you. How would he be any different than Steven?"

The brunette instantly frowned at the comparison he made and bringing up the old wound.

He gave her a regretful expression, but continued, "Sorry, but I think it's a fair comparison at least in regards to how the situation looks. We can't let Robbie pull that on Cat if she finally decides to give him a try in the future. Someone has to tell him he can't do that. We might as well get it over with."

Tori nodded along with the logic then started back on her meal.

The brown eye boy continued with a curious tone, "I do have a question though."

"Yeah?" she answered while whipping her fingertips off with a napkin after finishing a French fry.

Freddie knotted his brow as he asked with a confused tone, "How are you training him without you slapping your chest?"

Hale Residence  
Sunday, March 25, 2012

The early afternoon was a pretty chilly one as Freddie knocked on the door to the Hale Residence. He was a bit apprehensive as he waited for someone to answer the door as in all the months he knew the former webmaster, this was the first time he had visited his friend at his home.

The door opened and revealed a ruggedly handsome man in his late forties with very short, light brown hair. The door covered about half his body as he apparently opened the door with his left hand.

Freddie cautiously questioned, "Mister Hale?"

He snorted out a laugh, "That's me. You must be Freddie." He pulled the door open while remaining behind it to see if he could enter without explicitly being invited inside.

Freddie stepped inside with a nervous smile and politely commented, "Nice to finally meet you sir."

As the tech-producer further entered the house and glanced around the interior with his back to Mister Hale, the patriarch closed the door and slid the barrel of the sawed-off shotgun that he had been pressing against his side of the door away and into the umbrella holder resting next to the entrance.

Mister Hale laughed out with a friendly tone to cover up the fact that he was prepared to blast two twelve gauge rounds through the door if necessary, "So, is Dusty expecting you? He didn't mention anyone coming over today."

The brown eyed teenager turned and commented, "No, I just thought I'd stop by. I haven't really got to talk to him in the last week after everything…"

The muscular gentleman maintained his smile but his tone was filled with sarcasm, "You mean after that bitch made him quit his computer club and he finally realized the girl he's been carrying a torch for was never going to be honest with him?"

Freddie sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth at hearing the bluntness of Mister Hale's recounting the last week. He nodded his head and regretfully answered, "Yes."

Mister Hale nodded his head and questioned, "So you're here to cheer him up or something?"

"I wanted to check on him."

Mister Hale gave him a smirk that conveyed the feeling of good luck on that idea then responded, "He's acting like he's fine and he'll tell you he's fine, but… we Hales aren't into all that touchy, feely crap when it comes to ourselves… except my little brother Sammy, but that's another story."

Freddie casually answered, "Well I'm here anyway."

He motioned with a hand towards the stairs. "Dusty's upstairs."

"Thank you," the former Seattleite answered and started up the steps. He quickly reached the top landing and saw the half opened door to Dusty's room.

Freddie knocked on the open door and cautiously peaked inside.

Dusty noticed him and called out, "Hey, this is a surprise."

Freddie pushed open the door and entered the room. Directly in line of sight from the entrance, he saw Dusty sitting behind a desk with a computer monitor to his left at a diagonal, so the Southern teenager could look out of his room and see at an angle his television on the wall to his left.

"Well, you don't hang around your usually place at school or usually have the same lunch or when you're pulling my behind out of the fire, so where else am I going to talk to you?"

Dusty gave a quick nod of his head to acknowledge the point.

Freddie looked to his left to glance to the dresser and shelf. His eyes immediately noticed the display of the silver short sword and the Colt Paterson that Jade had mentioned when she finally got around to commenting on Dusty's room after the whole 'secretly ran off to Seattle for the day to see Carly' thing blew over. They were the obvious attention grabbing pieces of the dresser/bookshelf.

He took a few moments to look over the various pictures on the dresser sleeves. One picture being of Dusty's father when he was younger with another young man with longer hair similar to Spencer's before he cut it for Carly's sixteen birthday. He guessed maybe the man was Dusty's uncle 'Sammy'.

Another one was of a man giving an awkward smile towards the camera. He had a five o'clock shadow on his face and wearing a beige overcoat over his dark business suit. He looked somewhat comical with his blue tie loosened from his neck and the top button of his white dress shirt being undone. He looked like he could have been a tax accountant or some such white collar job.

There was another picture of a dark headed older woman that could be Dusty's grandmother with a younger dirty blonde woman that looked younger than the picture of the Southern teenager's father did in the earlier pictures.

There were other various pictures with Dusty and other teenagers. One was with Dusty smirking at the camera with his arm around the shoulders of a fair skin brunette girl wearing a bright smile that looked a little younger than him. Freddie wasn't sure if she was a friend, former girlfriend or some other relative to Dusty, but he could see the slight resemblance between them and her with the fellow with long hair with Mister Hale.

He looked towards another picture of an older man that she assumed was Dusty's grandfather who wore a scruffy beard and baseball cap with some logo on it; something about Bobby and auto parts from what he could make out from the small text.

The final picture caused him to stop and sucked in a sharp breath: the photo showed Anna in a sideward embrace with a younger Mister Hale. She was even wearing near identical clothing to the time she appeared to him in the church during Christmas.

Dusty softly laughed out at seeing the reaction of the teenager to the pictures, "What? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Freddie shook his head then nervously laughed out, "Sorry, just… the woman with your dad, she just looked familiar… like I've seen her somewhere before."

Dusty let a small smile form on his face. "I highly doubt that since that is my mother; she's… not around."

Freddie blinked in surprised while questioning, "Your mother?"

"Yep… I guess we Hales like the redheads… the dyed variety as that color does not occur in nature," he finished with a soft laugh.

Freddie politely nodded and answered with forced casualness, "Right." He looked back at the picture of the couple, particularly at the redhead and his mind started drawing a conclusion he drew on New Year's Day after getting back to L.A. He had disregarded the idea as nonsense from an overly tired mind. He shook his head and disregarded it once again as he figured that Anna simply took the form of Dusty's late mother for Freddie's sake to appear in an acceptable and pleasant form. She did make it a point that Jade would be a nice form for one of her sisters to take in human appearance, so there wasn't anything preventing them from copying people for a form.

Dusty shrugged a shoulder and pulled Freddie out of his thoughts by continuing, "This is the first time you've been over, so… are you here to check up on me?"

That was not the question Freddie wanted to answer, but he really didn't know how to bring up that idea that an angel was using his mother's image or the other nonsensical idea. He brushed that thought away as he answered, "Maybe, but I wanted to let you know that I got my server back from TheSlap."

The older teenager slightly knotted his brow and questioned with a cautious tone, "The site's not going to run with the traffic you and Jade's pages get."

Freddie answered as he walked around the foot of the bed and had a seat in the edge, "I told the new guy that it wasn't my problem."

"New guy?"

"Dalton."

Dusty chuckled almost darkly as if enjoying a little bit of his replacement having to deal with the problems of being in charge. "Well Dalton does need to learn the ups and downs of the jobs."

"So you two really don't like each other?"

The leaner teenager smirked. "He's just a whinny little emo who thinks that world should revolve around him. He thinks his problems are more important than everyone else's and the world is out to get him. Typical stereotype as if he walked right out of a teen melodrama. I just gave him a rude wakeup call while I was there."

Freddie narrowed his eyes on his friend with a questioning gaze.

Dusty softly laughed, "The difference between you and him is that you had real problems: you were in an abusive friendship, your mother abused you, no one cared about it and the world _is _really out to get you so much so that angels are directly involving themselves into your life. I think you would have the right to be a little emo if you wanted to."

Freddie blew out a tired breath and nodded his head to the side as he couldn't argue with any of those points.

"Anyway, he was not my first choice as a replacement. Helen probably overrode any vote to put him in charge; their mutual dislike for me being the reason."

Freddie regretfully nodded in accepting the explanation. "Will he be any good?"

"No, because he's too stubborn. He won't let the other's do their jobs in running the site and will demand it being run exactly his way."

"I don't understand. You were in charge of TheSlap; didn't you run it the way you wanted?"

"No, I _managed_, not ran. In the loosest sense of the term I was in charge. I didn't set policy. It was run as a democracy and I was a very good organizer for them… but there were times I did override some decisions I thought were outrageously stupid through force of will. He's a micromanager and he'll run it straight into the ground."

Freddie nodded his head and whispered with a regretful tone, "I'm sorry."

Dusty snorted out a laugh, "You of all people should understand the price of doing the right thing."

"Yes I do…" Freddie blew out a tired breath as he finally got to the point of being at the Carolinian's house, "How are you doing?"

He shrugged a shoulder and answered, letting Freddie direct the conversation, "I'm fine."

"You're fine?" Freddie questioned in complete disbelief. "It looked like to me that you finally gave up on the girl you liked and you gave up TheSlap… the one thing I'm betting you actually liked about Hollywood Arts other than the fact it isn't Northridge."

He shrugged a shoulder. "Life goes on my friend. You can either wallow and let the pain continue to hurt you or move on with life because it keeps going without. That's what Jade was trying to get through your thick head with everything: let life go on."

"Is it really that easy for you?"

"No, but it's the right thing to do… I can't pursue a girl who won't be honest with me and I'm not going to be a part of Pretty Boy's sick joke."

The former Seattleite slightly frowned at the mention of the film scene. He shook his head to brush aside for a moment as this wasn't the time to deal with that sore point because all it would end up being is them agreeing and getting further annoyed at Beck. So Freddie cocked his head to the side and asked in a more upbeat tone, "Jade wants to start filming her next film during Easter Break. I was wondering if you could help out."

He raised an eyebrow as he curiously questioned, "To do what?"

"Anything." He softly laughed out, "After all these months, I really don't know your background in studies at school other than TheSlap, but I could use the help."

He nodded along. "You're not having Van Cleef and his crew to help?"

Freddie glanced away as he answered, "I'm not exactly thrilled with Sinjin right now."

He softly smirked. "Found out about what he did to Vega?"

The tech producer frowned and answered with a slightly annoyed filled tone, "Yes and since we're going to ask Ava to play in it…"

Dusty flicked his brow up and lazily picked up, "No comment."

Freddie questioned playfully, "Oh? You and Ava have talked since Wanko's? Jade said she interrupted your date."

Dusty slightly furled his brow and pursed his lips. "We talked on Wednesday during lunch, but it wasn't a date that night. She wanted some company for dinner, so I went with her."

Freddie slightly tilted his head to the side as he idly commented, "I was told Sinjin wasn't too happy with you being her company."

His mouth became a thin line as he hissed out, "Van Cleef can kiss my ass. He doesn't tell Ava who she can hang out with especially when he's turning around and flirt with other girls or kicking them. If he wants to start something with me, I'm not hard to find. I'm still wondering when Harris is going to do something… when _you_ are going to do something."

Freddie slightly frowned as he admitted, "André gets first crack. I'm not going to take that away from him."

"Honorable thing to do… but don't wait too long if he decides to chicken out. Van Cleef needs to realize he can't get a free pass on something like that."

Freddie nodded his head in agreement.

"Okay, back on topic, I'm staying in California for Easter Break, so I'll be here. My cousin Mary is going to come over for a visit instead of me doing the traveling." He motioned over to the dresser to the pictures. "She's the brunette with me on the second to last shelf."

Freddie looked over his shoulder to see the picture and putting a name to the face of the girl with Dusty.

Dusty continued, "I can help with the camera work and sound and I'm okay with pretty much anything else. I obvious didn't go to the school to be any of those things, but I learned enough to get some decent grades and became a generalist. I had to at least go through the motions while being at a performing arts high school."

"We'll appreciate any help that you can give us."

"You're welcome, but what is the film about?"

"She wants to do a tribute to 'The Scissoring'; it's her favorite movie."

The Southern teenager took a breath then slowly let it out with a slight frown. "I don't want anything to do with a film that is nothing but a hit piece against homosexuals and Christians. I may not agree with the lifestyle, but I'm not going to part of anything that demonizes them as it does or helps perpetrate that stupid stereotype of Christians that it espouses. Has she not connected that with the fact she's with a practicing Christian?"

Freddie blew out a tired breath and answered, "I agree with that interpretation, but she doesn't see the film that way. We've gotten into several heated discussions about it. She looks at it as a brilliant horror film and nothing else. Whatever she does in her film, it won't be like that."

He retorted with blatant disbelief, "Have you read her script?"

"I've read the second draft. She's taken out all the anti-Christian scenes or reworked them and it's just a straight up revenge/horror story. I don't see those allusions in her script."

"What allusions? The anti-Christian caricatures are right there to slap you in the face. When I watched it, I thought they had gotten members from the Westboro Baptist Church to play the parts… assholes."

"She took those story elements out."

The Southern teenager slightly frowned, but his reassurances seemed to be enough for him. He nodded along then nonchalantly asked, "So how's Shapiro? Did he ever really pull himself together? Is he really going through that 'training' for a rematch?"

"He's practicing with Tori this afternoon and I'm guessing they have since the start of the weekend."

He dryly questioned, "Do you think he has a chance in Heaven in pulling it off?"

"I don't know, but I think she secretly wants it more than Robbie."

"Oh? She wants to live vicariously through him?"

"Probably. I think she's the one with the self-confidence problems in beating him."

"I guess I should have just kicked his ass when I had the chance. Maybe that would have helped her issues with him: him paying for his behavior."

"I don't know. I think it would mean more at beating him at his own game."

"You'll probably right, but you would have knocked him right out with how he looked at Jade when she called him a pathetic loser. He looked that stupid to try something."

Freddie frowned. "Well if during the rematch he wants to try something, then it won't end in a hambone match… and no one is spitting in Jade's face and walking away."

"Hey, I just didn't want to adopt a bitch that night, but blondie got the message."

He nodded then looked Dusty straight in the eyes and commented as if wasn't any big deal, but each knew it was a false sense of levity, "Robbie made another pass at Tori during their training."

Dusty took a soft breath as he realized his friend's allusion. He leaned back in his seat and dryly commented, "I don't see how that's my problem. Cat's a far smarter girl than people give her credit for and keeps turning him down. Have you thought that's why she keeps turning him down? His eyes wonder or maybe he's just not her type."

Freddie took a deep breath then let it out. "So you're not concerned he could cheat on her? You were wazzed off with him before Beck's screening."

"He was helping her perpetrate a lie that was just going to hurt her more in the end… which I'm betting it did. She obviously knows what the deal is and she is not as naïve as everyone likes to think. Let him keep chasing his tail around; it's not like he's the type to force anything with her."

Freddie kept his mouth shut as he instantly recalled the standees the ventriloquist had of Cat and that Jade mentioning once again her concern the night before the viewing of Beck's film about Robbie playing 'pirates' with Cat. He hated that his mind wondered into a dark place about what Robbie meant by the euphemism that Cat so vehemently rejecting such a thing that sounded harmless and Jade showing concern with it. He was afraid how Dusty would react if he told him such things… he was afraid what _he_ would have to do if Robbie ever refused to take no for an answer with Cat in playing pirates.

"…He's the one that might need to worry if she decides kitty needs a scratch."

The tech-producer gave him a surprised expression as he was pulled out of his musings.

Dusty raised an eyebrow and softly mocked, "Yes Freddie, she understands what sex is and knows what she likes in being intimate."

That was not a possible conversation he was ready to have with Robbie or Dusty at the moment, but felt he needed to ask to get a complete handle on the situation, "So you two…"

"Usually a gentleman does not kiss and tell, but… to assuage any concerns you may have, we did not have any form of intercourse. She loves to kiss and sometimes her hands roamed, but nothing further than that."

"Well… I still thought you should know."

Dusty nodded along in appreciation.

"Speaking of Robbie, I was wondering, why did you go out there? Why get involved with what looked like was going to be his fight? I can't imagine he's your favorite person."

The Southern teenager shrugged a shoulder and indifferently answered, "He's a Jew and I'm a Christian and Jesus would be mad at me if I didn't have Shapiro's back."

Freddie slightly pursed his lips in a frown and gave him an expression that basically projected, _"Are you serious?"_

Dusty laughed out at seeing Freddie's expression, "What? It's a valid reason." He rolled his eyes and blew out a breath, "Fine… the guy was willing to go two-on-one to defend his lady knowing that he didn't have a chance in the world of winning that fight—more likely just being on the wrong end of a beat down, but he went out there anyway. You have to respect that and you got to step up and back him on that play."

Freddie nodded along with the explanation as that explanation made total sense to the tech-producer. "So… are you sure you're okay?"

Dusty smirked. "Okay, if you are so concern about my emotional wellbeing, I'll tell you this: I make no promises that I won't kick Pretty Boy's ass as payback sometime in the future."

Freddie's eyes opened up wide in surprise at that admission.

The leaner softly laughed, "Okay, maybe I can be a little petty. Sue me."

Vega Residence  
Sunday, March 25, 2012

Tori and Robbie were dressed in sweats as the brunette held a large, rubber ball by a short tether and standing on the raised platform of the living room and surround the kitchen counter. Robbie was eagerly slapping the ball with Tori's encouragement, "Nice, use those wrists."

Robbie sped up in slapping the large ball and Tori shouted out with praise, "Yes!"

Freddie quietly slipped into the Vega residence and watched for a few moments as they wrapped up their routine. He happily called out to the training pair, "Hey."

The brunette smiled to the muscular teenager and lowered the ball as she called out, "Hey, what are you doing here?"

He shrugged a casual shoulder as he answered, "I just wanted to check to see how everything is going."

Robbie happily answered with a smile plastered on his face, "It's going great. Tori is fantastic at hamboning."

Freddie gave Tori his boyish grin as he agreed, "I never doubted it… but I think the queen deserves a little break?"

The brunette caught the look in his eyes. She laughed out, "Yeah, I could use a break. I'm going to get something to drink and use the bathroom."

The ventriloquist laughed out, oblivious that Tori was just giving Freddie the chance to talk to him alone.

Tori took a quick swing by the refrigerator to grab a bottled water then cut through the living room, behind the piano and headed up the stairs.

Freddie noticed that Robbie's eyes followed Tori the entire time, especially as she jogged up the stairs. He commented with a knowing laugh shared between guys when checking out members of the opposite sex, "Tori really is cute, especially in those workout sweats."

Robbie answered in an almost dreamy manner, "She certainly is."

Freddie forced a laugh at the beginning of his statement then trailed into quite serious tone, "Yes she is… too bad you can't pursue her since you're interested in Cat and it would be wrong to ask Tori if you could be her boyfriend."

Robbie blinked in surprised in the shift of Freddie's voice and mild accusation.

The former Seattleite continued with a slightly stern voice as if he was lecturing him like his father, "You can't do that Robbie. If you like Cat then pursue her in a respectful manner, but don't turn around and make passes at Tori. Don't disrespect either one of them by pulling that. Tori's already had to go through that with Steven."

The curly haired teenager eagerly asked, "Did she change her mind?"

Freddie softly frowned as he answered, "No, but you're ignoring my point: pick one, you can't try for both at the same time as if you're hedging your bets. It's wrong and disrespectful and you need to stop."

Robbie blew out a tired voice, "You had Carly and Jade."

He replied with an annoyed expression, "That's not an accurate comparison; I never actively went after two girls at the same time. Yes, in the back of my mind and a piece of my heart I kept Carly, but after my run in with the taco truck, I didn't pursue her. I left it in her hands to want to pursue me and she said no… very loud and clear, so… I moved on and you need to decide which one you want, just one."

The glasses wearing teenager frowned and looked quite annoyed with Freddie lecturing him, but the muscular teenager wasn't finished, "One last thing, I don't know what 'playing pirates' means, but I know that Cat doesn't like it to the point where Jade says it upsets Cat, so it upsets Jade and she does not approve of you asking, so… never ask her to play it again."

"Freddie, you can't—" Robbie stopped talking when he saw the cold stare Freddie was directing at him.

"I'm not asking you Robbie… I'm _telling_ you: don't ask her to play that again. Don't make me have to stand between you and Cat."

The ventriloquist swallowed down his fear at Freddie's unflinching stare.

Tori called out just as she reached the bottom of the stairs, "Hey, everything okay?"

Freddie kept his eyes on Robbie as he answered, "Yeah, everything's fine. We're just having a little guy talk. I'll let you two get back to your practicing." He turned and flashed a quick, reassuring smile to Tori then headed out.

Hollywood Arts High School  
Monday, March 26, 2012

The final bell for the day had rang about half an hour ago, so the main hallway was clear as Tori and Jade were standing just in front of the main stairwell of the school. Tori was dressed in an old blue baseball style T-shirt and her grey Hollywood Arts sweatpants and while Jade lazily held up her red PearPhone to record André and Robbie waiting at the end of hallway in athletic shirts and sports boxers.

Tori blew the whistle in her hand and the pair started dashing down the hallway. The determination on the teenagers' faces even brought a smile to the pale girl's face.

Robbie got ahead of André at the end of the hallway and jumped up in the air at apparently beating him in the race. Tori started cheering and Jade even let out a laugh as she continued to film the pair.

Freddie slipped up behind his green streak hair girlfriend from the stairs and wrapped his arms over her abdomen and rested his chin on her right shoulder. He whispered while looking at Robbie celebrating, "He looks like he's having a good day."

She softly laughed, "I guess he is."

The muscular teenager softly continued, "But he's not the only one."

She raised a challenging eyebrow while slightly turning her head to meet his eyes. "He's not?"

"You're wearing my favorite skirt on you."

The pale girl let out a soft laugh as he placed a soft kiss on her jaw line.

Black Box Theater

An hour or so later after Tori and Robbie had changed, the ventriloquist was sitting in one of the standard grey HA seats. He was going strong in a routine while Cat tap-danced in front of him while Tori was timing him with a stopwatch. He was grinning ear to ear as he felt that he was comfortable and confident in the routine as Tori pressed the button on her stop watch and shouted, "And stop!"

Robbie got up from his seat and Tori rested a supportive hand on his left shoulder. "You're ready."

Cat stopped her tap-dancing and smiled as she agreed, "He's ready."

Robbie nodded along and agreed cheerfully, "I'm ready."

Back lot of Nozu  
Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The lot was gathered with patrons off to the side as they waited for Robbie to show up. Jerold and his assistant were waiting by the back door as Mrs. Lee was handing the blonde a tray of finger food.

He was able to whisper out with a nasal sound as he was wearing a small cast over presumably a broken nose and his left cheek was discolored, "Thanks."

Mrs. Lee instructed the champion, "When he become a world famous Hambone man... you talk about my restaurant when you go on the Jimmy Fallon show."

The blonde shouted after placing the tray of food on a crate behind him, "Hey... looks like Shapiro ain't gonna show up."

The group made up of Jade, Freddie, André, Beck and surprisingly Dusty and Ava had gathered in a circle to speak. Jade's back was turned to the boys and she turned in surprise at them calling out. Freddie decided to approach them and looked Jerold straight in the eyes and retorted, "He'll be here."

Jerold blinked as he recognized the more muscular teenager. "Hey, aren't you?"

Freddie nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm him… and you're the one that eyed my girl the wrong way the last time? Is that right?"

Jerold swallowed down nervously and bowed his head.

The tech-producer took a step towards him and reiterated, "Watch your eyes… that's the only warning you're getting."

Jerold nodded along as he understood the more muscular teenager's threat.

Dusty muttered, "You better hope he shows up or I'm just going to have to whoop both of you to make up for the trouble of driving out here."

"I call dibs on Jerold," Freddie voiced with a cutting tone.

The pair shared a quick look of worry. The blonde cleared his throat and tried to steel his voice as he retorted, "Well, he's late, and me and the King gotta catch..."

Tori confidently walked up to her former partner and his one man entourage and sarcastically commented, "Hey, idiots... You wanna talk or Hambone?!"

Jerold crossed his arms over his chest and dismissively greeted the brunette, "Tori Vega."

Tori smirked, "What up, Jerold?"

Jerold snorted out with a mocking tone, "Still mad about me and Suzy MacAllan?"

The brunette happily retorted, "You still pick your nose and eat it?"

The blonde put his arm around Jerold's shoulders and made a cutting off motion with his left hand as he suggested, "Don't waste your breath on her, King."

Tori waved with a smile plastered on her face as she turned to the blonde teenager, "Oh, hi Merl. I see you're still sniff in' Jarold's butt."

Merl shouted as he took an aggressive step towards her and attempted to jab his finger in her face, "Hey, that was a dare!" but Freddie and André took steps forwards to block him. Freddie cut him off with a sharp tone, "Easy blondie, easy..."

Merl quickly coward from facing the pair as they looked more muscular than the other teenager that nearly broke his nose and he was afraid of what damaged they could do to him. He was especially worried since the web-celebrity was upset that Jerald had offended him by looking at the dark brunette the wrong way.

Cat whispered out with a fearful expression, "This Hambone battle is really scary."

Jade smirked with a dismissive expression and answered, "We're about to watch two nerds compete by slapping themselves. I think we'll be okay."

Freddie reassured the redhead with a confident smirk, "It's alright Cat; it's five on two if they start acting stupid."

Dusty spoke up, "Four on two; _you're_ really going to count on Pretty Boy in a fight? You think he's going to watch _your_ back?"

Beck glared at the former webmaster.

Dusty looked straight back at him and debated whether or not just to slug him.

Everyone's attention for a moment was drawn away from the hambone match to the teenagers. Since most of the other patrons that had arrived to watch the hambone match were Hollywood Arts students, they had a keen interest in seeing if the former webmaster of their school social-site would finish the fight that nearly happened two months ago; especially since the story of him leaving TheSlap was due to Beck's film.

The group of friends looked on in worry, but Freddie reluctantly answered with a soft voice to diffuse the situation, "Yes."

The Southern teenager shrugged a shoulder and muttered, "Blind faith there buddy."

Beck continued to stare at Dusty, but Tori joined Freddie in turning attention away from the pair and stated, "Jerold can go first."

Jerold confidently shouted, "All right. It's on!"

Robbie laughed, "Like a game of Mah Jongg!"

Tori leaned over and hissed into his ear, "Please, let me do the cool talk."

Robbie threw his jacket off of his shoulders for Beck to catch then snapped it out.

The pair had a seat across from one another while Cat walked over to the ventriloquist. She whispered to him, "Good luck, Robbie," then gave him a soft kiss on the right cheek.

Ava spared Dusty a quick glance to see his reaction to the gesture, but wore an impassive expression.

Merl asked, "Ready?!"

Robbie confidently answered, "I'm certainly ready!"

Jerold snorted out, "Bring it!"

Merl shouted as he threw his hand down, "Hambone!"

'The King' started off with a relative simple routine that focused on his knees, a few slaps on his chest then finished with the side of his shoe.

The crowd responded with a few verbalizations, "Woo! Yeah. Oh..."

Robbie responded with some various slaps on the sides of his shins then finished with a few slaps between his hands and lap.

Tori clapped as he finished and shouted, "Yes!"

Jade even threw in her support with an angry, "Yeah."

Jerold quickly countered with a slap in his inner thighs then followed by several on his lap and finished with an inverted clap. Merl shouted his support to his king, "Jerold! Woo!"

Robbie responded with a more complex and faster pattern and as they watched, André whispered over to Tori, "Look at Robbie work!"

The brunette eagerly and confidently responded, "He's doing great! He's gonna take him!"

Robbie sped up his hamboning and the complexity of his routine with the crowd cheering him on, "Yeah! Woo! Robbie! Come on!"

However, as everyone's attention was draw to the match, Merl scooted behind Jerold and picked up a piece of the food that Mrs. Lee gave them earlier. The next moment he tossed it and the piece of sushi went flying across the 'field of battle'. It hit Robbie in the face and his momentum of hamboning sent him twisting out of his seat and on to the floor.

The crowd shouted in shock and embarrassment, "Oh!"

Jerold jumped up from his seat and shouted, "Oh yeah! Yeah baby!"

Merl shouted, "Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Tori bent down and noticed the white layered piece of food then held it up and shouted, "Wait! Wait a second... You threw this Sushi at him."

Merl lamely denied, "Did not."

The brunette shouted back in outrage, "Did too! You threw it and messed up his rhythm!"

Robbie muttered out, "I... I can go again."

Merl shouted, "No way, it's over."

Tori shouted, "You cheated!"

Jerold smugly responded, "Still a sore loser, Vega?"

Freddie whispered out coldly that caught everyone's attention, "Sit down."

The longer curly haired teenager looked to the cold brown eyes as Freddie continued, "Take your seat and go again or admit you just cheated, because if you walk away, we're all going to go online and tell how you had him cheat for you then ran away."

Jerold snorted out, "They're not going to believe you. I'm a national champion—"

Dusty cut him off by pointing out the obvious, "That was so threatened by an amateur that you had to face him twice and both tainted by accusations of misdeeds by your side. Your peers must smell the blood in the water."

The longer haired curly teenager didn't understand the reference as Freddie picked up, "And I'm Freddie 'iCarly' Benson, some might not believe me, but others will and when everyone else here starts talking about it… everyone will at least hear it and there'll be enough that will believe. As my friend's pointing out: everyone in your 'circuit of hambone peers' will be itching to challenge you for the crown. You can't turn any of them down when you challenged Robbie first then accepted a rematch without basically forfeiting your crown, so if you can't take him out fair and square _now_, you're finished as a hamboner."

Jerold looked to Merl for a moment then growled out in frustration as he sat the stool back down and had a seat.

Robbie retook his seat and took several calming his breath then glanced up to see Tori giving him a supportive smile.

Freddie smirked while he instructed his friend, "Just kick his ass."

The instruction caused Robbie to chuckle and instantly take the tension away while Tori demanded of Merl, "Call it!"

The blonde shouted and threw his hand down, "Hambone!"

Robbie started again filled with confidence and started up his routine again before he was interrupted.

Cat shouted, "Go Robbie!"

André joined the cheering, "Oh... Yea Robbie!"

He finished it up with a little bit of showing off by slapping his knees in a pattern as if he was finishing up a drum solo. He chuckled as he met Jerold's stunned face.

Merl softly patted Jerold's back and nervously spoke, "Come on, you're up."

Jerold took a nervous breath then started off slow with a few slaps on his lap and right leg, but missed slapping the side of his left foot. "Oh dang! Wait, wait, wait..."

Jade was the first to excitedly point how 'the king' had messed up his routine with everyone else joining her in their pointing.

Tori shouted as she pointed to her former partner, "Misbone! He misboned!"

Robbie jumped up from his seat and shouted in joy at beating the champion.

Jade threw up her right hand in the air, clenching her PearPhone, as she shouted in celebration.

Beck and André picked up Robbie while the actor shouted, "The new Hambone King..." The crowd started cheering as they started carrying around in circles a few times then sat him down on his feet.

Cat turned to shout to Merl, "Hey, hey, hey!"

The dirty blonde shouted back with a voice filled with his irritation, "What? What!?" Cat grabbed the dirty blonde by the shoulders and blew in his face as he did her the night they met. She gleefully shouted, "Blowback!" She darted away to rejoin her friends as they headed inside the restaurant.

* * *

Author's Note: So Robbie actually gets to win one? I hope you enjoyed my interpretation to the episode and touched on some overarching points of this story. Minor spoiler, but the next chapter will be my interpretation of 'Tori Fixes Beck and Jade'. I'm moving it up from where it would be in the natural canon timeline for story purposes (as well as the next full moon for them is on Good Friday which they won't be there) then the following chapter lines up with their Easter Break. See you later.

Guest Star Munro Chambers as Dalton  
Photo Appearance by Laura Marano as Mary  
Special Guest Appearance by Jensen Ackles as Mister Hale


	22. Chapter 22: iKnow I Know You

Author's Note: Hello everyone. Same message I have every time: I hope you are doing well and thank you for your continued support of this story and series as a whole.

ArtisticAngel6: I felt he finally deserved a win. The whole episode led to Robbie winning then Tori sweeping in at the last moment was wrong. If you are referring to my other story 'Because Fate Said So' then I always billed that as a story that you as the reader determined if they were connected stories. Also, reread the last two chapters of that story as it answers your question if she remembers or not (assuming they are connected).

Twilight Warrior 627: Giving a little fairness to Dan (not much), he has only about 23 minutes to cover two storylines and there are plenty of times he fails doing even that, but he simply can't go as in-depth as I can in a written work. I've figured that (and discussions with others) he was just playing the field and hoped that he'd get with at least one of them. I think Dan just has something against males similar to Joss Whedon.

As a reader, I don't think Freddie or Tori believe that either, but to Freddie's mind: 'Why take the chance?' So he goes ahead and talks to Robbie to nip it in the bud before it could ever be a problem.

Bobby is possibly a guy in a picture in Dusty's room, Sammy is just the nickname of his uncle and Cas in another uncle. I don't see what the big mystery is to it.

Challenge King: The Freddie/Mr. Hale conversation was fun on the level of sprinkling some dark humor in the story. I mean he's all smiles and everything, but at the start, he did have a sawed-off shotgun on the other side of the door.

I'm glad you bring up the reasons why they are friends at least on having a similar moral outlook. Back when I first introduced him as a character my original thought was that I was going to make him the 'Chivalrous Pervert' (TVTropes), specifically in the mode of a Dionysus as a contrast to Freddie as Sam is to Carly, but decided I was going to make his father that way and that Freddie needed someone a little more serious in grounding of his beliefs. André is still a good character for that, but sometimes his zaniness undermines that point where Freddie has had to get on to the songsmith's behavior.

Freddie talking to Robbie was not only for the girls' benefit, but for Robbie's as well because Freddie doesn't want to see his friend go down a bad road.

Fanfic-Reader-88: It's good to be the king. As I said in my PM, the 'Captain Save a Friend' will be addressed in a serious light in a fairly soon chapter and in a way that might surprise you. Also, you bring up a good point: Robbie may not be necessarily wrong in 'playing the field' as he isn't attached and Freddie may not necessarily be right, just disagrees with Robbie's outlook on dating.

darck ben: Hey, I just needed an actor that fit the bill. He's about ten years too young, but if Dan can cast a Colonel Shay that is only six years older than Jerry Trainor, why can't I? I hope you like this interpretation of Tori Fixes Beck and Jade as obviously in this story, she has no interest in doing such a thing. I got you on the equivalent of speed dial as I'm working on iGuess We're Roommates.

Jeremy Shane: Here's more.

Layla: That's the only thing that stood out for you? It wasn't a Holy Tax accountant? An uncle named Sammy? I hope you like this update.

PD31: Okay, Freddie's a little petty for the sake of his friend standing up for his girlfriend, sue him. :P

I got to keep the subplots moving along with the overall plot that is Jedi. Thanks.

ICVRFF: I thought I'd let the parody scenes stand on their own as I'm not sure what else I could say other than point a sign to them and say: Rocky parody.

Also, if you enjoy some Jade/Freddie friendship and leading to Cat/Freddie, turn to PD31's **A Place to Call Home**. Just between you and me… I think it could be leaning more towards something more than friendship, but that's just me, so let's just keep it quiet between us.

Okay, on with the story and additional note: This chapter picks up the following day after The Hambone King Part 2.

Rating: T Language

* * *

Chapter 22: iKnow I Know You

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The Wednesday morning was a lovely one as André and Tori were walking down the right side stairway to head for the lovely young woman's locker. The songsmith laughed out, "Oh come on, no way."

The brunette laughed out, "I swear! I told Trina the jeans were too tight for her, but she just wore 'em to dinner anyway."

"And then, right in the middle of dinner?"

Tori laughed, "They exploded."

André laughed out as the pair reached the bottom step and the hallway.

Beck met up with the pair just before the brunette reached her locker and called out, "Hey."

Tori happily replied, "Oh, hi, Beck."

Beck held a PearPad and asked, "So, Sikowitz wants to know if you guys are gonna sing at the Full Moon Jam."

Tori playfully ran her fingertips over the front of her throat and answered, "I think I'll skip it this year and give my voice a rest."

André shrugged his shoulders with his hands in his jean pockets. "And I'm thinking I'm just gonna emcee this year."

Beck tapped the Pad and answered, "Emcee and skipping, got it."

* * *

Jade was in a particularly good mood (and felt good in her eye-catching scoop neckline burgundy dress with three layered skirt with her torn black leggings and red boots) as she was getting a drink from the Wahoo Punch drink machine next to the janitor's closet. Her mood was potentially threatened when a young man with short brown hair and just shy of Jade's height approached the burgundy streaked hair girl and nervously announced, "Hello... Excuse me, Jade? Uh... I'm Braden... from your history class."

She gave him a curious glance as she popped her lips with the accompanying popping sound.

He fearfully started, "You borrowed my notes. Can I have 'em back now?"

She softly narrowed her eyes as she maintained her curious expression with the slightest of head turns as he started to stutter, "I... I could... Oh God, I'm sorry."

Jade smirked as the teenager turned and ran away. "Thanks Braden," she commented with a smirk as she started down the hallway, popped the tab to the can and took a sip from her drink.

* * *

André had walked off to head for his class, but Tori and Beck continued to talk by her locker. The long haired actor laughed as he put away his PearPad into his book bag, "Come on, her pants actually exploded?"

Tori laughed out, "Yes! Her zipper landed in some old lady's soup!"

A lovely young lady in a pink sweater and Daisy-Duke denim shorts approached the pair from behind Tori. As she pulled out her earbuds from her ears from listening to something on her PearPhone, she cheerfully greeted them, "Hey Tori, hey Beck."

Tori happily returned the greeting, "Oh, hey Meredith."

"What's up?" Beck quickly followed.

Meredith put away her phone and earbuds into her bag hanging off of her right shoulder as she answered, "Just trying to pick a song for the Full Moon Jam."

"Ah," Tori happily voice with a slight nod of her head.

"Okay."

Meredith wore a bright smile and sweetly suggested, "So Beck, if you wanna, I was thinking maybe we could hang out later..."

Tori casually walked around the shorter teenager with a hint of a knowing smile playing her lips as Beck nervously laughed, "Um..."

She asked with a bright smile and hopeful tone, "I can sing you a few songs, you can help me pick one."

Beck awkwardly answered, "Yeah, um, I would, but today's not good."

The Daisy-Duke shorts wearing teenager smiled as she happily replied, "Oh, okay."

Tori looked over Meredith's right shoulder to Beck with a concerned expression plastered over her face. She quickly asked with a higher pitched and concerned tone, "What do you mean, today's not good? What's wrong with today?"

Beck dryly answered almost with a bored tone and motioned with his hands as if he was holding an invisible jar of coins, "Today... I have uh... a big jar of coins... and I gotta count them."

Meredith happily wished him good luck, "Okay, well have fun," then turned to walk away.

Tori looked on in surprise at Beck and gently grabbed Meredith's left wrist to prevent her from walking away. "Whoa, whoa. Wait, wait, wait, wait." She looked from behind Meredith's right shoulder and asked with a bright smile and a tone that suggested that Beck change his mind for the bullchizz excuse she knew he was giving to the shorter girl, "What do you mean you have to count your jar of coins?"

Beck awkwardly answered, "Ya know... I've just collected a lot nickels and quarters... and now I need to count them."

The shorter teenager girl put on an awkward smile and commented, "Um, I should really get to class. Bye."

Tori lifted her left hand and answered, "Bye."

Once the girl was a few steps away, Beck wore a bored tone and commented to Tori, "I don't actually have a jar of coins."

Tori opened her eyes wide and sarcastically, "No."

"I can't hang out with Meredith. Okay?"

The brunette asked in disbelief, "Why not? She's cute and she totally likes you."

The long haired actor quickly hushed her, "Shh!"

He looked past Tori to see Jade at her locker, casually talking to a brunette girl dressed all in blue from jacket to jeans.

Tori questioned with annoyance filling her voice, "Why do I have to shh..."

"Shh!" the actor insisted with lifting his finger to his lips then grabbed her by the wrist and started dragging her to the janitor's closest while Tori complained, "So grabby."

He wrapped an arm around the small of her back and waist and finished shoving her into the closet. He closed the door behind them and started, "Okay, I get that Meredith likes me... and maybe I could like her but ya know... Jade."

Tori knotted her brow and questioned with a confusing tone, "But you and Jade broke up months and months ago and she's quite happy with Freddie."

He blew out a breath and answered with a tired voice, "Yeah, but when we were dating, one summer, Meredith and I were in a play together and it made Jade like crazy jealous."

Tori replied with an unsure tone, not entirely sure where the handsome actor was going with his point, "Oh, okay and if she found out you were snoodling with Meredith now..."

Beck nodded his head as he answered with a hint of a melancholic tone, "Jade might explode like Trina's too tight pants. It could just open up old wounds for her about one of the reasons why we broke up, especially when everything is finally settled between us; going out with a girl that was interested in me when we were together might do that."

"So, your plan is to live the rest of your life being scared of Jade reacting to you moving on?"

"Well, that's not my only plan. Someday I'd like to plant a vegetable garden."

Tori blew out a tired breath and slumped her shoulders. "How did you and Jade handle it when she started dating Freddie? About dating other people?"

"Carly and Sam actually told me, but I didn't believe them. A few hours later, Jade showed up… with Freddie—and she told me that they were together. I was shocked that it was true, but… I told her I was happy for her and she told me she'd be happy if I found someone else."

"So she _did_ tell you to be happy with someone else? Then just talk to her about. Okay, it might make her upset at first that it's Meredith when you tell her, but just talk it out with her."

Beck knotted his brow as he questioned if he had heard her correctly, "Ask her permission to date Meredith?"

"No, just tell her because there's some history there. Deal with it so if it does open up an old wound, you can close it right back up. She says she wants you to be happy, I'm just suggesting you hold her to it."

Beck pursed his lips and glanced away from her. He mumbled out, "I'll think about it."

The brunette nodded her head for that small victory then she turned to head out of the closet with him behind her. As they made their way down the hall, they met up with Freddie, Jade and Dusty.

Beck put on a smile to cover his sudden awkwardness at seeing his ex-girlfriend.

The tech-producer laughed as he greeted the pair (and ignored for the moment that he and Jade had saw the pair exiting the janitor's closet), "Hey, I was hoping to catch you. I heard you're signing people up for the Full Moon Jam for Sikowitz? So they really are moving it up?"

"Yeah," he let out a soft laugh with the momentary distraction to his predicament. "Since next week is Spring Break with the full moon falling on Good Friday, they thought to go ahead and have it now than after."

"Good, because I want to sign up to perform."

Tori laughed out, "Really?"

Freddie laughed as he answered, "Yeah, I want to show off how much I've learned from André after all these months of practice."

As they were speaking, Beck pulled his PearPad from his book bag and tapped on it to add Freddie's name to the list. "Okay."

Dusty gave Beck an even expression as he asked with a dry tone, "Go ahead and sign me up as well to the list."

Freddie gave him a questioning expression.

Dusty shrugged a shoulder and casually answered, "Might as well perform at least once while I'm here. This is a 'performing arts' high school."

Jade smirked as she questioned, "So you can actually play and not just drum on your guitar?"

He smirked at the burgundy streaked hair girl as he happily commented, "I do have hobbies."

Before Beck could add his name to the list on his PearPad, his and Tori attention was caught by something behind the other three.

The Southern teenager's Northridge developed instincts flared up in warning and he quickly snapped around to see Sikowitz attempt to sneak up on him, Jade and Freddie.

The acting teacher was caught off guard with wide eyes and a step back with eccentric hand movements.

He frowned at the acting teacher and admonished with a cold tone, "Sneaking up on someone is not a very polite thing to do… you could get real hurt, real quickly that way by certain people."

The balding teach ignored on commenting on the bit of advice and questioned, "Did you say that you were signing up for a slot at the Full Moon Jam?"

Dusty cautiously answered, "Yes."

He shook his head and commented with a raised voice, "Not so fast Dustin."

Dusty shook his head and questioned with a slightly irritated tone, "What is it any of your business whether I sign up for it and how do you even remember who I am? I was in one class with you a year and a half ago… and you barely talked to me; you were too busy brown nosing your favorites."

Sikowitz crossed his arms and calmly answered, "Because you're the only one of my students that ever failed passing 'The Bird Scene'; that's something that stands out."

The others looked to him with curious and perplexed expressions.

Dusty's opened his eyes wide in surprise then quickly knotted his brow and frowned. "Wow, you have the nerve to lie about me to my face in front of people you drugged out flower child?"

"Dude," Beck questioned in defense of his teacher.

He snapped his head around to glare at the long haired actor. "It's an accurate description. Everyone knows he trips out on a regular basis with his 'special coconut milk' but they won't fire him for being a druggie. How long would any of us stay if they found hallucinogens on us? We'd get a drug charge against us and be out of here permanently."

The balding teacher frowned deeply as he eyed the lean teenager and answered with a clearly annoyed tone that he had recently been using with Freddie when the tech-producer called him out, "Well I am not lying."

"Yes you are. I didn't fail the scene because I never _took the scene_. It wasn't a required assignment, so you can't fail me for it."

Jade looked to Dusty with a confused expression as she wondered, "Why didn't you perform the scene?"

Dusty snorted out a laugh, "You're not required to take it. I already performed to get in, so I didn't see the point of taking another performance test again that got me in here in the first place. Besides, since you can't be in a performance without it, I got through a performing arts high school without ever having to performing. It let me concentrate on the real reason I came here."

Sikowitz shook his head in shame. "A performer that doesn't want to perform."

"I'm here because I live in the Northridge school district, so I would have to go that Hellhole of a school because you blasted teachers and politicians are more concerned about not having to do your jobs as teachers than my education. Going here was my only way out because your zip code determines your school."

"I'm sorry that you threw away your opportunity to learn to be a performer and deny that opportunity to someone else that wanted to—"

The former webmaster snapped with his interruption, "I only denied someone the chance like everyone else that goes here: I was better than the ones I competed with for the slot, so trying to guilt trip me isn't going to work."

Sikowitz apparently realized that Dusty had destroyed his argument, so he let it go and continued with his original point, "Regardless, you didn't pass it, so you can't perform."

Freddie spoke up, "'The Bird Scene' is supposed to teach you to trust your own choices as an actor and not worry about the audience opinion."

Dusty blinked for a moment then snapped back, "Well that's a bunch of crap. It's that mentality that makes Vega number one think she can actually sing."

Sikowitz snapped with a curt tone, "Freddie, you are not supposed to tell anyone."

Freddie shook his head and answered with a flippant tone, "Sikowitz, it's less than three months before graduation and this is the only thing he's ever going to perform in and I don't owe you _any_ favors after the chizz you've tried to pull on us."

"You just told him the answer to a test—that's cheating."

Freddie knotted his brow. "To a test that has no bearing on your grade and still a bunch of nonsense as it was when I got here? You _really_ want to make something of it?"

The acting teacher frowned and the others could see that Sikowitz was really starting to get annoyed at being called out. "I'm sorry, but you still can't perform." He turned and headed off before anyone else could say another word.

Dusty turned to look at Beck and told him a curt tone, "Don't take my name off."

"You just heard hi—"

"You already cost me TheSlap; do you really think it's a good idea for you to try to screw me over a second time? Really? I don't have Freddie's patience with you."

Beck shifted his weight to his right foot and gave him an annoyed glare. He snapped out with a hint of disgust in his voice, "I didn't do that; you're the one that was too stubborn to post my movie like everyone else's. Don't blame me for your sanctimonious attitude costing you TheSlap… _and_ Cat."

Jade's eyes shot open and lips formed an 'O' shape as if she was about to whistle. Her shock wore off in an instant as she frowned and narrowed her eyes on her ex. Tori looked on in surprise and a moment later was filled with worry with what would happen next. Freddie deeply frowned at Beck taking a shot at his friend's love life.

Dusty softly smirked as he calmly answered, almost with a soft laugh to his voice, "You really want to talk about attitudes and where it gets you? I have my honor and dignity as a man; what do you have? What's your attitude gotten you Pretty _Boy_?" He snorted out, "It certainly didn't let you hang onto Jade because she _really_ traded up from a little boy to a man that loves her."

Beck frowned and outright glared at him as he took a step forward.

Dusty dropped his book bag off his shoulder and quickly took a step towards Beck to meet the potential challenge.

Freddie took a step beside them and held out his hands. He cautioned with a worried tone to both of them, "Guys, let's take a step back."

The teenagers ignored him for a moment as they stared down one another, sizing each other up and deciding if they were going to take it to the next step. The staring contest caught the attention of the few students lingering the hallways. The look on some of their faces showed that they wouldn't be disappointed if they got to see the pair really throw down to make up from the aborted fight they nearly had around two months ago.

Tori tugged on Beck's arm and eagerly suggested, "Come on, let's go ahead to class."

The actor relented as he felt the gentle tug on him arm from the lovely girl.

The pair continued to trade glares before Beck turned his head away and let Tori lead him down the hallway.

The couple turned to the annoyed Southern with mixed expressions of concern, sympathy and curiosity.

Dusty turned and looked to the couple with an even mouth expression. He snorted out with an annoyed tone and hint of daring them to challenge his view, "What? It's the truth."

Freddie blew out a soft breath through his nose and shook his head. He wasn't going to argue with his friend's assessment of the situation because in all honesty, he didn't mind him being 'sanctimonious' in regards to his relationship with Jade when there were plenty of things against it.

He laced his fingers with Jade's fingers to hold her hand then commented, "I think we'll be heading to class too." He looked to Jade to double check if she really wanted to head off or she really wanted to comment on Dusty's remark.

She somewhat surprised him by smiling and remarking, "Yeah, Sikowitz might actually show up on time this time and I wouldn't want to miss seeing that."

Dusty chuckled and gave a slight nod of his head as he picked up his book bag from the floor.

"Later," he called out as the couple turned and headed off to class, hand-in-hand.

He blew out a breath and shook his head with a smirk on his face then started on his way to his own class.

Asphalt Café Parking Lot

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Jade was on the stage setup in part of the Asphalt Café's parking lot for the Full Moon Jam. She was in front of the microphone stand and singing into it to test the volume and acoustics, "La da. La da. La da, da, da, da, da, da."

She took a breath then continued singing despite her getting frustrated with the feed into her earpiece, "La, la, la, la, la, la, la." She made a clicking sound with her tongue and wasn't happy with what she heard in return. She turned her attention out to beyond the intended audience area where the sound equipment was set up just at the edge of the café itself. Sinjin was in the center of sound equipment with two of his assistants on either side of him and she calmly called out to him, "Okay, that sounds horrible. I can't hear myself on the monitor, turn me up a little."

Sinjin laughed, "Sure, I would love to turn you up a little." He then looked to his friends and laughed along with them at his lame come on line.

Jade face fell into anger, gripped the microphone with both her hands and shouted back in outrage, "Just turn my voice up you mop-headed freak!"

The curly blonde haired teenager cringed from her shouting along with his friends.

"Stop trying to make passes at my girl Sinjin!" Freddie shouted from behind them as he was seated with Tori at one of the blue grilled tables. Sinjin looked over his shoulder and swallowed down his fear at seeing the cold stare from the tech-producer.

Freddie shook his head then looked back to Tori. He blew out a breath then knotted up in confusion as he asked for clarification, "So he won't go out on a date with this Meredith because of Jade?"

The lovely brunette nodded her head. "Yeah, he's afraid she'll get upset."

"How? Does he seriously think she's going to get jealous? She's wanted him to be happy and find someone since we got together. She has never wanted him to be miserable and alone."

Tori cocked her head to the side, narrowed her eyes and lifted a corner of her mouth questioning such a statement.

He shrugged a shoulder and continued with a casual tone, "Sure she was upset about the whole talking to Carly behind our backs and it looking like they tried to sabotage us, but that's passed and everything's good between them."

The brunette blew out a tired breath and explained with a slightly sorrowful voice, "It's the particular girl… a few years ago they were in a play together and Beck said Jade got 'crazy jealous' over it. He's afraid it'll open up old wounds if he goes out with her."

Freddie rolled his eyes. "And calling her 'crazy jealous' wouldn't do it?" Freddie shook his head in disgust as he continued, "So he still accepts no responsibility in playing on her insecurities whatsoever and _still_ dismisses her feelings: she's 'crazy jealous', not that she could have a real point."

Tori laughed out nervously, "I don't think I can comment on that."

He gently rested his hand on her left forearm and commented with a gentle tone, "You don't have to…" He shook his head and continued, "Anyway… so is he thinking that she'll assume if he does go out with Meredith that he really did want to go out with her while back when they were together?"

The actress nodded her head. "I think so."

Freddie blew out a tired breath and took a sip from his drink. "Okay, we'll just have them talk it out. It'll be better for them all around and it'll give Jade a chance to put away any linger demons she has about his behavior during their relationship. We can get them to talk this afternoon after my practice session with André. I assume Beck's staying after to help finish organizing for the Full Moon Jam?"

"I would think so," she haphazardly guessed.

"Good, but just another quick question, is that why you two were coming out of the closet together? He was telling you all this?"

She rolled her eyes as she lazily fiddled with the blue, plastic three ring binder resting on the table in front of her. "Yeah, he dragged me in there so Jade couldn't overhear us."

Freddie instantly put on a worried expression and questioned, "He dragged you to the closet? As in literally?"

Tori frowned with an embarrassed expression and looked down at the table and Freddie instantly knew the answer was yes.

Freddie palmed his forehead and took a deep breath. He looked up to Tori with an irritated look in his eyes. "I told him that if he ever put his hands on Jade again without her permission I'd teach him what the word no means; am I going to have to do that to him in regards to you?"

Tori shook her head and whispered out in an almost pleading tone, "Freddie, please don't do anything. Things are finally calm between you."

He clenched his jaw tightly and shook his head in defiance. There was a hint of anger in his eyes as he responded, "Tori, that's not fair. You can't ask me _not_ to do something when he has it stuck in his head that he can just put his hands on you without your permission. He's not going to just manhandle you whenever he feels like it."

She bowed her head and looked to see that his hand still rested on her forearm. She looked back up to him with a small, playful smile.

He pulled his hand away and cracked as smile of his own. He softly retorted, "You know what I mean."

She whispered just as gently, "I know… but do you think hitting him is going to solve anything?"

"I didn't say I was going to hit him… not yet," he mumbled the last part out then picked back up louder, "…just remind him that my warning extends to you. You should be handled as precious as you are, not dragged into a closet when you don't want to be."

Tori gave him a hesitant expression as if she wasn't entirely comfortable with that idea, but Freddie insisted with a smirk, "You're not going to win this argument… I love you too much for that."

The brunette gave a relenting smile as she retorted, "You know you're too sweet."

He softly chuckled, "I've been told that."

A number of students were carrying plastic bins up to the stage to Jade's left. The burgundy streaked hair teenager turn and shouted in outrage, "Not now!"

"Sorry Jade!" one of the students mumbled and ran from the stage with the others she frightened.

The pair of friends turned their attention to Jade to see what triggered her into becoming upset.

Jade gripped the microphone with both her hands and growled out, "Sinjin, fix this monitor before I make a necklace out of your ears!"

Sinjin whimpered in fear from behind the sound system as his friends coward in fear with him.

Freddie smiled and proudly commented, "That's my girl."

Tori Vega: Hey! Is anyone else having trouble updating their Slap Page? This is my 4th time trying to update. FEELING: Annoyed :\

Music Room

Hollywood Arts High School

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

André and Freddie had just finished the tech-producer's last practice before his first performance at the Full Moon Jam and put away their instruments when Jade walked inside, followed by Tori and Beck.

Freddie brightly smiled to his girl and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek then looked to Beck. "Good, everyone's here; you two need to talk."

Jade curiously asked, "About what?"

Beck looked to Tori and questioned, "Why did you drag me here?"

Freddie looked to Jade and motioned to Beck, "He's hung up about taking a girl out because how you might react, so Tori and I figured that you could talk some sense into him and tell him it's fine."

Beck knotted his brow and asked in an almost accusatory manner towards Tori, "You told him?"

Tori quickly spoke up in her own defense, "I'm trying to help you."

Jade looked to Beck whispered out in frustration, "Oh my God. How many times do we have to go over this? Ask out any girl you want!"

Freddie blew out a tired breath and commented with a hint of 'I told you so' in Tori's direction, "There, does that relieve your worry? Now he can go out and ask Meredith—"

The purple hair streaked girl turned to Beck and shouted in outrage, "Meredith?!"

Freddie blinked in surprise at his girlfriend's reaction. He hadn't discounted the possibility that she might be a little annoyed at hearing the news, but getting this upset was the last thing he expected. He hoped that after all this time, that maybe she had put Beck's behavior of letting girls ogle and come on to him in the past, but he was obviously wrong.

Beck started in an effort to calm her, "Jade—"

Jade cracked a smile, but it wasn't a pleasant one. She raised her voice and laughed out darkly while pointing her finger at Beck, "Oh, I knew it. I knew it _two years ago_ when you were in that awful play with her."

André commented with a hint of confusion, "I think I wrote that play."

Jade ignored him as she continued with a mocking and high pitched tone, "And Meredith was always like... 'Oh, Beck, why don't you come to my house so we can rehearse our lines? Ooh, Beck, I brought you some cupcakes'."

Beck shouted back, "Meredith brings everybody cupcakes! Her dad owns a cupcake shop!"

Tori curiously asked, "He does?"

Beck casually answered, "Yeah, Frank's Cupcakes."

Tori whispered in a longing tone as she looked to André, "Ooh, they're good."

André quickly agreed, "Yeah, they make some legit cupcakes."

Freddie quickly questioned and agreed, "She's Mister Frank's daughter? They are good; I treated Cat to a tray of them for her birthday, but dude, I didn't realize you let her carry on like that. You don't go to her house to rehearse anything."

Beck tilted his head to the side and question with a borderline accusing tone, "That's rich coming from you. How many times have you've been alone together with Tori at her house to work on something from school? Your play together for a week? Secretly rehearsing all Sunday so you could surprise us by playing Walter?"

Freddie knotted his brow and answered in a dismissive tone, "She's _Tori_ and when have I ever done anything to make Jade ever question my fidelity to her Mister 'I pretend to be so stupid I don't see when girls throw themselves at me'?"

Beck snapped without thinking, "New Year's."

Freddie clenched his jaw tightly along with his right fist.

The other three saw instantly that Beck had said the absolutely wrong thing to say. André worried that he was about to have to jump into trying to pull his friends apart and knew he wouldn't have been successful in such a thing.

Jade knotted her brow in anger and spoke up with a hint of disgust in her voice, "Ya know what? I don't care. We've been through this too many times and it doesn't matter whether you cheated on me or not with her or any other girl that threw themselves at you and didn't say anything to stop them." She softly taunted him with a flick of her brow, "Go out with Meredith and enjoy her cupcakes—enjoy the cupcakes of all the girls you let flirt with you when we were together." She grabbed Freddie's hand and pulled on him to get him to follow her.

He didn't resist the tugging and quickly went with her, only stopping for a moment to grab his book bag.

Beck shook his head and turned to follow them out with Tori whining out with regret, "Beck."

In route to West Residence

Freddie braced his elbow against the edge of the door just to the window of the driver's side door to hold his head up as he maneuvered his muscle car down the street with his other hand on the wheel. He muttered out, "Well that kind of blew up in my face."

Jade blew out breath and responded with a soft, sympathetic tone, "It's okay."

He acknowledged her statement with a raised eyebrow, but felt the need to explain, "Tori wanted to help Beck and I thought I could make sure that you were really at peace about him letting girls flirt with him and that you two were cool with one another. I didn't realize how much that still bothered you. I'm sorry."

She snorted out a soft laugh, "I guess I didn't realized how much it bothered me… especially with him being interested in one of them now." She looked down to her lap and whispered, "But it does make me wonder now that he could be interested in her, that maybe he really wanted to go out with her instead of being with me."

Freddie remained silent as he didn't know what to say. He was stuck in the position of defending Beck (snowball's chance of that happening at the moment) or agreeing with her in thinking that he may have wanted to leave her back then and date someone else and that's why he let them flirt with them. He finally decided to be honest and whispered, "I don't know Jade. I really don't know."

"And that's why it hurts," she whispered out with regret.

He quickly switched hands on the steering wheel and reached over to squeeze her hand. "Either way, I love you."

Those words brought a soft smile to her lips and she whispered in return, "I love you."

The couple rode in comfortable silence for a few minutes until Jade spoke up, "Is that what you were talking about with Tori?"

"During your sound check? Yeah, but…"

"What?" her voice instantly filled with concern.

"It wasn't the only thing."

"And that was?"

"Beck dragged her to the janitor's closet… literally to tell her about Meredith and I let her know that I need to tell Beck he can't do that to her either. She was afraid that if I said anything that would upset things again after everything's fine, but… we don't have to worry about that now do we?"

She rolled her eyes in disgust. "I guess we don't. The New Year's crack…"

Freddie softly bit his tongue from the memory, but instead of dwelling on it, he commented, "Which was nothing but a cheap shot, but we have more important things to worry about right now… like focusing on our performances at the Full Moon Jam."

The burgundy streaked hair teenager nodded her head in agreement. She softly smiled as she replied, "You're right. We're going to steal the show… are you going to tell me what song you're singing?"

He cracked a devious smile and questioned in return, "Are you going to tell me what you're going to sing?"

She instantly put on a soft pout as she wasn't going to tell him as it was a surprise and thus, he wouldn't tell her.

*Black Rectangular G5 PearPhone* Dusty Hale: People, stop pestering me about trouble logging onto TheSlap and updating. I'm not in it anymore; bug Dalton. FEELING: Sanctimonious 8)

Hollywood Arts High School

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Dusty was leaving his locker after second period to go ahead and take lunch since quitting TheSlap technically gave him a free third period, but was stopped by Braden.

The fellow teenager wore a nervous expression, one very similar to the one he wore when he approached Jade yesterday. He softly uttered, "D-Dusty?"

The L.A. immigrant gave him a curious yet guarded expression as he answered, "Yes?"

"I'm Braden and I was wondering if you could do me a favor?"

The Southern teenager cautiously remarked, "If it's about TheSlap, go pester Dalton. I'm not in it anymore."

He shrugged a shoulder and commented, "Ah, no. That's not it. It's about something else. Jade borrowed my history notes and I wanted them back, but…"

"What?"

"I asked her, but she gave me this looked that terrified me because… she scares everyone. I was thinking since you're friends with Jade and you're not afraid of her, I was wondering if you could ask for my notes back. I really need them."

Dusty knotted his brow and slightly frowned to the point where Braden looked like he was to bolt, but the lean teenager answered, "You're putting me in a tough little spot. The right thing to do for your benefit would be to tell you to just man up and ask her a second time and if she refused, go to your history teacher and report her for stealing from you, but on the other hand, I don't want you to get the silly idea that she's not an alpha female of the school and suddenly shouldn't be courted that level of… respect—fear—after standing up to her."

The former webmaster remained silent for a few more moments as Braden nearly wilted from Dusty's studying gaze. "I guess I'll get your notes back. Tell me your locker number and I'll slide them through the grill after I get them."

The slightly shorter boy cracked a relieving smile.

Asphalt Café

Thursday, March 29, 2012

"He obviously stepped out on you while you two were dating," Dusty casually commented as he logically concluded from his point of view then took a sip from his drink.

Jade frowned and furled her brow as she sat at the other side of the lunch table with Freddie.

Ava was sitting next to the lean teenager and gave him a questioning expression in the sense disbelieving he would be so blatant with his opinion.

He caught sight of her glance and rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm assuming the worst since it was a _pattern_ of behavior from him being an ass towards women."

Ava softly laughed out, "So from that you're just going to accuse him of cheating on her?"

Dusty slightly frowned while answering with a question, "Are we really going to pretend that none of us understands what 'cupcakes' really meant was her breasts and willing to spread her legs for him? Are we going to overlook him pretending that she wasn't flirting with him and he didn't care?"

Freddie bowed his head and looked to his food to try to hide the smirk from Dusty's bluntness. Jade softly smirked as a sign of agreement as she appreciated Dusty's willingness not to sugarcoat the truth.

Ava laughed out, "So you're assuming the worst with her?"

"I assume the worst in people on general principle, but how would you take such a comment about 'bringing cupcakes'?"

The brunette looked to her food as she couldn't immediately refute his point.

Freddie pointed out, "In her defense, her father is Mister Frank from Frank's Cupcakes."

Jade narrowed her eyes on her boyfriend when he used the phrase, 'In her defense'. However, she quickly figured that he probably didn't realized exactly how that could sound when just talking about the cupcake aspect.

"He is," Ava quickly agreed then looked back at Dusty, "I thought she gave cupcakes out to everyone because her dad owns the cupcake shop?"

"So she brings everyone stale or nearly stale cupcakes?" He made a disgusted face as he finished, "Eww."

The other three looked to him with curious expressions.

He quickly explained, "Why is the man going to cut into his bottom line by giving away fresh cupcakes and not the ones he couldn't sale that day? She has to be giving away the cupcakes that you put on that self they put bread products that have to be sold immediately or they have to throw them out."

The purple streaked hair girl quickly agreed with a nod of her head and devious smile as she didn't have one problem besmirching Meredith. She knew it was petty, but at the moment, she didn't care.

He continued a moment later to Jade, "Anyway, it doesn't matter now. He screwed up and you traded up to Freddie. Let him live the regret and be happy. If he wants to date them, well… pity them because I haven't seen him being better to the ladies." He paused for a moment and commented in a disbelieving tone, "I'd even pity Northridge girls".

Freddie blew out a tired breath as he was forced to agree with that assessment while Jade contemplated on his words.

The Southern teenager took another sip from his drink then started again, "There's something I wanted to talk to you about Jade."

"And what's that?"

"This guy name Braden asked me to ask you for his history notes back."

She bowed her head slightly and looked to the former webmaster and questioned with a bit of annoyance in her voice, "He got you to ask me?"

"Because I'm your friend and not afraid of you. The guy looked like he was going to pee himself. I told him that the right thing would have been to tell him to man up and ask you again and if you refused, just report you to your teacher for stealing."

The pale teenager instantly knotted her brow in annoyance.

"But… I told him I'd ask you simply because I don't want him to get the silly idea that after he stood up to you that he could forget you're an alpha female. I don't want him to get any ideas of grandeur. So…" He held out his right and finished, "I need the notes back."

Jade was outright frowning at this point with him telling her that she would actually have to give them back.

Freddie leaned over and softly whispered, "Jade."

Dusty shook his head and flippantly suggested, "Just photocopy his notes and give them back and call it at day. Do we really need this extra 'drama' in our lives right now?"

She threw up her hands and spoke with a resigned tone, "Fine. I'll go to the library after lunch and see if Mrs. Nicholson will copy them for me."

Dusty smirked. "There, doesn't it feel good to do the right thing?"

The screenwriter rolled her eyes as she took a sip from her drink.

Asphalt Café

Friday, March 30, 2012

The last day before Easter/Spring Break flew by and it was early evening as André took the stage and cheerfully announced, "Hey, folks! What's up, y'all? Alright, everyone sit tight. We're gonna kick off this year's Full Moon Jam in just a few minutes!"

André's grandmother was sitting in the audience with Trina to her left and they cheered along with the rest of the crowd. The older African-American woman was particularly proud of her grandson even if he wasn't performing this year.

Also in the audience was Beck sitting on Meredith's right side in yard chairs and finished taking a sip from his drink then asked, "Oh, so do you wanna head over to the food table or do you just wanna hang here?"

Meredith held her red plastic cup in her hand and happily answered while sitting her cup down, "We can go get some food or stay here."

Beck curiously asked, "Well, are you hungry?"

She quickly snapped off, "Are you?"

The actor curiously answered, "Not really."

"Yeah, me either," she slightly nodded with a bright smile.

Beck grabbed the lapels of his jacket and answered, "Are you warm enough? Do you want to wear my jacket?"

"Do _you_ want me to wear your jacket?"

He pointed to her as he was loosing his patience with the eager to please girl and stated again, "Okay, the question is... do you want to wear my jacket?"

She continued to wear her bright grin as she answered, "Sure… if you want me to."

Beck blew out an annoyed breath and lowered his head to palm his forehead with his right hand.

Meredith giggled out, "So, who's your favorite teacher in this whole school?"

Beck lifted his head and casually answered with resting his hands on the armrest of his chair, "Easy. Sikowitz."

The lovely girl laughed out, "Yeah, he's my fave too."

He sarcastically responded, "I'm shocked."

She laughed out, "I'm shocked too."

He furled up basically his entire face and questioned, "Are... are you just gonna agree with everything I say? "

Meredith asked with a sweet voice, "Do you want me to agree with everything you say?"

"No."

She laughed out, "Then no."

"Okay, um..." He got up from his seat and pointed to the direction of the refreshment table. "I am gonna go over there."

She cheerfully replied, "Awesome."

He made his way to the food table where Tori was standing with a cup in her hand. He warmly greeted his friend, "Hey."

Tori cheerfully returned his greeting, "Hey." She playfully tapped him on his left arm asked while he got himself a drink, "So, you and Meredith? Huh? Are you guys gonna snoodle?"

Beck replied with a curt tone, "There will be no snoodling."

Tori asked in outrage and shock, "What?! After everything I've done?"

Beck calmly replied with a quick scratch under his nose with his right pointer finger as he held his cup, "Look, Meredith is... Nice. Too nice… too _disingenuous_. She's just desperately trying to please me without being herself. I just want to date—be with a girl who, ya know... is real."

Tori nodded her head as she cradled her cup and answered with a sympathetic tone, "Okay. I get that. I really do. Someone that's honest with you and themselves and not just putting up an act to be with you."

The longer haired actor looked to her and gave her a sympathetic smile as he guessed that she was thinking back on Steven and Ryder and how neither were those things to her. He felt a sudden rush of renewed anger he had originally felt after both incidences. Learning about Steven was after the fact and her and Carly's revenge on the boy, so that anger was slightly hampered, but Ryder annoyed him. He was quite glad the playboy actor had initially failed his song performance until he found out that Ryder couldn't be failed for the song from not performing it. Despite how janked up his behavior was with the girls by dumping them after each assignment, he didn't actually do anything wrong on an academic level. He had always pulled his weight for each assignment and that it was Tori that cut _him_ out of the assignment.

Beck pushed aside his anger and thought on how Tori had always been real to him and how even to this point after all his screw ups, she had tried to help him out. He smiled warmly to her and whispered, "You deserve some that will be real to you and know he'll be honest with you."

Tori gave him a bashful smile then looked away as Beck held his gaze on her for a few moments before their respective attention was caught by André retaking the stage and laughed out, "Our first performance for the night is Dustin 'Dusty' Hale. You should all know him as the former webmaster of TheSlap!"

A few in the crowd started shouting that they wanted him back in charge of TheSlap. A knot of students started holding up their phones in solidarity of support for him.

Dusty walked out on stage wearing his worn hooded leather jacket, blue jeans and Penny-T with the words 'Jeddie/Fade Shipper' printed on the front. He caught sight of one of the phone holding teenagers in particular. He cracked a smile as he made eye contact with Ava as she gave him a soft smile. He threw up a hand in thanks for the sentiment to all of them as he took his place in front of the microphone stand with a guitar hanging over his right shoulder from the cross strap and in his hands. He took his place in front of the center microphone and answered with a genuinely warm laugh, "Hey everyone… this is my very first performance while being here… and my last performance, so you're all obligated to be as cruel as possible in judging my performance."

His self-deprecating comment got a hearty laugh and cheer out of the audience.

"The song I'll be singing is 'Angel with a Shotgun' and it is dedicated to all the ones that have had to fight for their love and won against all the odds stacked against them."

Some of the other performers were waiting their turn off to the side of the stage. These performers included of course Freddie and Jade as they would be performing separately. Freddie raised a curious eyebrow to the dedication, but Jade smirked as she instantly realized it was specifically meant for them.

The lights turned down, bringing with it a more intimate mood on stage as Dusty started drumming the strings of his guitar and softly started the first few lines, _"Get out your guns, battles begun. Are you a saint or a sinner? If loves a fight, than I shall die with my heart on a trigger."_

He passed a quick glance to his right to look at the unlikely couple as he sang, _"They say before you start a war, you better know what you're fighting for."_ He looked out to the audience, just scanning people's eyes as he continued, _"Well baby, you are all that I adore. If love is what you need, a soldier I will be."_

The lighting turned back up and started going through its flash routine as Dusty's drumming against his guitar and picked up the tempo and raised his voice to near shout, _"I'm an angel with a shotgun, fighting til' the war's won! I don't care if Heaven won't take me back. I'll throw away my faith, babe, just to keep _you_ safe. Don't you know you're everything I have? And IIIIII wanna live, not just survive, tonight."_

He started pacing about the stage and joined one of the lovely background singers at her microphone, _"Sometimes to win, you've got to sin, don't mean I'm not a believer... and Major Tom, will sing along. Yeah, they still say I'm a dreamer." _

He stepped away and walked over to join Jade's friend Georgie, the blonde braided hair bass guitarist, playing away on her red guitar, _"They say before you start a war, you better know what you're fighting for." _

He glanced across the audience and just happened to make eye contact with Ava. He maintained that contact with the softest of smirks as he sang the next line, _"Well baby, you are all that I adore, if love is what you need, a soldier I will be."_

Cat, standing behind the sound controls with Robbie, noticed the eye contact as well as Ava cracking a soft smile in return. The redheaded frowned and remained silent.

Apparently Sinjin noticed the same thing and was half tempted to cut the sound in the middle of the Southern teenager's performance out of spite, but quickly realized that would be quite a costly mistake as he already had plenty of people upset with him that _still_ hadn't settled with him.

Off stage, Freddie wrapped his arms around Jade and rested his hands on her abdomen. He softly whispered in her right ear as he was one beat behind in singing along, _"…you are all that I adore, if love is what you need, a soldier I will be." _

A smile lit the blue streaked hair teenager as she rested her hands on top of his hands.

The Southern teenager's gaze left her as looked to scan the rest of the audience. _"I'm an angel with a shotgun, fighting til' the war's won, I don't care if Heaven won't take me back. I'll throw away my faith, babe, just to keep _you_ safe. Don't you know you're everything I have? And IIIIII…., wanna live, not just survive, tonight." _

The back ground singers picked up with him, _"Oooooohhhhhhhh, ooooooohhhhh whoa whoa oooh whoa!"_

The backup singers picked up, _"I'm an angel with a shotgun."_

"Oooooohhhhhhhh, ooooooohhhhh whoa whoa oooh whoa!"

"_...and I want to live, not just survive, tonight." _

The background singers backed him up, _"Live, not just survive."_

He walked to the center of the stage as the lights started wrapping up its routine. _"...and I'm gonna hide, hide, HIDE my wings TONIGHT!"_ The lighting finished its routine on his last line to flash behind him so to the audience it looked like a pair of shadow feathery wings formed perfectly behind him. This brought surprise and approving cheers out of the audience from the timed lightshow.

Freddie was looking at the sight from an angle, but he saw enough of the imagery to instantly recall the near identical display of how Anna had shown her wings to him on Christmas Eve. His eyes widened and he shut his mouth tightly.

The lights turned back down to the softer setting as he released his guitar and cradled the microphone in front of him and slowed down his singing to a soft melody, _"They say before you start a war, you better know what you're fighting for. Well baby, you are all that I adore, if love is what you need… a soldier I will be."_

The crowd started cheering and clapping loudly.

He started laughing from the adrenaline and their reaction. He pulled his guitar off of his shoulder and threw out a hand as he shouted, "Thank you and I all hope you have a Happy Passover and Easter next week." He turned and trotted off stage.

Freddie softly let out a nervous laugh out as the former webmaster approached them, "That was great."

He was laughing from the euphoria, "Thanks. That was actually fun. I can see why you guys enjoy it."

Jade raised her pierced eyebrow and questioned, "I didn't know you could sing."

Dusty chuckled, "I blame it on my mother. She has the voice of an angel."

Freddie raised an eyebrow at that description to the teenager's redheaded mother while Jade laughed at what she thought was a joke.

The songsmith took the center microphone and announced the next performer, "Okay, our next performer is Freddie Benson."

Dusty motioned his head towards the stage. "It's your turn."

He quickly gathered his wits and shoved the pieces to what was looking like a puzzle in a mental filing cabinet. He smirked then left a soft kiss on Jade's cheek. He quickly picked up the guitar he borrowed from the school and hurried on stage. He smiled to the songsmith and answered, "Thank you André." He took a seat on a stool that was brought out and behind the microphone.

Freddie looked to his friend and spoke into the microphone as he took a comfortable seat and rested the guitar on his thigh. "I can't thank my friend enough for teaching me how to play the guitar. Everyone, give him a round of applause."

The crowd was obliged to grant him that request as they cheered the songsmith. André put his hands together as if to pray then bowed down to audience then to his friend in thanks before heading off stage.

Freddie looked back to the audience and cleared his throat. For a moment he thought he might get some stage fright, but quickly realized that he had performed in front of a million people on a regular basis. He eagerly began, "The song I'll be singing is 'Just the Way You Are' by Bruno Mars and it doesn't take a genius to figure out who this song is dedicated to." He looked off stage and flashed his girl a quick smile then back to the audience.

He started softly drumming on his guitar and began with a quiet tone, _"Oh, her eyes, her eyes, make the stars look like they're not shining. Her hair, her hair, falls perfectly without her trying. She's so beautiful and I tell her every day."_

He looked up to the audience and continued to sing, but slightly raised his voice, _"Yeah, I know, I know, when I compliment her she won't believe me and it's so, it's so, sad to think that she don't see what I see, but every time she asks me do I look ok, I say: 'When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change, 'cause you're amazing, just the way you are. And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while because girl you're amazing, just the way you are'."_

He softly laughed through this next line, _"Her lips, her lips, I could kiss them all day if she let me. Her laugh, her laugh, she hates but I think it's so sexy. She's so beautiful and I tell her every day."_

He looked off to his right and the audience immediately know the next line was being sung directly to Jade, _"Oh, you know, you know, you know, I'd never ask you to change. If perfect's what you're searching for then just stay the same. So, don't even bother asking if you look ok."_

He looked back to the audience and taking time to make sure he caught sight and them the same in turn of Tori, Cat and Trina as he sung the next few lines to let his 'girls' know what he thought of them too, _"You know I'll say: 'When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change, 'cause you're amazing, just the way you are. And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while because girl you're amazing, just the way you are the way you are, the way you are, the way you are. Girl you're amazing, just the way you are, the way you are. Girl you're amazing, just the way you are.'."_

He casually looked back over the audience as he started his last few lines, _"When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change cause you're amazing, just the way you are and when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while 'cause girl you're amazing, just the way you are."_

He glance over one last time to Jade as he finished, _"And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while because girl you're amazing, just the way you are the way you are.'."_

He stopped his drumming of the strings and looked back to the audience. They immediately started breaking out into cheer and Freddie let out a nervous laugh. He stood up and waved at them, "Thank you, thank you."

He got up from his seat and started heading off stage as André passed him to announce the next act. The songsmith stood behind the microphone and announced, "Okay people, let's heat things up for Jade West! Let's go!"

Freddie gave Jade a soft smile when he reached her then motioned her towards the stage. "I believe you're next?"

She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him into a quick kiss then walked past him towards the stage. He in turn quickly started off to the side so he could make his way down to the audience.

The crowd started cheering as Jade with blue highlights in her hair and wearing an eye-catching outfit of a 'Bust'em Out' corset with a blue spaghetti strap undershirt (for modesty's sake or she really would be busting them out), black skirt and matching leggings with black boots, a black ribbon tied around her right wrist (over Ian's bracelet) and her black 'Jaded' bracelet on her other wrist, walked on stage "Hey! Ah! Woo!"

The blue streaked hair girl took the microphone with her right hand and the stand with her left hand. The music started going for a few seconds then Jade started, _"You think you know me, but you don't know me."_

She looked to Freddie (who had rushed around the back of the stage to join Tori at the food stand) with a soft, flirtatious smile as she continued, gently caressing the left side of the microphone stand, _"He thought he owned me, but he couldn't control me… but you look at me, and there's just one thing that you see. So listen to me…"_ She pulled the microphone from stand and shifted her weight down to her right foot to kneel while holding the top of the stand with her left hand. She shouted with her eyes close, _"Listen to me!"_

She started walking across the stage and started pouring her heart into the song, _"You pushed me back. I pushed you back, harder, harder. You scream at me,"_ she quickly pointed to Freddie, _"I'll scream at you. Louder. Louder." _Freddie took a few steps forward while Tori pointed to him with a smile.

"_I'm dangerous! I'm warning you, but you're not afraid of me and I can't convince you, you don't know me." _

She took the microphone stand in her left hand again and started kneeling down as she continued to sing, _"And the longer that you stay, the ice is melting and the pain feels okay. Feels okay-ay. Hey!"_

Jade slowed down and dropped her volume as she looked back to Freddie who softly clapped, _"You push me back. I'll push you back. You scream at me. I'll scream at you."_ She started picking up her volume with each word until she was shouting the last word, _"Louder, louder, louder, louder, louder, louder, and louder and louder and LOUDER!"_

The background singers picked up their volume, _"You push me back. I push you back. Harder, harder."_ She jabbed her finger towards Freddie. _"You scream at me. I'll scream at you. Louder. L-L-L-L-Louder."_ She grabbed the microphone stand for a brief moment as she looked directly to Freddie and she finished, _"I'm dangerous. I'm warning you, but you're not afraid of me and I can't convince you and I don't have to… I think you know me."_

He smiled up to her and softly clapped while she replaced the microphone into the stand.

The crowd burst into cheer as they got up onto their feet.

Freddie grinned at her as he walked up onto stage. She started walking towards him and they met at the center of the stage. The crowd instantly stopped their clapping as they looked at the young couple with baited breath. He retorted with his boyish grin, "_I know_ I know you."

"You do?" she softly challenged him with a playful smile.

He took a step forward and cupped her left cheek to bring her into a kiss and she cupped his left cheek before slipping her hand away and joining her other one around the back of his neck. He quickly rested his left hand on her hip.

The crowd started cheering again, "Woo! Woo! Oh yeah!"

The couple broke from their kiss and smiled as they turned their heads to look on to their cheering classmates and guests.

* * *

Dusty had slipped beside to Beck's left during the last of the performance, so he was able to lean over and whispered, "And that is the final nail in the coffin of what was your relationship with her you stupid son-of-a-bitch… time to really move on and let them be happy."

Beck frown as he hated the teenager beside him, but hated more that he was right.

The couple remained in each others arms as they continued to share a few more kisses while the crowd cheered them on.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you liked that chapter. It was an interesting experience trying to work events that was meant to bring the couple back together.

I'll just go ahead and answer some obvious things: I placed the Full Moon Jam around the correct time it was last year from 'Beggin' on Your Knees' that where it was placed in the canon timeline of 'Tori Fixes Beck & Jade' and for story purpose that will become quite apparent in future chapters. Due to that, there was no Cat/Robbie subplot with the butterfly because it is an independent event outside of the FMJ that would take place sometime in May.

Next week will be their Spring/Easter break with a multiple surprise guest appearances of characters.

Song credits go to: The Cab, Bruno Mars and of course the lovely Elizabeth 'Liz' Gillies (whose lyrics I only slightly changed and not by much because how oddly it seemed to describe Jedi more than Bade because let's face it as it was a plot point for the canon episode: Beck is afraid of Jade).

Edit: I can't believe I forgot this: Special thanks to PD31 for suggestion of the song Freddie sung. Thanks buddy, it was beating around in my head what song he should sing.


	23. Chapter 23: Easter Break Part 1

Hello my dear readers. Sorry for the lateness of this chapter (because I was shooting for a Friday posting), but I got involved in writing some future chapters of this story. I hope everyone has had a nice week and thanks for your continued readership. Originally this was going to be one chapter, but I realized that there was too much for one chapter, so their Easter Break is being split up into two chapters.

I have a few reviews I'd like to respond. The more extensive ones, which I'm quite grateful for, I've PM'ed the reviewer to respond.

Twilight Warrior 627: I think in regards to how Joss and Dan treats a story as it is their way or the highway, they are cut from the same cloth. I think Beck can be so blasé about his actions is that he's never really faced any consequences for them. Sure in this story he has been called out on them, but they've been from the guy his ex is dating and from the 'sidekick', so he's disregarding what they are saying. How with Tandre be effective and the larger role those characters play in the story? You will have to continue reading to find out.

Challenge King: As I pointed out to Twilight, Beck has never really had to face any real consequences to his actions, so why should he change? Will Dusty make a move on Ava? Time will tell. This might be a minor spoiler for a future chapter, but Freddie has let Beck slide and slide and slide, but there comes a point where Freddie want let Beck cross anymore lines… and it might involve how he feels about how his 'girls' are treated, especially around the Platinum Music Awards where there is a line between comforting and emotionally taking advantage of.

Fanfic-Reader-88: I think it has more to do with the fact that most of the guys at Hollywood Arts and guys in general in Dan's shows are just a bunch of wusses that bend over and grab the ankles anytime someone wants to push them around. Where I'm from, right or wrongly, there are plenty of guys that would introduce Jade to the back of their hand if canon Jade tried half the mess she pulls on them.

In the canon, I think Beck having that concern was the first intelligent thing he addressed since he broke up with Jade. Willing to go out with a girl that flirted with you during your relationship and you didn't make it quite clear during the relationship you weren't interested, sends up some red flags. I think Canon as well as story Jade was right to have concerns about his fidelity if he's willing to entertain the idea of dating Meredith.

I thought in the show, Dan writing Meredith that way was a cheap copout because if he had put Beck in a real relationship, his bullcrap excuse about 'boring is easy' would have been even more apparent to the audience. If Tori had given him a real shot after the PMAs, he would not have gone back to Jade, plain and simple.

I wouldn't argue that the last bit wasn't some of Dusty getting under his skin. One of the things Beck has never seemed to understand is that Dusty gives him grief for his own reasons not that he is Freddie's mouthpiece or 'sidekick'. Dusty genuinely does not like him because he sees him as such a negative opposite of how he sees himself.

PD31: Beck's not pulling punches, so Dusty's not going to pull punches. Beck may eventually cross or try to cross a line where the only sensible response by Freddie is to slug him. Ava and Sinjin are hanging on by a thread and that behavior does not help.

darck ben: You are free to disagree with my assessment of Joss, but to help you understand where I'm coming from in that assessment, that is an opinion formed over a decade of watching his stuff. He is a guy who pretends to be a feminist and does so by weakening the men in his works to bring them down to the level of the women… the women he actually likes and if you're not one, you're screwed. Just ask Charisma Carpenter after she got her character destroyed then got fired for having the nerve to get pregnant by her husband. He's lucky she didn't want to sue his butt off for that and it is something I will never forgive him for.

As a creator, as long as you keep him on a leash creative wise, he makes fantastic stuff, just look at the Avengers, but once he's off of it… well look at the last two years of Buffy and Angel.

Guest: I try to balance writing my stories as best I can with my time and my Muse. Hopefully in the near future I can get back on with both of those stories. As to writing anymore Creddie stories in the future? I honestly don't know as I simply don't have any inspiration for the couple at the moment, but that could always change.

Layla: I ran across that song and I thought it fit with Dusty and Freddie. Holy Tax Accountant? Even churches need help with their bookkeeping and making sure they keep the tax exemption status. Cat, Cat, Cat… yes, yes I will be address that. Just a little more patience. Dusty/Ava/Cat… dust hasn't settled yet on that.

Just to let you know, PD31 has once again updated his Caddie story (I secretly think it is a Jedi story) this week, 'A Place to Call Home', so you should check it out when you get a chance.

On with the story.

Special Guest Star Laura Marano as Mary

Rating: T Language, Violence

* * *

Chapter 23: Easter Break Part 1

Vega Residence  
Saturday, March 31, 2012

The time was nine-thirty in the morning on the lovely first day of Spring/Easter break and instead of sleeping in (especially after getting in late from the Full Moon Jam last night), Jade and Freddie were already up and about at the Vegas' residence setting up for filming their first scene (but not _the_ first scene) for Jade's new film.

Freddie was sitting on the couch closest to the door, double checking his cameras (the identical twins that he used during his tenure with iCarly) while Tori sat next to him, reading over her lines one last time from her PearPad. Cat was upstairs setting up her makeup station along with laying out the wardrobe for the scene in the Vegas' guest bedroom.

Jade was pacing about on the raised platform of the living room around the piano as she softly mumbled over her lines with a hard copy of the script. She would scribbling something in the margins after she whispered a line to herself then repeated it with a different emphasize on another syllable.

Since they were at the Vegas' Residence and not to make Trina feel left out, Jade had suggested that the older Vega sister could be the character that was cannibalized, much to her annoyance, so she just went back to bed.

The doorbell rang and surprisingly, Jade called out that she would get the door. She trotted around the end of the couch then opened the door. The dark brunette greeted the shorter brunette with a bright smile on the other side of the door with a quick, "Hey."

Ava softly laughed out, "Hey." The former 'shrugger' walked inside and held up her copy of the script. She gave her a coy expression and playfully admonished, "So, you're going to kill me again?"

Jade smirked as she answered with a dark tone but the easily detectable playfulness underneath it, "It's because you die so well."

The shorter girl let out a soft laugh then looked to Freddie and commented with a smirk, "Make sure you get my good side."

Freddie held up his camera and stated, "I promise." The trio shared a quick laugh then Freddie followed up, "I know it's early for a Saturday, so did you get a chance to eat breakfast? I can make a quick run to get us some breakfast?"

"Yeah I did, but thanks for asking." The shorter girl glanced around and tried to ask in a nonchalant tone, "Is Sinjin going to be here?"

He softly shook his head. "No… everyone is going to pitch in on helping out with the technical aspects, so he's not going to be here or his tech crew."

She nodded with a slight frown. Freddie wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed by the news.

Jade spoke up, "Are you two still together?"

Freddie looked to his girlfriend with a slightly surprised expression at being so blunt to her co-star. Tori put on her own apprehensive expression at Jade just coming out and saying what was a potentially insensitive question.

Ava's cleared her throat then gave an awkward answer, "I wasn't sure over the last week, but… hearing that he wanted the chance to 'turn _you_ up a little', I think that's give me my answer. We haven't talked and I'm not really looking forward to it… I've been with him for nearly nine months… a little longer than you two've been together. I just know it's probably not going to end pretty and… I just don't have the energy for that fight right now. I don't want to spoil my break over it."

Jade nodded along with a sympathetic expression as the memories of her breakup with Beck resurfaced with the accompanying emotions. "I'm sorry."

She awkwardly commented, "We had a good run…" She looked up to meet Jade's eyes. "Not all of us get a story book ending."

Freddie, apparently being the optimist, asked, "Any chance you two could work it out?"

The underappreciated actress asked with a genuinely curious tone, "How do you make it with a guy who doesn't see what he's done is wrong? Do you just forget about it or pretend it doesn't happen? That he's started making passes at other girls… starts hitting them." She looked past Freddie and asked Tori, "Have you got an apology from him yet?"

The younger Vega's sister frowned, giving her classmate the obvious answer in which Ava shook her head in sadness.

Freddie frowned, still annoyed with his fellow techie and that he hadn't answered for kicking his friend. He was starting to regret letting André get first crack at Sinjin. He pushed that aside for a moment so he could continued with what he thought was the more important matter at hand, "Whatever you decide, we're here to support you. You don't have to carry anything alone."

Ava nodded her head and gave them a resigned smile. "Thanks."

Before the conversation could go any further, the door to the Vega home opened again. Ava turned and a soft smile appeared on her face as she saw the former webmaster step inside, but instantly her brow knotted at seeing an attractive younger brunette she didn't recognize follow him.

She was a lovely slim girl and Ava guessed she was probably two or three years younger than them with light, fair skin and brunette hair that went a few inches past her shoulders.

Freddie sat his camera down and got up from his seat. He gave a quick smile to the unknown teenager as he greeted Dusty, "Hey. I see you've brought company." He looked back to Dusty's guest and continued, "Hello, I'm Freddie and you're Mary?"

She happily returned the greeting but Freddie could pick up the faintest of hesitation underlining the tone, "Yep, I'm Mary." She looked to Jade and happily commented, "And you're Jade?"

The dark brunette gave her a soft smile as she recognized her from one of the pictures in Dusty's room. "Yes."

Dusty dropped his book bag next to the couch then smiled warmly towards the younger teenager as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and introduced her, "Let me give a proper introduction. This is my cousin Mary. She's visiting me for a few days over the break. She's from a very small town and I wanted to show her the big city."

No one apparently noticed, but Ava let out a relieved breath.

Mary rolled her eyes and friendly admonished him, "Hey, I've been to Austin and Dallas."

He dropped his arm away from her and gave a smirk to her while playfully questioning, "We are talking about the city and not that bleach blonde guy you got a crush on, right?"

The younger brunette frowned and eyed her cousin with a disapproving expression.

The older cousin let out a soft chuckle at apparently getting somewhat under her skin then continued with the exchange of introductions, "This is of course Freddie, Jade, Tori Vega and Ava."

Mary gave polite nods as she was introduced to them in turn, but when he reached Ava, she smirked and happily questioned, "So _you're_ Ava?"

Ava gave her a curious expression as she answered, "Yeah, I'm Ava."

The youngest teenager wore a knowing smile as she continued, "It's good to finally meet the girl that Dustin talks about all the time."

Freddie looked away and suppressed the urge to whistle while Jade didn't hesitate to let a smirk form on her face.

Dusty passed his cousin a slightly irritated expression then snorted out a laugh, "Wow, that's a statement without a bit of context."

Mary smirked and playfully bit back, "Why do I have to offer any?"

Ava took a step forward towards Dusty and looked up at the taller teenager. She let her lips form a playful smirk, "So what is the context of you talking about me all the time?"

Dusty softly chuckled, "I invoke my Fifth Amendment right on the grounds that what I _may_ say will be self incriminating."

Ava slightly bowed her head and softly licked her bottom lip and a small smile form on her face.

* * *

The teenagers gathered around on the couches and started going over the scene that they were filming in Tori's room. Freddie, Jade and Tori were on the couch towards the door while Dusty, Ava and Mary were sitting on the couch towards the kitchen.

Dusty slumped on the couch with his left foot pressed against the edge of the coffee table and Jade's copy of the script resting on his lap. He flipped the pages back and forth of the script with a questioning expression playing on his face. He looked to Jade with a slight frown as he asked, "Okay, I'm still confused; why is Vega playing this role?"

Jade turned away from Freddie raised her pierced eyebrow. "What?"

Dusty continued to look down at while answering, "If I understand the movie correctly, she started with the pretty one… so why is Vega playing that part and Ava is playing the other girl? If you're going to keep close to the story then you need them to switch parts."

They all looked to him and quickly realized the implication of what he was saying.

They remained silent for a few moments which finally caught his attention from looking up from the script. He glanced between the group of friends and genuinely asked in surprise, "What?"

Mary happily picked, "So Ava should play the other part because she's the 'pretty one'?"

Dusty looked back down at the script and idly commented, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder..." He glanced to Jade. "…but I guess you're going down the Amanda Seyfried route for the character like in that movie she did with Megan Fox? Ava does fit that bill far better than Vega."

Ava fought a smile and blush that wanted to form on her face while Tori idly commented, "I think I should be insulted."

Dusty looked up from the script and slightly frowned. "What? That I just inadvertently compared you to Megan Fox." He made a sour face then answered, "Ooo… you're right I just did, _sorry_. That was a low blow."

They gave him questioning expressions which he quickly answered, "I know how she feels about 'people like me' and the feeling is mutual and that doesn't cover any kind of 'hotness' she has."

Tori awkwardly laughed as she realized that Dusty was just badly flirting with Ava instead of any real insult to her, "It's a moot point; I've already learned the lines for that part."

Ava picked up, "And my character is in the film longer, so Jade needed the better actress."

The taller brunette blinked and looked to Ava in surprise.

The shorter brunette looked back to her without blinking an eye. "What? I'm a better actress than you. I've been acting longer than you and I worked hard for the parts I got. Mine haven't been handed to me on a silver platter like yours."

Jade let out a sharp whistle as she looked away with wide eyes.

Ava continued with a hint of irritation in her voice, "Do you think Jade's the only one that Sikowitz screws over to hand you every production in the class? Why do you think I had to sign up for another class after being with Sikowitz from the very first acting class my freshman year?"

Tori frowned in embarrassment.

Freddie softly spoke up, "Ava?"

The shorter snorted out a breath and crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned back on the couch. "I know, I know, it's not her fault but it's still annoying." She looked to Tori and continued, "I'm just surprised that Jade's been the only one to give her chizz over it."

The Texan whispered over to her cousin, "What is chizz?"

Tori happily spoke up, "I think it's a German sausage."

Dusty rolled his eyes and honestly answered, "It's a nicer word for shit."

Mary formed her mouth in an 'O' shape then nodded along.

Tori looked embarrassed by the coarse language while Freddie shook his head with a soft smile and Jade focusing on the script.

Mary continued with a baffled tone, "Okay… I still don't understand this story."

Dusty softly rolled his eyes and answered, "Girl dies then comes back from the dead to take revenge on her friends and family because she couldn't accept in life that she was a lesbian. It's one big 'Dead Lesbian Trope'."

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and frowned towards her boyfriend.

Freddie quickly raised his hands. "Hey, don't look at me; he just thinks the same way."

The dark brunette looked back at the Southern teenager and narrowed her eyes in irritation.

He responded with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Don't get mad at me because you don't want to do any literary analysis of it. You want to treat it as a popcorn flick, that's your business."

Jade shook her head and rolled her eyes.

The youngest teenager in the room questioned again, "Okay, so she's playing a revenant?"

Dusty nodded along. "Basically."

The younger cousin laughed out, "Better break out the silver."

Tori curiously questioned, "Silver?"

Dusty casually explained and started rolling his eyes at the end, "Silver is a purifying element. It's how you put a revenant down. A silver bullet to the head usually does it…" He started counting off with his fingers, "…it also works on werewolves, skinwalkers, shapeshifters, wraiths, zombies, djinn, etcetera, etcetera…"

The younger Vega sister knotted her brow as she questioned Dusty almost as if she was questioning his sanity, "You talk about them as if they're real."

Mary started opening and closing while an embarrassing flush started forming on her cheeks.

Dusty was far cooler about the question and answered honestly, "Because they are real. All those things that go bump in the night… they're quite real, except for Bigfoot; he's a hoax."

Tori looked at him wide eyed then glanced to the couple. "Now I have to go further than Robbie: now Sinjin really doesn't seem all that weird."

Jade's jaw slacked, but she kept her mouth close and narrowed her eyes on her rival.

Ava pursed her lips and knotted her brow as she wanted to be mad at Tori for the backhanded slap to her boyfriend, but couldn't work up the anger.

"Next Sunday you're going to celebrate believing a guy died two thousand years ago then got back up on His own on the third day—I'm assuming you are Roman Catholic—and _I'm_ the crazy one?"

Tori put on a pout and furled her brow tighter.

Freddie softly laughed, "You believe that too."

Dusty rolled his eyes and retorted with a deadpan snark, "I know, I'm just saying… one person's faith is another person's craziness and vise versa… then some people shot at each other who has the better imaginary friend."

Mary spoke up to Tori, "Yeah, and you met up what sounded like a 'Killer Clown that eats people' on your way to see that actress in San Diego."

Dusty smirk and patiently answered, "He was probably just some poor mentally disturbed homeless guy that they need to commit to help him."

She looked him dead in the eyes and answered with a serious tone, "Then how come there are a string of eaten bodies in their homes starting from San Diego making their way up to L.A.?"

The Southern teenager's eyes shot open. "Okay… coincidence of some crazy serial killer, like that 'Smiley Face' killer theory. There are plenty of crazy people in this world… it's California, there are plenty of crazy people here."

Mary raised an eyebrow and softly laughed out her question, "When did you start believing in coincidences?"

Dusty gave a genuine frown then looked to Jade, unable to answer his cousin's question, "Anyway… so, you going to rehearse a few times before filming?"

The actress paused for a moment, genuinely enthralled by the pair's discussion then gathered her wits and answered, "Yes." She motioned her head towards the stairs. "Come on Tori; we can rehearse while the boys set up the cameras and the props."

As everyone got up from their seats and headed upstairs, Cat nearly bounced down them to meet them halfway.

Dusty gave her a soft smile and greeted her, "Hey Cat."

The redhead eyed Ava and some unknown girl on either side of him with a hint of caution then answered with her usual cheerful self, "Hi Dusty."

Mary wore a hesitant smile as she questioned with a dry tone, "So you're Cat?"

"Yes, who are you?" She quickly looked to Jade and Tori for an explanation for the stranger.

The younger girl quickly answered for herself, "I'm Mary; I'm Dustin's cousin."

The older girl happily replied, "Nice to meet you. I'm Cat."

Mary put on an obvious forced smile to the others' eyes.

However, before any real tension could fill between them, Jade spoke up, "We're going to rehearse for a little bit then we're going to get into costume and makeup."

"'Kay, 'kay," the redhead happily answered the quickly turned to head right back up the stairs.

About an hour later after several run-throughs, Jade was sitting in front of the vanity in the Vegas' guest bedroom. She wore a blue silk rob while she sat and let Cat apply her white powder makeup to look if possible, paler for her undead role. As the redhead we softly powdering Jade's face, the taller girl tried to look into her friend's eyes while quickly asking, "Cat, what's wrong?"

The redhead stopped in mid-apply and gave her a perplexed expression. "What do you mean?"

Jade asked with a hushed tone, "Why did you change?"

"I don't understand," she answered with a childlike voice as she pulled away the applier from Jade's face.

"Dusty's right. None of us have said anything, but you did start to change after Kenan's party. That's when you started acting more and more like a child."

The redhead looked down at Jade's lap and remained silent.

Jade patiently waited for her friend to speak even if her emotions were starting to bubble up in her chest and shout at her to answer her question. She attributed that to the 'old' Jade which was quite ironic to her as she was asking Cat about her changing.

Cat finally mumbled after another minute or so, "It's safer."

"How is it safer?"

The redhead looked up and for a brief moment Jade saw a different light in Cat's eyes before the redhead put back on her happy smile and started finishing up powdering Jade's face. "We got to got finish making you look dead and get you in your dress."

The dark haired teenager shut her eyes and took a deep breath to try to calm her nerves at Cat retreating, but another part whispered that her reaction was a good sign: she had openly acknowledged a change. Jade only had to figure out a safe way to get her friend to open up to her.

There was a soft knocked on the door and Ava called out from the other side, "Are you ready?"

Jade opened her eyes then looked over her shoulder and shouted through the door, "Almost done! Just getting into my dress!" She looked back to Cat and whispered, "You can talk to me when you're ready, but I hope it's not too long."

The shorter girl's smile slightly faltered then sat her powder brush down and headed for the dress resting on the bed.

A few minutes later, Jade walked out into Tori's room and opened her arms wide to display herself to the others. She turned in a circle for them to see the entire strapless white wedding dress with various splatters of blood and dirt stains. The outfit was finished with the gold sheers pendant necklace Freddie had gotten for her for Christmas. She looked directly at Freddie and asked with a smirk, "How do I look?"

Freddie's lips parted and whispered without think, "You look beautiful."

Mary leaned over and whispered to Dusty, "I guess the blood splatters aren't a turnoff for him."

He looked to the couple as they had closed the distance between themselves and started whispering to one another. He whispered back to his cousin with a smile, "He loves her; he's only seeing her." Dusty cracked a soft joke loud enough for the couple to hear him, "Are you going to wear that for your wedding?"

Jade put on a coy smile and answered, "I was always going to wear a black dress to my wedding… I could settle for this."

Freddie playfully questioned, "Does that mean I have to get my tuxedo dirty?"

The pale girl smiled back.

* * *

Tori sat at her vanity, softly brushing her hair over her left shoulder. She wasn't even looking at herself in the mirror as she prepared to go out, but had her eyes closed as she softly hummed a happy melody. She didn't have a worry in the world as she was getting ready for her date. Well, it wasn't really a date, more that she was meeting her distraught friend for dinner in an effort to comfort him after the tragic death of his bride less than a week after their marriage.

She finally sat her brush down and opened her eyes so she could put on her makeup, but she stopped as her eyes opened in horror as she saw in the mirror a figure standing behind her right shoulder. The brunette stuttered out at seeing the woman wearing a filthy wedding dress smirking at her, "Y-you're d-dead."

"I was, I got better," Tawny hissed out then clenched Tori's hair at the crown of her head between her fingers and fisted her left hand. She brought the completely opened scissors to her throat with the tip of the blade starting just under Tori's left ear.

Jade leaned forward and looked in the mirror to see the reflected fear in Tori's eyes. She whispered into the brunette's right ear, "He's mine."

The deceased woman brought the silver scissors, guided by her right pointer finger across the back of the blade, across Tori's throat, leaving a trail of blood across her neck until she stopped at the other ear.

Tori let out a cough, blood splattering on the mirror and onto the desk. She continued to cough as she went into shock and blood started trailing down her chin, her throat and her shirt.

Tawny manically laughed as she let go of the girl's hair while Tori fell forward and the right side of her face hit the desk. Her eyes stayed opened as more blood dripped from her lips onto the desk.

The pale girl calmed down enough to gently brush her hand over the crown and back of the brunette's head as the last bit of her life slipped away. She leaned forward and whispered into her left ear, "I'll see you in Hell soon." She turned and headed out of the room towards her next target.

A few minutes later, Ava entered the room, but covered her mouth with both her hands and sucked in her breath at seeing the splatter of blood on the mirror and friend slumped over on her desk. She dashed over to her fallen friend, but once she saw the horror of friend's glassy eyes, slashed throat and having bled out on the desk and dripping to the floor, she turned and dropped to her knees to heave out whatever she had in her stomach onto the floor.

After making a few retching sounds, she lifted up to rest against her heels and she wiped the spittle from her mouth with the back of her hand. She couldn't look at her dead friend as she cried into her hands, the only sound in the dead room.

Inside-Out Burger

Los Angeles

"Ohhh maw Goad," the Mary mumbled as she was grinning nearly ear to ear and chewing on her hamburger. She finished chewing a morsel then commented to the rest, "These burgers are fantastic."

Dusty smiled warmly at seeing the happiness on his cousin's face.

Freddie had to suppress a laugh at seeing how much she enjoyed the meal and the hilarity of the cousins sharing the quality of enjoying 'real food'.

The group had commandeered two of the tables and pushed them together for their lunch break. They were originally going to Nozu, but Ava and Dusty overruled them as they wanted some 'real food' and the Southern teenager wanted to treat his cousin to a real hamburger not raw food. Jade was not willing to argue over the point with her co-star and the others, so she easily relented.

The tech-producer asked, "So Mary, tell us about yourself…" He looked to Dusty as he finished, "…and maybe some embarrassing stories about Dusty before he came to California."

The Texan knotted her brow and questioned, "He hasn't told you about me?"

Freddie shook his head as he took another bite out of his hamburger.

Mary looked to Dusty with a confused expression.

He shrugged his shoulders. "They've never asked."

The brunette pursed her lips for a moment then happily started, "Okay, I'm from this small town in Texas. I go to a high school with just three hundred students. I like riding horses on the weekends and I love animal due to my mom. She's a veterinarian and my dad's a lawyer."

Dusty chuckled, "Yeah, Uncle Sammy got the brains of the family."

The younger brunette turned her head to smirk at her older cousin. He just chuckled back then took a bite out of his hamburger.

Jade gave a curious looked between the cousins. "Okay wait, you're from Texas, but he's from Carolina? How does that work? I thought your family was all from Carolina… which one he won't tell us."

The younger girl laughed, "Our dads are from Kansas."

Jade gave Dusty a questioning expression. "So you're really from Kansas?"

The Southern teenager frowned and passed a quick glance to Mary then answered, "Our parents and grandparents are from Kansas, but that doesn't negate the rest of the family tree. I was raised in Carolina and Mary was born and raised in Texas. That doesn't make me any less of a Carolinian or her a Texan…" He softly laughed in Mary's direction as he finished, "She might hurt you if you say otherwise… isn't that right _Sandy_?"

The younger cousin frowned and whispered out her annoyance, "You know I hate that show, right?"

He grinned and softly started singing, "Ohhh! Who lives in a pineapple un—"

She grabbed him by his jacket collar and whispered out with a cold tone, "If you finish that line, I'm going to smother you in your sleep tonight."

Dusty chuckled then gave her a quick kiss above her right temple to say the picking was over.

Mary softly laughed as she let go of him then looked back to the others and continued, "Okay, our dads were on the road—a lot—when they were younger, sorta like errant knights… getting into trouble. That's actually how my dad met my mom: he was driving through Texas. He accidentally hit a dog and he rushed him to my mom's animal hospital."

Cat sadly asked, "Was the dog alright?"

The younger girl nodded. "Yes, Riot made a full recovery and my mom eventually adopted him. He passed on a few years ago… but we have one of his Grand-puppies. My dad hung around until Riot made his recovery and you know… handsome guy, pretty girl… things happen… my dad finally settled down, finished up collage and they had me."

Ava let out a soft laugh, "That's sweet story." She looked to Dusty and questioned, "How did your parents meet?"

Dusty bowed his head and surprising to all of them, let out a nervous chuckle. "That's… not much to tell." He quickly took a sip from his drink, apparently hoping to starve off an explanation.

Freddie looked on in curiosity and let out a laugh, "But are you going to tell us?"

Mary spoke up, "So you don't know?"

The former webmaster finished his sip then idly commented, "Another thing that's never has come up."

The Texan slightly frowned again then looked to Dusty.

"Not as much of a fairy tale as hers," Dusty finished with a smirk, "…but if you must know… my mom had just been discharged from the V.A. and they just happened to run into each other… it was… kind of a whirled wind romance in just a few days and since at that time my father was still a manwhore… one thing led to another and since my mother was better at the game than even my father… I was conceived in the backseat of my dad's sixty-seven Impala days after them only knowing each other a few days."

The others put on various expressions of surprise and glanced away.

Jade raised her pierced eyebrow. "Whoa… your mom purposely got herself pregnant from your dad?"

He chuckled to the pale actress, "I told you I was a bastard. You're not planning to pull that on him anytime soon?"

Freddie laughed back without thinking, "Sapphire will happen when she happens. I'm not worrying about it."

Tori nearly choked on her drink while Cat put on a smile in being vindicated that she had guessed right about Jade picking Sapphire as a name during their sleepover.

The pale dark brunette looked to her boyfriend with a mixed expression curiosity and coyness.

The former Seattleite returned with a boyish grin and asked, "I thought we had settled on Sapphire?"

"We have," she answered with a playful tone then took a sip from her drink.

Dusty laughed out, "While you two discuss baby names, I need to use the little boy's room." He got up from his seat and started his way to the bathroom.

Once he was out of sight, Mary wore a deep frown as she glanced across to everyone. She hissed out to Freddie, "Is that the first time any of you asked him about his life?"

Freddie nervously laughed, not sure why the younger cousin was irritated, "Dusty's been a private person. All he's said is that he lives with his dad, his mom has passed on and the rest of his family is out of state."

Her brow furled with further irritation as she continued, "That's it? You've known him for months, claim to be his friends and you haven't bothered to really get to know him?"

The tech-producer raised an eyebrow with a hint of offense by her jibe and retorted, "We are his friends."

Mary's brow knotted and her lips curled to a hint of a frown as she retorted with an angry laced voice, "No, you're not his friends." She tilted her head slightly to the side as she finished with an accusatory tone, "You just call him when you _need_ something."

Freddie was blinked and looked in awe as if the girl had just physically slapped him. Jade narrowed her eyes on the girl, just as shocked while Tori stopped in mid-chew and looked wide eye and Cat looked caught off guard.

Mary continued with righteous indignation in her voice, "You know he has a life outside of you? Why should he drop everything the second you two need something and be your guardian angel? He's not your personal cupid. I know the story of how and why you got here, so what makes you any different than how Carly used to treat you?"

Freddie blinked and slightly shifted back in his chair from the comparison.

Jade narrowed her eyes and retorted with a sharp tone, "_Hey_, we are not like how Carly use to be. We understand what friendship means."

She turned to her gaze from Freddie and snapped out with an irritated tone, "Obviously you don't or you wouldn't call him every time you stub your toe, you petty, entitled little narcissist."

Jade blinked, shocked by the tone from the otherwise apparently sweet girl. Her silence allowed Mary to continue, "You need him to go to Seattle with you or save you when you were stupid enough to try to hide out at Wanko's overnight when he's in the middle of his date with Ava or spending the first day of break to help you do your movie, not to hang out, but to help _you_ out for your movie."

Ava looked on in surprise at how Mary had described going out to dinner with his cousin.

Mary turned her attention Freddie and continued, "You need him to fight your battles. Why? Why should he have to give up TheSlap? Are you too chicken-shit to defend your girlfriend? He shouldn't have to do your job for you with that Beck guy."

Freddie frowned at the young Texan, but Mary stared right back at him, her righteous indignation covering any potential fear she could have felt from his angry expression.

Tori and Cat stared at their respective food, trying to hide their embarrassment. Ava tried to suppress a smile as she was quite impressed with the girl voicing her concerns in regards to her cousin.

"Okay, what did I just walk back into?" Dusty called out as he returned. He raised a curious eyebrow as he looked back and forth between his cousin and friends.

"We're fine," Mary answered with a curt tone as she gave Freddie a cold stare.

The older cousin slightly frowned and questioned, "Mary?"

She looked up to her cousin and snapped off, "I said we're fine."

The corners of his lips turned down as the rest of his facial expression told her that he didn't believe her. He looked to the others, but Tori and Cat were fascinated with their food while the couple wore apprehensive expressions as they looked to Mary. Dusty casually commented, "So after we finish lunch we're going to shoot at the Asphalt Café then in the Black Box?"

Jade maintained eye contact with Mary as she answered, "Yeah, that's the plan."

"Right…" Dusty slowly answered as he retook his seat.

The rest of the lunch was eaten in awkward silence.

In Route to Hollywood Arts

Dusty was behind the wheel of his Mustang following behind Ava as the three car caravan was on its way to Hollywood Arts to shoot two more scenes for the day. The Southern teenager wore a slightly annoyed expression as he questioned his tightlipped cousin, "Are you going to tell me what that was all about back there?"

She rolled her eyes then shifted in her seat to face him, "I told them the truth and I guess it hurt, so they're a little embarrassed. I'm glad."

"And what truth was that?"

She paused for a moment then answered, "That they're not your friends. They just call you when they need you and forget about you the rest of the time."

He spared a quick glance to her then focused on the road. He sarcastically questioned, "And you somehow know that from Texas?"

"I know that from what you tell me… what you _don't_ tell me. I put the pieces together about how every story where you're hanging with them it's actually to do something for them. I was right. They didn't really know who I was other than 'a cousin'. They don't know anything about you… except that Tori girl thinks you're a little crazy."

The older cousin softly rolled his eyes and he softly retorted, "I don't advertise my life to people. I've never done that and I'm not part of their little cliché nor am I interested in being in it."

"I'm not saying it should be an open book and I'm not talking about that little group of there's. I'm saying if Freddie and Jade are your friends then they should be your friends, not you being their errand boy."

Dusty let out a soft breath through his nose and slightly frowned as he focused on the road in front of him.

Mary straightened back in her seat and softly shook her head. The pair remained silent for the rest of the trip to the school.

* * *

Tawny looked quite beautiful, if not a little too pale, but that was to be expected as she rested in the open coffin. The coffin had a nice white wreath of flowers setup at the foot of it while there was a large colored picture of Tawny posing with a bright smile.

The overhead lights were turned to the lowest setting, giving an ethereal feeling to the momentary empty theater. They were having a viewing of her body at her old high school from which she had recently graduated and it was about to start within the next few minutes.

However, the unexpected started happening with the lights in the theater starting to flicker on and off. The flowers started wilting within a matter of seconds and the white petals shriveled and started falling to the floor until the whole thing collapsed. The lights finally settled into turning completely off with sound of their individual filaments burning out and only the emergency lights coming on to give an eerie glow of the theater.

The next moment things went from inexplicable to the impossible: Tawny sucked in a sharp breath and sat up in the coffin. She desperately started looking around to try to get her bearings. She instantly recognized the theater then noticed she was in a coffin. A few seconds later, the last moments of her life flooded her mind then a wicked smile formed on her face. She started to manically laughing which quickly filled the entire theater with the Hellish sound.

* * *

Tawny was grinning ear-to-ear as she looked at herself in the mirror of her friend's vanity. She was admiring the gold sheer pendant resting just above her cleavage that her fiancé had given her.

Ava smiled as she rested against the doorframe of the entrance to her bedroom. "You look like someone has beaten you with a happy stick."

Tawny looked over her shoulder and let out a soft laugh, "I'm just about to marry the boy of my dreams, that's all."

The shorter and lighter haired brunette pushed off the door frame and walked into the room. "I guess that would make you happy." She continued across her room then rested her chin on her friend's right shoulder and looked into the mirror as she whispered, "Come on, we got to get you in your wedding dress. You don't want to be late to your own wedding especially since it's in my backyard."

The darker brunette let out a joyful scream then jumped out from her seat, nearly knocking her friend to the floor. Ava just laughed then started to help the joyful teenager get ready.

West Residence

The time was early that Saturday evening as Freddie rested his back against the short headboard of his bed and looked down at his PearPad to workout details for shooting the rest of her film during is free time between working at the Pear Store over the week. He snorted out a soft breath through his nose then looked up to see Jade pacing about the rest of his room, her head figuratively buried in her copy of the script. She had changed into one of his old Penny-Tees that he had outgrown years ago due to his rehab and a pair of sweatpants.

He wore a tired expression, but not due to the busy day, as he asked, "Do you think Mary's right? We just call him with we need something and that we really aren't his friends?"

The pale girl stopped in her tracks and looked to the worried expression on his face. She slightly bowed her head and whispered, "Yes."

Freddie's eyes show opened, not at all expecting that answer.

Jade nodded her head from sided to side a few times then continued, "Kinda… I kind of realized just before we went out to Nozu after the whole mess with Evan. We don't hang out and the only times we do talk is when some chizz is going down and we need his help to bail us out. I think I was trying to make it up to him by taking him out to make sure he wasn't moping about Cat, but you are not like Carly. You never manipulated him into helping you. You care about him or you wouldn't have gotten the server back over what happened over TheSlap. Carly would have just shrugged her shoulders… like she did with your workshop."

The brown eyed teenager put on a tired smile as he answered, "I did the very first time. I play on that one stereotype he said I was right about: Southern gentleman to watch out for you with Nevel."

"In all fairness, you didn't know him then and you were just asking a self-proclaimed fan for a favor, not using your friend."

"Yeah, but it looks like I just kept doing that over and over again."

She asked with a worried tone, "So are you going to start feeling guilty now and start brooding?"

He cracked a soft smile. "Maybe a little bit, but… this is a problem that I can easily correct because he is my friend."

The color hair extension free girl started to smile in relief. She flopped her script onto his computer desk then crawled on her hands and knees onto the bed and towards her boyfriend. She stopped in front of him with her lips just inches from his lips. Her eyes fluttered towards his lips then looked back up at him. "Then in that case, this day is going to end in a high note?"

He smirked in return and whispered, "I would agree with that."

She looked back down at his lips and whispered, "Good… because it's going to end on a higher note with us making out until I fall asleep in your arms… and don't worry where your hands roam."

He let out a chuckle, "I'm not going to argue with that."

She broke into a big smile as she slipped her left hand behind the back of his neck then pulled him into a kiss.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you liked this first half. I hope the second half is a little livelier in the comedic aspect because I'm going to have a lot of surprised guests appear in it… some quite unique ones from the Schneiderverse and maybe one from the extended Nick family.


	24. Chapter 24: Easter Break Part 2

Author's Note: Hello everyone, I have another (hopefully) wonderful chapter for you. I originally going to have this be the second half of their break, but realized that I needed more story I needed to tell, so there will be a part three, so a little patience if I didn't cover what you wanted to see in this chapter. Hopefully I will have that up by the end of the weekend then we can get back on track for the overall story.

Twilight Warrior 627: Well Dusty pointed most of that out to Mary: she knows what he tells her _from_ Texas. The characters aren't omniscience and it shows in their reactions to things. Let's hope that they never have to face those 'imaginary' creatures. Pre-Season 2, Cat has had no problem snaring a guy if she wanted one, staying on the other hand has always been tricky for her.

darck ben: I've been hearing those points for more than _10 years_ from Joss apologists. His success with the Avengers _**prove your point **_of how good he can be, but it also highlights my point that it usually requires someone to hold his feet to the fire to keep him from running off the rails as it is his writing nature and part of his philosophy (which is what I fundamentally disagree with, _**not**_ that he isn't a good writer) to do so: he's notorious for pulling stuff in his works under the excuse of 'wouldn't it be cool if we tried this' then executes it before he even bothers thinking out how it is going to play out; philosophically does not believe in happy endings, bittersweet ones at best; always, always thinks he knows better than his audience in what I see is a very elitist attitude with his infamous philosophy of: 'I give the audience what it needs, not what it wants'. His audience left him with that attitude and cost UPN at the time a buttload of money they thought they were going to get when they picked it up from the WB when they let him have full creative control.

Fanfic-Reader-88: As shown by Ava's absence in previous chapters, she's had off-screen time to think and deal about what happened and her feelings. She and Dusty had a conversation about the low profile she kept after Wanko's Warehouse through The Blonde Squad then halfway through Hambone King. The other part is an ongoing struggle about being pushed aside from Tori, so that is why she's annoyed.

For Mary, I was shooting for someone very similar to Carly: sweet and good and innocent and all those things, but can have a temper if you set her off. I'm really glad you picked up on the fact that she is right and wrong at the same time and it isn't as clear cut as she makes it out. She only as a small window of what's going on from Texas and reacting like a younger teenager, as she is two to three years younger than them so she's between the ages of 14 to 16 while the rest are 17 to 18 with Trina almost 19.

I will be addressing Cat sooner whether than later.

Jeremy Shane: Thanks and here is some more.

Challenge King: Thanks. If you think that Mary is a female Dusty with a twist then I failed miserably in the portral I was shooting for her. As I wrote for Fanfic-Reader-88, I was shooting for an archetype like Carly started out in Season 1. I will address Cat sooner whether than later. 'The Scissoring' tribute movie is fun to write as if it is really happening to them.

pbow: Mary's point was to get you as a reader thinking: Is she right? Or is she wrong? Or as Fanfic points out, is she both?" Freddie was letting Andre have first crack because Freddie is still hoping for a Tori/Andre hookup and doesn't want to step on Andre's toes then there is the fact that when everyone found out what Sinjin did, Freddie _wasn't there_. I don't think one way or the other if Sinjin is a whimp or not, just that Freddie would shrug off any kick Sinjin landed. Dan had given Freddie supernatural durability to shrug off beatings from Sam's repeatedly demonstrated superhuman strength and from being hit by a truck only breaking a leg and messing up his hand which was stated that if the truck had hit Carly, it would have outright killed her. Sinjin is in a distinct disadvantages, as does _Beck_, in any fight. Dan has only suspended it once at the end of iBanned and it was so stupid that _the characters within the episode_ are shocked by it. When the characters are unintentionally calling out how bad the writing is sucking, then you know it is bad (and I'm not talking about the intentional comments Dan has put in Hambone King and Robbie Sells Rex).

Carly's statement of Steven would have pounded him silly is just one of many blatantly stupid things that have came out of that girl's mouth that somehow everyone within the show accepts as gospel (the other major thing was in iOMG when she described the types of guys Sam goes for which the Canon shows _the complete opposite_). Freddie didn't go out there and do it because the girl he was in love with emotionally cut him down not that he couldn't have have wiped the floor with Steven. Freddie is literally built like a tank and looks stronger than Steven, so that was Carly just being Carly again and saying something really silly that no one is willing to contradict her.

wickedmatt717: Beck canon wise has a GTO, I wanted to give Freddie something that embodied style and his new freedom of life and Dusty is an Easter Egg for those who understand the significance of his Cherry Red Mustang.

Agent-M-0167: I'm glad another person has pointed out that what Mary has said is not black and white; she's right and wrong, but I hope you forgive her since she is only 14 to 16 years old. You have seen Dusty's father... he was the guy ready to blast Freddie through the front door with a sawed-off shotgun if necessary. Whether we will see Uncle Sammy, you never know.

Killer Clown? Faced in 2.02 Everybody Loves a Clown, mentioned in 3.12 Jus in Bello: "FYI, ghosts are real too. So are werewolves, vampires, changelings, evil clowns that eat people." "If it makes you feel better, Bigfoot's a hoax.", however I admit nothing other than quoting from Dusty's future show he will be making according to the BFSS timeline.

How do you know that Tori isn't right and Dusty is the craziest one of them all in the story?

The Question23: Thank you and here is one guest at least.

After reading this, you should take a peak at PD31's update to 'A Place to Call Home'. Another fantastic chapter with a little bit of everything in it (I particularly liked the Jade/Freddie stuff myself, but of course I'm bias).

Okay, on with the story.

Special Guest Star Miranda Cosgrove as Carly Shay  
Special Guest Star Laura Marano as Mary  
Guest star Quinn Friedman as Ian West

Rating: T Language, Crude Humor and Implied Violence

* * *

Chapter 24: Easter Break Part 2

LAX Airport  
1 World Way  
Los Angeles, CA  
Monday, April 2, 2012

Freddie patiently waited at the boarding gate for his guest to arrive as the plane had taxied a few minutes ago. He was quite surprised yet not at the same time with the person that wanted to be with him when he picked up his arrival: Beck.

The pair stood in awkward silence of one another, apparently neither much up for small talk. Freddie did want to discuss with Beck how the taller teenager had dragged Tori into the closet, but he knew this wasn't the time to have that confrontation. Fortunately their wait was only a few minutes as the passengers started exiting into the airport.

Freddie smiled as he recognized among the group the slim, pale brunette as she pulled her carryon luggage bag and book bag on her back. He threw up a hand and shouted, "Carly!"

She grinned as she saw the pair and hurriedly approached them. Carly looked between the boys and whispered with a soft smile, "Hey."

Freddie pulled his old friend into a hug and softly patted her back on the backpack.

She smiled as she pressed her lips on his shoulder and returned the hug. They pulled apart a few moments later then the brunette looked with a smile to the Canadian born actor.

"Carly," he warmly greeted her.

"Beck," she smiled in return with her greeting then pulled him into a hug.

The actor let out a soft laugh as she patted her on her shoulders as his arms wrapped more behind her neck than her back.

Freddie looked on in silence as for the most part he was still in the dark about how deep was the pair's relationship. A small part nagged at him that he didn't know how far it had gone or why should he care.

The pair pulled apart while Freddie picked up her carryon case. The trio silently agreed to start walking towards the luggage claim.

They walked in silence until Carly asked the obvious question at least to her, "Where's Jade?"

Freddie casually answered as they reached the luggage claim, "Jade is out taking her little brother out for the day."

The brunette gave him a curious expression. "She has a brother?"

Freddie let out a soft and patient breath, "He's her stepbrother and today is their day, so you won't see her until late in the day and I have to go to work for about half the day, but I wanted to meet you here."

She gave a soft nod and answered in a hushed tone, "I understand." She turned her attention to the conveyer belt on the lookout for her luggage.

Freddie slightly frowned and answered, "It's not personal. It's really not; she just wants to spend time with him and with school and everything, they don't get to spend a lot of time together to bond. It's not like you and Spencer where you live together."

Beck rested an arm around her shoulders and happily spoke up, "But… you get to spend most of the day with me and Cat… after we drop your stuff off and I pick her up."

The web-hostess nodded along and happily responded while looking to Beck, "That sounds like a good plan."

The actor let out a soft laugh, "Yeah, she's eager to take you out for cupcakes."

Freddie snorted out a laugh, "Just don't eat too many and get sick on them."

Mister West Residence

Jade tapped the doorbell then softly blew out a breath. She hoped she could pick up Ian and go with the least amount of interaction between her father's new wife since of course her father would already be at work. She had no real animosity personally to the woman per say, but she was the woman in her father's life that took all his attention from her and her mother.

The door opened to reveal the new Mrs. West happily smiling to the teenager while Jade wore a guarded expression as she looked at the woman that had replaced her mother in her father's life. "Jade, it's good to see you."

She forced a smile on her face and nodded her head to acknowledge the greeting.

The sound of pitter-patter of shoes of Ian eagerly running up from behind his mother drew the attention of the women. The new Mrs. West stepped aside and the dark brunette quickly knelt down to catch the happy child. He threw his arms around the back of her neck and pulled her into a tight hug. She returned the hug and picked up the child. He pulled slightly back and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.

Jade let out a soft laugh, "So you're happy to see me?"

He quickly nodded his head and gave her another kiss on the cheek.

She grinned at him. "I'm happy to see you too."

The current Mrs. West commented with a motherly tone, "Please call if you run late. He needs his afternoon nap or he will get cranky."

Jade gave her an understanding smile then answered, "I understand and we'll be safe. We're going to spend the day out then meet up with Freddie after he gets off work for a late lunch then be back in time."

"Okay."

Jade looked to her stepbrother and asked, "You ready to go?"

Ian eagerly nodded.

The blonde called out, "Let me get his car seat and I'll help you put it in."

CarlyShay: In L.A. going red velvet cupcake shopping with my red velvet haired friend! Carly via TwitFlash 7min ago

Frank's Cupcake Shop  
Hollywood, CA

Cat wore a grin as if she was a kid in a candy store… which wasn't far from the truth as she toured the cupcake shop with Carly and Beck watching a few steps behind, as if they were her ever watchful parents. She and Carly were going to bake their own favorite red velvet cupcakes sometime this week, but in the meantime, the redhead was going to treat the web-hostess to a treat of the best non-homemade cupcakes.

Carly leaned slightly to the tall boy and asked with a hushed tone, "Are you alright being here?"

The actor shrugged his shoulder. "Yeah, I haven't seen Meredith and apparently her dad doesn't recognize me, but…" He cracked a smile and leaned over to whisper to her in a conspiratorial manner, "If they do, we're going to have to get out of here in a hurry."

"Then I'm glad you have a muscle car for a quick getaway," the brunette let out a soft giggle which Beck quickly joined in laughter.

Once the pair calmed, Carly gave him a sympathetic expression. She questioned with a timid voice, "But are you okay? I mean your date didn't go so well."

He stuffed his hands into his jean pockets and shrugged his right shoulder. "She was definitely interested in me, but I just couldn't be with somebody that wasn't real. So whether I'm okay or not, it was still the best choice to make."

She slightly frowned as she turned her gaze to see Cat almost lustfully looking at a particular selection of cupcakes. The brunette idly commented, "What about Jade?"

He knotted his brow as he looked to his shorter friend.

She quickly clarified, "I saw a video of her performance and the… mini-makeout session they had at the end in front of everyone. That couldn't have been easy to watch."

Beck took a deep breath and answered with trademark calmness, "No it wasn't, but… it was kind of…" He gave her his charming smile. "…there's a definitive to it all and it's liberating at the same time. I think I'm finally good with it all, for real this time."

She questioned with a hopeful and supportive tone, "So you're really ready to move on?"

"I guess so."

She raised an eyebrow and playfully questioned, "Anyone particular you have in mind?"

The Canadian gave her a boyish smirk that would charm many a ladies.

Carly was just about to tease him, but she was suddenly jerked to her side, out of Beck's direct view with Cat grabbing the pale girl by the wrist and pulling her along. The redhead shouted as she pulled Carly to glass case and eagerly tapped her finger against the glass, "Carly! Carly! I found them! I found them!"

The Seattleite's face lit up when she saw the tray of white icing topped red velvet cupcakes.

Beck let out a hearty laugh at seeing the pair wear matching expressions as they nearly drooled over the delicate sweets. He raised a hand and flashed his charming smile to the young lady behind the counter. "We'll take a dozen… make that two dozen."

In Route to Third Street Promenade

Dusty drove the cherry red Mustang towards downtown Santa Monica with Mary in the passenger seat. He spared a quick glance over to his cousin and curiously questioned, "What are you looking at?"

Mary looked up from Dusty's limited produced PearPad Mini (that had the same rectangular shape of the original PearPad, but was just under half the size) and happily answered, "I'm reading."

"What are you reading about? We're supposed to be on vacation. I'm supposed to showing you a good time and take you shopping."

She lifted a corner of her mouth as she playfully retorted, "You know that I love to read."

Dusty softly shook his head then curiously asked, "What are you reading?"

She smirked to him and teasingly answered, "I'm reading up on your 'killer clown'."

He blew out a tired breath, "Let it go Mary. It's just some nut the cops are going to catch and you have no proof it was that crazy clown we ran into."

"And those tell-tale signs I told you about on Saturday don't sound familiar?"

He tilted his head to the right as he rested his hand on top of the steering wheel. "It's California; there are crazies everywhere with a history of serial killers. I could take you to any number of streets in this city and show you some and I'm not talking about the harmless kind."

"Then how come we're heading to the Third Street Promenade?"

"Becausssse… it is a tourist attraction with all the shops you can hope to visit."

She raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Oh? So it wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that among the performers on the streets there will be clowns? You wouldn't happen to want to check things out without having to admit I'm right?"

"I don't have my father's stubbornness. If I thought you were right, I'd admit it. They're just among the street performers to liven up the experience."

Mary looked out of the passenger window to see the passing scenery. She softly laughed out, "Sure… but nevertheless how you feel, it feels like we're working a case."

Dusty slammed his foot down on the brake and brought the car literally to a screeching halt. The seatbelts secured the teenagers in place to arrest their forward moment, but it sure caught the younger cousin's attention with her hair flying forward and covering her face. The motorist behind him barely stopped in time not to rear-end him then blared at horn. The teenager ignored the raving driver as he drove around the Mustang.

The younger teenager swallowed nervously as she brushed her hair out of her face and her older cousin remained silent for a moment and gripping the steering wheel tightly.

The lean teenager stared out the front windshield as he whispered out with a sense of finality while he seemed to emphasize each word as its own sentence that she was hesitant to challenge, "_We. Are. Not. Working. A. Case._ We are just going out to have a fun day like normal people do. Yeah, there is a lot of horrible crap in the world, but that doesn't mean our lives have to revolve around it like it did our dads. So… I'm going to treat you to a nice day out in the City of Angels and that's the end of it."

Mary swallowed down a bit of nervousness at his demeanor then muttered out, "Then why do you have your mom's blade under your seat?"

He glanced over to her and gave her a questioning look to challenge if she was seriously asking that question. "Why do you have your father's knife in your inside jacket pocket?"

She cracked a soft smile as she subconsciously pulled her leather jacket tighter to her body. "A girl's got to protect herself."

His disapproving expression in her direction didn't yield as he chided her, "That's not going to fly if you get caught with it."

"Same with you… you'd bail me out."

"No I wouldn't." The Southern turned his attention back to the road and started driving again before a cop could notice he was blocking traffic.

Once they had driven for a few more minutes, Mary looked out of the passenger window and let a soft smile play on her face as she commented, "I think Ava likes you."

He slightly frowned and took a soft breath, trying to suppress his irritation. "She just hitting a rough spot with her boyfriend… a really rough spot and I just happened to be around when it happened. Don't read more than what is there."

Mary softly chuckled, "You certainly aren't your father in that regard."

"I'll take that as a compliment, besides after graduation, I'm outta here. It wouldn't be fair to get involved with _any_ girl here just to break up with her in about three months."

The young brunette remained silent as she focused her attention to the road. She finally whispered, "I see your point, but…"

"But what?"

She shook her head. "Never mind."

He looked at her from the corner of his eye and contemplated whether he should push the issue, but decided to comment on something else, "I would bail you out, but you'd have to do your own smooth talking with your dad… and how in the Heaven did you get that passed airport security?"

She cracked a soft smile while continuing to look forward down the road.

Third Street Promenade  
Santa Monica, CA

Jade held Ian by the hand as the sister and brother duo lazily made their way down the promenade towards Santa Monica Place Mall. She knew none of the stores would really interest Ian, but the sights would fascinate him then they would go to the mall and she could take him to the child oriented stores such as Marbles and the Dingo Store.

As they sighted the first performers, Jade noticed a couple just down the street coming out of a store, Barney's Bibby-something as she couldn't make out the sign from the angle she was standing.

Jade called out, "Hey!"

Dusty threw out a hand and shouted, "Hey."

The cousins caught up with the step siblings and actress idly commented, "This is a surprise."

She glanced to Mary and the younger girl smile slightly faltered. The dark brunette saw that at least Mary was trying to keep up a civil appearance.

Dusty let out a chuckle, "Yeah, I'm just showing her all the stores and some of the sites… and treating her to some kind of candy. I'm not sure what it is." He glanced over to see that she was nibbling on the popcorn like snack then saw that there were a number of street performers starting their acts. "I'm glad the street performers realized we're on break and came out to play instead of waiting until the weekend."

Jade answered, "We are too." She looked down to Ian and finished, "We're having a brother/sister day."

Dusty knelt and smiled at the child. "Hey little fella."

Ian looked up to Jade as if he needed her permission to speak with him.

She gave him a motherly smile and softly whispered, "You can say hi. He's a friend of mine and Freddie."

The younger brunette slightly frowned at Jade's assessment of her and her boyfriend's relationship with her cousin.

Ian looked back to the leather jacket wearing teenager and curiously asked, "How do you have wings?"

The Southern teenager gave him a confused frown as he knotted his brow. He slowly asked, "Wings?"

He pointed over his shoulders. "The big ones on your back."

Jade looked down as Dusty looked up and they shared a confused expression.

Mary softly laughed out, "Oh, he gets them from his mother."

Dusty blinked and looked up over his left shoulder to give her a look questioning whether or not she had really spoken such a thing.

The younger brunette awkwardly laughed out and looked away.

Dusty looked up at Jade and carelessly added, "Oh Mary… she has her father's sense of humor." He looked back to Ian and whispered out, "You see wings?"

The young child nodded his head.

He grinned to Ian and continued with a happy and playful tone, "I've never noticed, but… maybe I'm growing up too much to see the wonders of the world through eyes like yours. How about we keep that our little secret?"

The adorable child put on a smirk and nodded his head. "Okay."

The former Northridge student held up his right hand with is pinky finger extended. "Pinky promise?"

Ian hooked his finger with Dusty's finger and softly laughed as the shook pinkies. Dusty then stood up to look at the pale teenager. "Well we need to get going; we don't want to intrude."

"It's alright. Do you want to join us?"

He politely shook his head. "And interrupt your family time? Nope."

Jade softly smirked and suggested, "Okay, but we're going to meet up with Freddie and the others at Nozu at about one; do you want to meet up?"

The Southern teenager looked over to his Texan cousin and raised a questioning eyebrow.

She eagerly asked, "Will Robbie be there?"

"Yeah?"

Mary looked to Dusty and eagerly stated, "I want to go. I want to meet his little puppet."

Dusty knotted his brow.

The Texan quickly explained, "He's really funny on his Slap page. I'd like to meet him."

Jade cautiously pointed out, "Rex isn't real."

"Or maybe he's Robbie's Golem?"

The pale screenwriter narrowed her eyes on Mary and asked, "Golem?"

Dusty chuckled out in disbelief, "You did not just say that."

Mary laughed out a chuckle, "It would explain if he was real."

Jade looked between the cousins with a perplexed expression.

The former webmaster lifted up a hand and waved her off. "Never mind, we'll be there, but I still owe you a soup."

The Texan slightly frowned as she didn't understand why he would owe her a soup.

Jade blew out a breath and rolled her eyes while a smile played on her face. "Deal." She looked to Ian and instructed him, "Say goodbye to Dusty and Mary."

He waved at the pair with his free hand and happily bid farewell, "Bye Dusty, bye Mary."

Mary grinned ear-to-ear as she waved back to the child.

Jade mouthed goodbye to the pair then continued on her way further down the street.

Dusty furled his brow and slightly frowned to Mary as he questioned, "Wings? _Really?_"

She gently laughed as she held up her hands, "Hey, he's the one that saw them."

He shook his head and muttered, "Lord have mercy." He looked back to her and motioned his head towards their original way down pedestrian road. "Come on, there's like a gazillion more stores for you to see."

She softly laughed then looped an arm around his arm and started pulling him along so she could visit some of the stores, but the older cousin did pass a quick glance in the direction of the clowns.

* * *

Jade smiled as she walked with Ian to join parents and their children to see some of the clowns in the middle of their acts and tricks. The sister of the duo wasn't enthralled with the show as her brother, but watching his happy expression. An expression she couldn't deny that brought happy feelings to play on her heart at seeing his happiness and easily ignored some of the disapproving glances from some of the parents as they assumed she was Ian's mother. She briefly wondered if this was what it felt like to be a mother and if it was, then it was better than when she enjoyed being angry.

However, her relishing the happiness she was experiencing with spending time with her brother was blinding her to her surroundings. If she was paying as much attention to the show as her brother, she may have noticed one particular clown despite his cleaned up appearance in the group: the same clown that she, Cat and Tori met during their brief stop at King's Gas during their trip to Mona Patterson's house.

Jade may not have noticed the clown, but he sure recognized the pale teenager from that night and had to suppress a sinister grin as he continued to entertain with the other clowns.

Pear Store Beverly Center  
8500 Beverly Boulevard, Suite #656  
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Freddie was enjoying his quiet and slow morning behind the Brilliance Bar. He had finished repairs to the few items on the list in no time and was now killing time reading up on some new technical of the Mark Two PearPad and the rumors of the PearPad Threes.

A very familiar voice called out to pull him out of his reading, "Hey, I was told you could help me with my phone?"

Freddie looked up to see Jade's smiling face or so he thought it was Jade at first glance. He raised a confused eyebrow at seeing her missing piercings and absent colored hair extensions. He also noticed one more important absence: Ian. He softly laughed out, "This is a pleasant surprise, but where's Ian?"

The pale teenager slightly frowned with her brow knotting up. "I ah—I'm sorry, Ian?"

"Yeah, Ian. I thought you were picking him up this morning." His voice shifted into one of confusion, "Did something happen?"

She softly laughed out, "I'm sorry, but I think you have me confused with someone else." She softly placed her hand on her upper chest and finished, "I'm Heather Fox."

"Heather Fox?" he softly questioned as his mind took a few seconds to try to reconcile why Jade would try to pretend to be the actress he heard bore a resemblance to her.

She cleared her throat and looked down as apparently she was slightly embarrassed at being recognized as her face was literally splashed everywhere recently yet not at the same time.

Freddie realized after another moment looking into her blue eyes that she wasn't Jade. He let out a nervous laugh, "I'm sorry ma'am, it's just… wow, you really do look like Jade."

The actress furled her brow in confusion and cautiously replied, "Excuse me?"

Freddie softly laughed, "I'm sorry, but ah… you look just like my girlfriend."

She gave him a slightly disbelieving expression and Freddie let out another soft laugh as it looked identical to Jade's expression.

He gave her a charming smile to try to reassure her then questioned, "If you don't mind?" He pulled out his phone from his jean pocket and quickly scrolled through his gallery. He found a casual picture of them together and held the phone up for her to see.

"Oh my God," the actress whispered out as she saw the girl that looked near identical to her except for the hair extensions and the piercings.

"And just to show it's not a photoshopped picture…" He tapped the screen and quickly brought up a video of him and Jade just goofy off one day during lunch.

She watched for a few seconds as she saw herself on the screen casually interacting with a number of other teenagers. Seeing the other girl that could pass for her twin without the cosmetic differences of piercings and colored hair extensions in a video quickly erased any doubts that he wasn't telling the truth.

The brown eye boy softly laughed, "Yeah, I thought people were exaggerating when saying you two looked alike."

"That's… oh my God—wow…" She looked back to him and continued, "If I didn't know any better, I thought she was my sister."

"The funny thing is, that you're not the only person I know that has a twin in the world. My friend Tori looks just like the MMA fighter Shelby Marx, but she'll never admit it," he finished with a chuckle.

Heather let out a giggle and took a good look up at him. "You look familiar too, but I just can't place you…" She gave him an embarrassing smile, one that looked identical to the few times he had seen one on Jade's face.

"Oh, I… I used to be the technical producer on this little web-show called iCarly; I'm Freddie Benson."

She smirked and commented, "Yeah, that's where I recognized you from. That was a funny show. I used to watch it when I was younger, but… life got busy for me."

"I guess being a fulltime actress and cover girl monopolizes your time?"

She put on a somewhat embarrassing smile and playfully rolled her eyes. "You don't know the half of it."

He asked with a sympathetic tone, "Is it really that demanding on your life?"

Heather slightly frowned and knotted her brow.

The Pear Store employee slightly tilted his head to the side and replied with an apologetic tone, "I'm sorry for asking, but my girlfriend wants to be a professional actress and well… like everyone else, I only see what's out there and… people really don't know what it's like to be you. I love her, so I do worry what she could be facing when she makes it big."

The movie star nodded her head in appreciating his predicament. She gave him a sympathetic expression in return, "The most important advice—warning—I can give you to give your girlfriend is this: you learn who your real friends are really quickly… or lack of them and it hurts."

He gave her a somber expression that caused her to look back in surprise. "I know exactly how that feels."

The pair looked to one another for a few seconds until Freddie cleared his throat and asked with usual professional tone he learned over the months, "I'm sorry… you needed some help?"

She nodded along as she slipped back into an upbeat demeanor, "Yeah, I'm having problems with my phone."

Third Street Promenade  
Santa Monica, CA

The time was approaching twelve-thirty as the sister and brother walked down Third Street to make their way back to her car after stopping by several places Ian had enjoyed. She thought she'd never pull him out of the Dingo store with all the sights, sounds and toys.

She held him by one hand while in the other she cared a small bag with a toy from their stop at the educational toy store, Marbles. She found it far better for him than picking up something from their stop at the Dingo store. Jade laughed out her question while looking down at Ian finishing up his small cup of ice cream from their stop at N'ice Cream, "So are you liking the ice cream?"

Ian nodded his head through a mid-lick of his ice cream while trying to suppress a laugh.

Jade wasn't entirely thrilled with the idea of possibly spoiling his lunch, but it looked like the scariest girl at Hollywood Arts had her soft spot other than for Freddie and Cat, so she couldn't deny him a little treat.

Just a few moments later, they were at the corner of store front business United Colors of Bennetton to take a left down the specifically built passageway between it and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf to reach the P4 Parking lot where her car was parked.

She didn't think anything of it, that at the moment they were the only ones using the well traveled path from the parking complex behind the stores to the main street. They were about halfway down the passage when Jade stopped in mid-step from hearing a menacingly and familiar voice echoing in the passageway asking from behind her, "Can I have a ride to your house?"

Jade instantly recognized the voice of the clown from her trip with Cat and Tori to San Diego. She slowly turned around to see that this time he was dressed up to the nines as a clown instead of his disheveled appearance when they first met.

He raised his right pointer finger and asked again, "Well, can I?"

After he asked his question, the dark brunette noticed that he eyed down to Ian. She took in a sharp breath, dropped the bag and snatched Ian up in her arms and held him tight against her, placing her hand on the back of his head and forcing his face in the crook of her neck. She slowly started walking backwards towards further down the passageway while rallying her anger to stare him down. She whispered to Ian, "Baby, just keep your head in there." She took her hand away from the back of his head and shoved her hand into her purse and a moment later, pulled out a pair of scissors.

"No, but I can send you back to Hell," called out a voice from behind the clown.

He turned sharply around to see Dusty giving him a harsh stare. He recognized the teenager from his encounter with him about an hour later after meeting the girl. The clown was ready to move against him, but cowed back slightly from a combination of the deathly glare and the overhead lights started to dim then brighten.

Jade looked up at the lights and wondered what was causing the malfunctioning lights. The clown looked up just as confused as the pale actress.

Dusty slightly bowed his head as he focused his cold gaze on the clown and whispered out a tone that matched the icy look, "I warned you."

Mary appeared right beside Jade and gently took her by the elbow, surprising the darker haired brunette for a moment. The Texan motioned towards the direction behind them and whispered, "Come on."

The pale teenager instinctively nodded her head and started walking backwards, not daring to take her eyes off of the clown.

The clown looked over his shoulder and started to turn around, but Dusty called out to stop him in mid-turn, "You'll get two steps then you'll be dead."

The clown cleared his throat as the lights finally started to work properly then commented angrily, "Brave words boy."

Dusty smirked as he whispered in return, "Perhaps, but either way, I'm going to find out if you are man or monster... and I know how to deal with monsters."

The clown frowned angrily at him as the girls continued down that passageway without notice.

* * *

Jade quickly placed Ian in the car seat and quickly secured him in place. She tried to wear a happy expression, but even he could tell she was upset. However, he remained quiet.

She turned and looked with a worried expression to the Texan.

Mary answered with a nervous tone, possibly trying to convince herself, "He'll be fine."

Jade instinctively wanted to find one of the police officers patrolling the area and call them, but just jumping in the car and driving away seemed the be the more prudent thing to do and then what would she report him for doing? Being creepy?

The older teenager nodded her head to try to reassure the younger cousin.

A minute or so later, Dusty walked out of the tunnel and into the parking complex with a grim determination on his face and carrying the bag Jade had dropped in the passageway.

Jade simply asked, "Where is he?"

"He's… I took care of him. He won't bother you anymore." Dusty gave her a stare that suggested that she shouldn't ask any more questions.

Jade nodded her head then turned to lean back in the car to place a kiss on Ian's forehead. She stepped back out of the car and mouthed, "Thank you."

He wore a somber expression and gave her a soft nod.

Ian called out, "Who was that? He looked like one of the clowns in the show?"

The blue streaked hair girl's mouth dropped open, but she didn't know how to explain what happened.

Dusty walked passed her and rested his forearm on the edge of the top of the open door and smiled while explaining, "He was a very sick clown and I got him some help… like a policeman."

The child smiled and nodded his head, apparently accepting the explanation.

"Oh, and this was dropped. I believe it's yours?" he asked as he held up the bag Jade had dropped then placed it in the floor of the backseat.

The Southern teenager looked to Jade and happily continued without a care in the world, "You need to hit the road if you're going to be on time to meet up with Freddie. We'll follow you."

"Right," she answered with a breathless voice. She walked passed him to shut the backseat door then quickly got into the driver's seat of her vehicle. After starting the ignition, she rolled down the window and looked to the cousins. She whispered out again, "Thank you."

Dusty smiled in return and tapped the roof of the car then took a step back.

Jade pulled out of her parking spot and towards the exit.

Mary looked to him with a surprised expression and whispered, "She thanked you. Grandpa Bobby said they never thank you."

Dusty cracked a smile as he watched the vehicle leave and answered, "Sometimes they do."

Nozu

Jade led Ian by the hand into the Japanese restaurant with Dusty and Mary behind her. The screenwriter noticed to one side of the restaurant Tori, André and Robbie already sitting at two tables pushed together. The songsmith smiled as he was the first to spot them and waved them over.

They stood up as Jade lead the rest to the table. The pale girl bent down to Ian and pointed to Tori to introduce the child to her and then to the others, "This is Tori, André and Robbie."

"What about me?" the puppet shouted in outrage as he rested in Robbie's left hand.

Ian looked up curiously at the puppet and assumed he was part of some kind of act like the street performers on the promenade.

"Hi Rex," Mary happily called out behind Jade, distracting from a potential confrontation as Robbie turned to look at the Texan and the puppet laughed his comment, "Well hello beautiful."

Mary put on a bright smile and laughed at the compliment. Dusty slightly frowned in concern as he eyed back and forth between them.

Tori let the Texan distract Robbie and Rex so she could smiled brightly at Ian and waved, "Hi sweetheart."

Ian smiled up at who he saw as a pretty and nice girl.

The songsmith let out a cheerful laugh, "Hey little man, I'm André."

Mary continued to distract Robbie as she introduced herself, "I'm Mary; I'm Dustin's cousin."

Robbie awkwardly smiled as he introduced himself to the young brunette, "I'm Robbie."

"And I'm Rex," he smoothly introduced himself.

She gave the puppet a beaming smile then answered the pair, "Yes you are. I've wanted to meet both of you."

Rex laughed out as if he was a smooth player while Robbie partially blushed which just brought a bigger smile from Mary's lips.

The group started taking their seats, but Jade caught Robbie before he could retake his seat. She whispered into the ventriloquist's ear with a dark tone, "You will behave with Rex. You are not to use him to say anything inappropriate in front of Ian or I swear I'll rip off more than just an arm from Rex this time."

Robbie swallowed nervously and Rex dropped his mouth open.

Since Nozu wasn't necessarily a family restaurant, they didn't have any sort of high chair for Ian, so when Jade took a seat, she rested the child on her lap. He didn't seem to have mind as apparently he liked the attention.

Robbie and Rex took a seat across from the actress with Mary taking a seat to the left of Robbie. She and Ian quickly struck up an odd conversation with the puppet. Rex was kept in mind to keep is comments in check as he was talking with a child (which for some reason he enjoyed as Ian assumed that he was real) and he didn't want Jade to rip him limb from limb, especially when it would ruin his game with the lovely girl's attention he had hooked even before meeting her.

As they started munching on appetizers, waiting for the others to arrive before ordering, Tori questioned from Jade's left at the end of the table with a somewhat mocking whisper, "I didn't think you liked grubby little three/four year olds."

Jade snapped her head towards her and directed a dark glare.

The brunette swallowed nervously.

She leaned over and answered while Ian was distracted by Rex, "I don't like grubby little children, but... he's Ian... he's my brother."

The younger Vega sister softly smiled and playfully toyed, "So we're getting to see your motherly side?"

Jade slightly frowned and for some reason, that brought a bigger smile to Tori's face.

"Jadey?"

She looked back down to her brother and asked, "Yes sweetheart?"

Tori suppressed a smirk at hearing one of the, if not the, most feared girl at Hollywood Arts answering to such a childish nickname.

"I have to go to the potty."

"Okay," she answered then picked him up out of his lap then walked with him towards the restrooms, hoping he meant he just had to use the restroom and not actually potty.

Just as soon as the brother and sister slipped into the restroom, Beck led the two sugar high teenagers into the restaurant and hoped that lunch would balance them out and calm their nerves.

Dusty was the first to notice the girls and up from his seat. Once they group reached the table, the former webmaster laughed out and quickly pulled Carly into a hug, "If it isn't my favorite celebrity!"

Carly laughed back as she returned the hug, "Hey!" She pulled back and asked, "I didn't expect you to be here?"

Dusty motioned over to the youngest teenager of the group and answered, "Mary and I accidentally ran into Jade while we were out and she invited us to join everyone for lunch."

"That's nice of her," Beck commented with a dry tone.

Dusty smirked and gave a wink to the longer hair teenager, "It's been only two days and you've already missed me. I'm touched Pretty Boy."

Beck frowned and stuffed his hands into his jean pockets.

The Seattleite ignored the soft sparing between them for the moment and curiously questioned as she passed a quick glance to the brunette still talking to Rex, "Mary?"

"My cousin, she's visiting me over break."

"Ah…"

Mary noticed her name being spoken then quickly excused herself to approach the others. "Hi," she quickly greeted them, "I've been a fan of yours for years."

"Thanks," Carly happily acknowledged.

Mary smiled at the handsome actor and questioned, "So you're Beck?'

The long haired actor cracked a smile and answered with a friendly tone, "Yep, I'm Beck."

The Texan smiled as she nodded along... just before she brought her right leg slightly back then kicked him hard in the left shine.

Beck screamed in pain and grabbed his shin. "She kicked me!"

The others looked on in shock from the action even gathering the attention of some of the other patrons.

Mary shouted out, "Be grateful that I didn't kick you in the balls!"

Beck growled out in frustration as he rubbed his shin, "Why did you do that?"

"Because you're a jerk and you deserved it," she answered full of self-righteousness.

Beck looked to Dusty as if he expected the former webmaster to do something, but he wore a surprised expression, still a little shocked that his cousin did such a thing.

"You're mean," Cat softly admonished her as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Mary looked to the equally short girl and gave an angry stare that looked more like a pout as she retorted, "No, I just love my cousin and don't like he's gotten away with his mess. Don't you care? Don't you care what he did to your friend in his movie? Did you ever care about Dustin?"

The redhead's eyes shot open and her mouth dropped as if Mary had just physically slapped her.

Dusty looked just as shocked because he knew at times his cousin could be a little spitfire, but her being this confrontational surprised even him as she was always the calmer and far more sweet and sociable person of the pair.

Jade walked back to the table with Ian in tow. She knotted her brow at seeing Beck rub his chin. She looked on in irritation as she asked, "What's going on?"

Mary quickly volunteered, "I kicked your ex-boyfriend."

"Why?"

"He deserves it."

Jade looked to Dusty with a slightly annoyed expression.

He slightly frowned from the nonverbal message and responded with a hint of offense in his voice, "What do you expect me to do? Admonish _my blood_ like a child? I'll leave that type behavior to Beck…" He looked to Beck and finished with a warning tone, "…which he won't dare try in this case."

The dark brunette softly bit her bottom lip and lowered her gaze as she got his message loud and clear with his choice of words: 'Don't you dare expect me to agree with you over my family'.

The long haired actor narrowed his eyes on the slightly shorter teenager and Dusty met his stare.

Carly suggested with an awkwardly happy tone, "Why don't we all have a seat and eat and save the disagreements for another time?"

"Good idea," Jade remarked with slightly impatient tenor to her voice, a little from the boys butting heads and from agreeing with Carly.

Everyone retook their seats and started to go ahead and order as they felt it wouldn't be too rude if they started to eat with Freddie being the only one they were waiting to arrive.

Carly started on her sushi (which Beck was correct that she would absolutely love) then asked with concern, "Where's Freddie?"

Jade shrugged her shoulder and casually answered, "I guess he's just running late from work. You know him—if he gets involved with something, he loses track of time."

Tori tapped Jade's shoulder and awkwardly asked, "Jade?"

She snapped her head to Tori, irritated that the rival would poke her and asked with a sharp tone, "What?"

"Freddie's just walked in... with you."

Jade wrinkled her brow and questioned the girl as if she was insane, "What?"

Tori pointed to the door and the blue streaked hair girl turned in her seat and saw Freddie walk into the restaurant... with her.

"What the chizz?" she whispered in complete disbelief.

Freddie wore a beaming smile as he gave Jade a quick kiss on the cheek then exchanged a quick greeting with Ian (which brought a quick laugh from the child) before turning to the others and introducing his guest, "Everyone, this is the famous Heather Fox. You may have seen her like… _everywhere_. She stopped by the Pear Store and she wanted to meet everyone... for obvious reasons."

The apparent twins looked to one another for a few seconds before each awkwardly greeted the other at the same moment, "Heather/Jade."

Everyone let out a series of awkward greetings with Heather taking the time to tell Carly how she used to watch the show and loved it when she was younger as Freddie allowed the model to take a seat next to Jade then took one next to the model.

Dusty was far more confident than the rest as he laughed out, "Wow… the camera does not do you justice Miss Fox. I thought the resemblance was a camera and photo trick… like how you and Liz Gillies resemble."

She slightly bowed her head a bit of flush formed on her cheek from the compliment.

Beck softly rolled his eyes from what he saw as a sad attempt to flirt with the model.

Ian looked back and forth between the high school student and the model then back up at Jade. Confusion filled Ian's voice as he asked, "I have another sister?"

Heather smiled down at the child, quite sympathetic to his confusion.

Jade quickly answered her apparent twin's confusion, "This is my little brother."

Heather looked back and forth between the siblings, apparently confused with such an age gap.

Jade leaned slightly forward to the model and whispered, "We're stepsiblings."

The Jade twin opened up her mouth in an 'O' shape and nodded her head. She looked to Ian and let out a soft laugh, "No little guy, I just look like your sister."

He looked back and forth between them still trying to process seeing two nearly identical girls.

Freddie and Heather were able to quickly order and be served their meal. Once Freddie could start on his food, he asked Jade and Ian, "So how was your day?"

Ian eagerly shouted, "It was fun! We saw clowns and balloon animals and magic. I got to go to the Dingo store and I got ice cream and Jadey got me a toy."

Jade mouthed to the rest, _"Educational toy."_

He finished with a confused expression, "We even saw a sick clown before we left."

Cat knotted her brow and asked with a similar childlike tone, "Sick clown?"

Jade cleared her throat and answered with a hesitant tone, "We ah… met up that clown that we saw when we went to San Diego to see Mona Patterson. It turns out he's one of the performers today at the Promenade."

Tori asked with a worried filled tone as that clown had scared the wits out of her when he wanted to ride with them to first their house then to San _Die_ago, "You did? What happened?"

Heather looked on in confusion as she was lost from obviously the inside story of the friends.

Mary quickly answered, "Dustin took me to the Promenade, that's where we bumped into Jade and Ian, and ah… he took care of him."

Freddie instantly frowned at the words 'he took care of him' as a clear indication that the clown had caused or was about to cause so much trouble for Jade that he had to step in, possibly with violence.

Beck cautiously asked, only hearing about the clown secondhand from Tori after the fact, "What do he mean he 'took care of him'?"

"I'll tell the story!" Dusty overdramatically said as he stood up from his seat and took a chopstick in his right hand to hold up as sword. He looked to Ian and grinned and asked with a storyteller's flare, "I kind of fibbed earlier about him being sick, but do you want to hear my daring tale of facing the clown? Would you like to hear a good story?"

He nodded along and clapped his hands.

The others looked on in curiosity at what the Southern teenager was about to tell.

He remained standing as he spoke with a tone of borderline absurd seriousness of the issue, motioning his left hand out across to his audience, "Well… there I was, left alone in the dark—okay, well lit tunnel—after you and your sister left… alone against the clown that wasn't really a clown. He had yellow eyes with thin, vertical black pupils and teeth—" He put his left hand to his mouth with his fingers wiggling out in towards his audience to mimic teeth. He laughed out, "—teeth that were razor sharp!"

Ian laughed out at his acting with Jade putting on a relieved smile that the whole incident hadn't scared or scarred the child. She was doubly relieved since she knew that she may not sleep well tonight unless it was with Freddie.

Also at this point, Dusty was gathering the attention of the other patrons in the restaurant, apparently becoming enthralled with his tale.

Dusty smirked as he continued his tale in an overdramatic voice as if he was reciting Shakespeare or recalling an epic battle from Lord of the Rings, "He hissed and growled at me, hoping to intimidate me before trying to sink his teeth into me as if he wanted to gobble me up as the wolf did the pigs in the 'Three Little Pigs' or the grandma in 'Little Red Riding Hood'."

"But!" He held up his chopstick in a melodramatic pose, "I pulled out my trust short-sword, ready to face down the wannabe Bloody Bones."

"Bloody Bones?" Rex questioned, nearly breaking the mood.

He passed a quick glance to the puppet and answered, "You call him a Bogeyman—anyway, where I was? Yes! I was facing him down with short-sword in hand."

Dusty suddenly shifted back and forth where he stood, shifting his weight foot-to-foot. "I caught him off guard with it, but that didn't persuade the creature, apparently unafraid of what he assumed was a mortal weapon. He tried to circle around me to avoid the blade, but since we were in the narrow tunnel, I could effectively block his path. He had two choices: either turn and go down the tunnel to chase after you, where I could stab him in the back or charge me, where he would face the Heavenly steel."

Freddie smiled at the entertaining story meant to entertain Ian, but he caught a quick glanced at Mary. His smile faltered as he saw that she wore a concerned if not outright frightened expression.

The Southern teenager laughed out dramatically, grinning the entire time, "He decided to charge me, hoping I guess to pin my arms and sink his long, deadly teeth into my neck, but!" He started chuckling as he took a step back away from the table and lashed out with the chopstick. "I slashed out, slicing from his right hip to his left shoulder, the sound of sizzling flesh echoing about the tunnel as the Angelic blade sliced and burned through his abominable flesh and cauterizing the wound in an instant."

He threw out his hands and roared out, bringing a laugh from Ian and clapping of his hands. "He howled back in pain! Not expecting my mighty blow."

The lean teenager walked back to the table and leaned forward to whisper to the child, "But now… he was more dangerous than ever. He was like a wounded animal, so he tried to charge me." He took a step back to look at the rest of the teenagers at the table and now drawing the attention of almost all the other patrons.

"But I threw out my left hand and grabbed him by the collar," which Dusty mimicked with his left hand, "and turned to shove him against the wall. He screeched in anger, but I wasn't afraid as David wasn't afraid when he faced Goliath for I knew the Lord was with me. I plunged the blade into where his heart would be on a person and twisted, to vanquish the monster," he finished the mimicking of driving the chopstick into the imaginary creature in front of him.

He threw out his hands again and shouted, "He roar and roar a deathly howl as he dissolved into thin air, going back to the Devil, leaving only his now tattered clown costume and…" The former webmaster dropped his tone to a near whisper as he slipped his hand into is left jacket pocket and pulled out a red clown nose to show the audience, "…his nose." He gave it a quick squeak for dramatic effect. "Proof that I have slain the dragon."

The gathered group of friends started laughing while Freddie was becoming more hesitant of the story and the look on Mary's face.

He walked around the table and knelt down to Jade's side, as the girl turned in her seat with Ian to look at the Carolinian. He warmly smiled up to Ian and whispered, "Remember little fella, fairy tales don't tell you dragons are real, you already know that… they tell you that they can be beaten." He gently took one of Ian's hands and placed the red velvet nose in his hand. "And this one was beaten."

Ian started laughing and clapping his hands at the story and a moment later the rest at the table and even the restaurant started clapping.

Dusty stood up and gave several polite bows to everyone and let out a laugh. "Thank you, thank you. I'm glad you all enjoyed my little tale for this little one's entertainment." Everyone clapped for a few more moments as Dusty retook his seat.

Once he was settled, Tori laughed out, "That was a cute story. He doesn't seem so scary now."

He gave her a warm smile and a polite nod then answered dramatically, "If I have banished the fair maiden's fears then that are thrice reason to face the dragon." He dropped back down to a conversational tone and finished, "Thank you. I did ace my Creative Writing class."

He started back on his soup when Beck calmly asked, "Where did you get the sword?"

Dusty looked to the actor and confidently smirked, "Oh… I got it from my mother. One of the many things she left to me…" He looked to Mary. "That reminds me, we need to get some chocolate cake." He glanced to Beck as he finished, "I got the love of that from her too."

The cousin put on a forced smile and nodded her head.

Freddie raised an eyebrow as his mind instantly supplied the image of the sword in Dusty's story with the silver blade in the older teenager's room.

Beck slightly frowned at the apparent flippant answer.

Tori asked Dusty, "So, are you going to tell us what really happened?"

He softly chuckled, "How do you know I just didn't tell you?"

The brunette snorted out and shook her head as she figured why try to spoil the story for Ian by finding out the truth… and making the clown less scary for her.

The others turned back to their respective meals to eat and idly chat while Jade helped Ian with his food. Freddie watched on in silence at seeing the attention Jade was giving to her stepbrother and couldn't help but imagine that one day he would watched her do the same for their child. He paused for a moment to really reflect on the concept that he really was going to marry her one day and her be the mother of his child. He really had come a long way in thinking that one day he would be Carly's second husband.

While Heather enjoyed the brief respite with able to hang out with people her own age that weren't fully in the entertainment industry yet (and didn't want anything from her like James and Carlos), she was curious at seeing Beck and finally decided to curiously ask him, "Are you a model or planning to go in it?"

The Hollywood Arts heartthrob let out a charming laugh, "No, but I appreciate the compliment."

"You're welcome. You have the look for it. I could make some calls for you if you're interested?"

Jade wasn't sure how to react to seeing almost herself perhaps flirting with her ex.

Dusty laughed out, "Great, we'll have to see Pretty Boy's face even more."

Heather knotted her brow and cautiously asked between the pair as she had picked up on the slight tension between them during the meal, "Is there something I should know?"

"Oh..." He looked to Beck as he answered with a taunting tone, "I just don't care for guys who think they can put their hands on women and refuse to take the word 'no' for an answer from them. I'm kind of old fashion that way."

The slightly taller boy frowned. Beck explained with a cool tone, "He's just upset because he blames me for him getting kicked out of one of our school's club."

The Southern teenager smirked as he calmly retorted, "Did you notice that he didn't actually deny what I said about him?"

Beck actually had to bite his tongue for a moment not to snap an inappropriate comment.

Dusty pushed on, "You're the one that insisted to the point of getting Helen involved so your film would get posted for the world to see your _contempt_ for your ex-girlfriend for getting with a better man than you by casting her in a role where _she shoots herself in the head_." He looked to Heather and casually finished, "I don't know about you, but that sends a number of red flags up for me and I didn't want to have any part of it. I was forced to quit because I wouldn't put it up."

Heather gave a guarded expression to Beck.

"It was just a part in a school short film."

"Or so you say," Freddie spoke up with a dismissive tone.

Beck looked to Freddie with a surprised expression at seeing for the first time that he was voicing his complaint about what happened.

Jade tried to ignore the comment as she didn't want to deal with it right now and was enjoying her time with Ian.

Dusty spoke up, "I'm heading to the restroom… all that Peppy-Cola I drank on Third Street is finally catching up with me." He looked to Beck and warned the actor with a flat voice, "Keep you hands to yourself."

The long haired boy frowned once more at being talked to as a child while Freddie looked on in confusion, unsure why he would bring it up.

* * *

Dusty exited the stall and walked to the one of the sinks to wash his hands. After a quick lather, he started rinsing his hand, but noticed when he looked up that in the mirror, he saw the reflection of André wearing a disapproving expression on his face. The L.A. immigrant pulled a few paper towels from the dispenser and started drying his hands as he commented by looking at the songsmith's reflection, "I've been in bathroom fights before Harris, so if you think jumping me in here will give you an advantage, you are sorely mistaken."

André shook his head and muttered out with an annoyed voice, "I'm not going to fight you."

Dusty turned and coolly replied as he finished drying his hands, "Then I hope you're not here for a quickie, because I don't swing that way."

The dreadlock wearing teenager frowned at Dusty's biting sarcasm and retorted sharply, "I'm here to suggest that maybe you should back off of Beck."

Dusty threw the paper towels in the trash then took a step forward to look André straight in the eyes. "How about you grow yourself a damn spine and stand up to your friend so I don't have to be the one constantly having to give him a kick in the butt?"

"That's not your job."

"As a man seeing it staring me straight in the face of his behavior, it certainly is…" Dusty pointed his finger in André's face, a throwback to when the songsmith pointed a finger at Tori, and continued, "And it's your job too as one, especially since Jade and Vega are your friends." Dusty dropped his finger and continued in mild disgust, "You approve of him putting his hands on either when they don't want it? Dragging them into a closet when they say no?"

André clenched his jaw as he stared back.

The Southern teenager shook his head and whispered out as almost pity to the other teenager, "No you don't. I don't think you like it one bit that he can put his hands on _your_ girl. I heard about last week when he did it to Vega and I'm betting Freddie did too and that's _very bad_."

The songsmith stood up straighter and took a soft breath.

"Beck won't listen to me and he won't listen to Freddie… and as of right now… Pretty Boy is going to cross a line where Freddie's not going to be able to make any more excuses and let him slide, but have no other choice but to kick his ass."

Dusty turned his head away for a moment and softly growled. He looked back to André and pointed out, "Those two are going to throw down and when it happens, your little clique is going to tear itself apart because you can't skate not taking a side like last time he pulled his crap; you're going to have to take a side, so the best thing is to reign him in _now_."

All André apparently could do was stare back at the Southern teenager for a moment before Dusty decided to walk past him. However, he stopped at the door before exiting and called out over his shoulder with looking at André from the corner of his left eye, "If they go at it and you're there and I'm not… if you decide to take Beck's side and double team Freddie… I will hunt you both down and _break you_."

André took a deep breath and clenched his jaw and teeth while Dusty exited the restroom.

* * *

Heather commented to Jade as her fingers idly played with her chopsticks, "I just watched your Snow White film on the way over. That was fantastic. You were great. I'm hoping I can get that good." Her smile slightly faltered as she finished, "People are a little hesitant towards me. They think I'm just a silly little model who's trying to pretend she can act."

"Thanks," the blue streaked hair girl commented with a sympathetic tone. A thought occurred to Jade and she quickly questioned, not wanting to waste the opportunity, "I was wondering, are you busy this week?"

"Actually no; I'm taking a little time off this week and going to be free."

Jade grinned and asked with complete self-confidence that Heather would agree to her request, "Would you mind doing a little cameo in a short film I'm working on this week? You know, since we look so much alike?"

Heather gave her a curious, but definitely interested expression as she asked, "What's it about?"

"It's a tribute to my favorite movie, 'The Scissoring'. I love that movie more than my own mother. I even have the actually scissors from the movie." She motioned to the redhead as she continued, "My friend Cat got them for me as a Christmas present."

Freddie snorted out and suppressed a laugh to prevent him from spitting out his food when he heard her say she loved the movie more than her own mother as he really didn't believe it for a second.

Heather mouth dropped open for a moment then quickly answered, "I _love _that film. Are you playing in it?"

"Yes, I also wrote the screenplay and directing it."

Freddie finished his morsel and laughed out before taking another bite of his food, "Oh and she is a demanding one."

Jade shot him a quick glare.

He quickly swallowed his food before he could choke on any before returning her stare with another laugh.

The blue streaked hair couldn't maintain her annoyed expression from his loving gaze.

"Who are you playing?" her apparent twin spoke up.

"I'm playing Tawny." Jade smirked and motioned her head to Tori. "I've already killed Tori."

Tori gave her pale friend a disapproving expression.

Heather eagerly suggested, "Then we can do that scene where she's talking to herself before she kills her aunt?"

"My thoughts exactly."

Rex turned away from his conversation with Mary and Ian and commented, "Wow, two girls playing Jade. Now that's scary."

His comment drew the ire of both girls annoyed glances in his direction and he flinched backwards.

Mister West Residence

The time was a little after two-thirty as Jade pulled her car up into the driveway of her father's home. Ian had lolled off to sleep on the drive back and Jade was reluctant to wake him up as she turned off the ignition. She casually got out of her seat and went around and proceeded to unbuckle Ian from his car seat, waking him up.

She smiled to him while she brushed his hair off of his forehead. She looked him in the eyes and whispered in a motherly tone, "You know I love you, right?"

He nodded his head and whispered in a sleepy tone, "I love you too Jadey."

She opened her arms and he eagerly hugged his older sister so she could lift him out of his seat. As she turned away from the car, she softly brushed the back of his head with her right hand as he used her shoulder as a pillow. She closed her eyes for a moment in realizing that out of all the things she joked about hating and loving, she had no problems or reservations in loving him maybe because he was so willing to love her without reservation.

She started towards the front door and the door surprisingly opened to reveal her father. She didn't question why he would be home this early nor did she really care.

Mister West picked up his stepson and the child immediately used his shoulder as a pillow. "Jade."

"Dad."

Daughter and father stared at one another for a few moments until Jade whispered calmly, without sarcasm, anger or regret, "I don't care if you love him more than me, but I want you to know that I love him and don't try to mess that up."

Roy West blinked in surprise, but quickly regained his composer then gave a nod of his head and put back on his even expression. She gave him a quick nod with her farewell, "I'll see you later," then headed back to her car to retrieve the car seat.

Hale Residence

Dusty stood in front of his dresser-bookcase with his mother's silver long-knife/short-sword in one hand and with a cloth in the other as he wiped off the blade one last time. After the final wipe, he gently placed it back on the stand then reached down to the desk part of the dresser to pick up the glass case and gently put it back in place over it.

He shifted his eyes over just a few degrees to look at picture of his mom resting next to the glass display. He gave a soft smile, but was interrupted by hearing someone step passed the threshold into his room.

He turned to look at the distraught expression on Mary's face and gave her a concerned look in response. She quickly walked over and wrapped her arms around to the small of his back and held him tight.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again," she mumbled into his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes then kissed the crown of her head. "No promises."

West Residence

The eerily similar pale girls relaxed in Jade's room as they watched television in the early evening to finish out the day. Jade was relaxing in her burgundy chair while Carly ate on a red velvet cupcake sitting on the floor. Jade softly whispered, "I finally get you."

The slightly older teenager looked over her right shoulder, in mid-chew of her cupcake, and gave her a confused expression. Jade rolled her eyes while mumbling, "Finish the cupcake before speaking."

Carly choked back a laugh as suddenly Jade reminded of herself when speaking with Sam as the dirty blonde tried to talk and eat at the same time. She finished chewing then slowly questioned, "What do you mean?"

"I did something that had some unintended consequences… just like you."

The web-hostess raised an eyebrow and answered with a touch of enlightenment, "Is this about the message you sent me?"

"Yeah... I made Cat think I shaved her head by putting a bald cap on her head."

Carly squinted in confusion.

Jade pointed to her made up eyebrows. "She was doing my eyebrows and... there was a problem. I threw a fit and without thinking I pulled that on her."

The slightly older teenager realized that Jade didn't have real eyebrows, but a really good makeup job. "Oh... so you upset Cat?"

"No, Dusty."

"Dusty, why would that upset him?"

"He and Cat went out for about a week just before school started this year. They didn't work out, but he still cares about her a lot, so he got really mad at me. I hurt Dusty and I didn't mean to..." Jade took a deep breath then admitted, "…just like you didn't mean to hurt us on New Year's."

The Seattleite sucked in a sharp breath and eyes shot open wide.

Jade rolled her eyes and muttered, "I guess it took me to be you to understand what really happened that night. I didn't try to hurt Cat or Dusty and I don't think you tried to hurt us. Things can really just happen in ways you don't realize."

Carly looked down at her cross-legged lap and took a soft breath. She whispered out, "I had a lot of time to think after Freddie left and when I spent some time with my cousins. Eight months is a lot of time to think. I realized how little I thought about the consequences of my actions… my inactions. I just didn't think and I realized how callous and heartless I looked." She snorted out and wore a weary smile. "My uncle thinks that I had compartmentalized all the bad things Sam did to Freddie… and everyone else because I was too afraid to face the situation. I had created my own happy little world to deal with my mom and dad not being there and as Sam's behavior worsened, I kept ignoring it so it couldn't topple the world I had created in my head."

Jade took several calming breaths as Carly's words struck a nerve. She couldn't help but think that was how Freddie had acted for years in regard to the mistreatment at their hands until they pushed too far and how maybe Cat was doing the same thing now, but the only person she was hurting was maybe herself. She surprised herself with that revelation with a movement of compassion for the girl. She got out of her seat and sat on the floor next to Carly and whispered out softly, "I'm sorry you realized it too late."

The fellow brunette nodded her head. "So am I… but… life goes on as my uncle told me and I'm happy I've gotten the chance to fix a few things. Not many get the second chance."

The girls sat in silence as they looked at the television, but neither was paying attention to what was being displayed. They sat that way for untold minutes, apparently finding understanding with one another in silence.

Carly finally spoke up with a delicate tone, "I've never seen 'The Scissoring'."

Jade cracked a smile. "Well you're in for a treat; I have the Director's Cut."

"Are there parts where I get to laugh?"

The slightly younger teenager smirked as she answered, "It depends on your sense of humor."

* * *

Author's Note: I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. I wrapped up several storylines in this one, hopefully to everyone's satisfaction. Hopefully the next chapter will be up by Monday at the latest (that will include some more guests and… directly address Cat head on) with the next regular chapter up next Friday. Also, if you're wondering why I skipped April 1st in the chapter as in 'April Fools Blank', well as you can see by the dates, the first was on a Sunday, so they couldn't have been in school and second, I plan to do that as a separate, special chapter to hopefully posted on April 1st. See you then, OneHorseShay.


	25. Chapter 25: Easter Break Part 3

Hello my dear readers. I hope everyone has been doing alright. I'm sorry for the lateness of this chapter, but life has seemed to want to get in my way of writing this chapter. I hope you enjoy it, especially since it is considerably longer than usual.

Also, due to being business this last week, I haven't had a chance to properly PM my reviewers, so I'm getting back to all of you by tonight of this posting. Thank you of course for your continued support.

There is one thing I'd like to address: Why does everyone keep thinking Dusty's story to a four year old is somehow an accurate retelling of his encounter with the clown? Why does anyone believe the word of a four year old seeing wings on his back? Completely confuses me.

I'd like the throw some recommendation out: PD31 has posted a new chapter of his story, 'A Place to Call Home' and started another story, 'Here's to Us' and Subject87 Jade/Freddie story, 'iNeed a Change'.

One last thing since their is time, the Kids Choice Awards is less than two hours away, so keep voting for your favorite show and actress. I have a preference, but since this story is covering two shows and has two actresses up for winning, so I'm not advocating who one should vote for.

Special Guest Star Miranda Cosgrove

Special Guest Star Laura Marano as Mary

Other credits at the end of the story as I don't want to spoil anything.

Now on with the story.

Rating: T Language, Violence

* * *

Chapter 25: Easter Break Part 3

West Residence  
Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Jade and Carly were sitting across from one another at the kitchen island in the early morning eating cereal, both still in their night clothes. The girls only shared some idle conversation, but surprisingly for each, there was no real tension between them as they sat together.

Jade had been quite surprised that the girl she saw as almost sickening girl next door, even worst than Tori in some ways, could appreciate 'The Scissoring' and laugh at the appropriate times of the film. She hated to admit it, but her mind was already starting to reevaluate the girl.

Freddie nearly hopped down the stairs, dressed in one of his long sleeve red Pear shirts and jeans with his blue Hollywood Arts lettered jacket then reached the kitchen to approach the girls. He placed a quick kiss on Jade's right cheek then slipped his arms around Jade to rest on her abdomen then greeted the pair, "Hello ladies."

Carly wore a guarded expression at seeing the affection between the couple.

Jade smirked back and returned the greeting with a lively, "Morning."

He rested his chin on her right shoulder and asked the pair, "So what did you two lovely ladies do late last night?" He was curious as Jade had surprised him by slipping into his bed sometime after midnight and snuggling with him, but he wasn't going to dare ask as to the reason in front of Carly.

Jade turned her head and raised her left eyebrow and answered, "We watched 'The Scissoring'."

Carly happily piped up, "That is a good movie."

"Yes it is," Freddie agreed with a light tone.

His girlfriend looked back at him in surprise.

He let out a soft laugh as he explained, "Just because I have certain problems with it, doesn't mean it overall it isn't a good film."

Carly softly laughed out, "What problems?"

The couple turned back their attention to their guest with Freddie answering, "It's too early in the morning to start that movie analysis and I need to get to work."

The doorbell rang, interrupting any further conversation.

"I'm up, I might as well answer it," Freddie commented while regretfully pulling away from his girl. He quickly cut through the living room and towards the foyer.

Freddie opened the door and was momentary taken aback by seeing Sam on the other side of the threshold. He was so surprised by her appearance that he didn't notice that she was dressed up more 'girly' than normal or that she had her hair pulled back into a pony tail.

He eyed her as he cautiously asked, "Sam? What are you doing here?"

The dirty blonde laughed, "Nope, wrong Puckett sister."

Freddie frowned as he couldn't believe she was pulling this stunt again. He had debated back and forth with the true existence of 'Melanie Puckett' for some time and still hadn't made a decision.

Carly called out as he walked up behind Freddie, "Who's at the door?"

The brunette stopped in surprise at seeing her best friend. "Sam?"

The dirty blonde gave a genuine happy smile and shook her head.

"Melanie?" Carly laughed out as she was quite able to tell the sisters apart from that reaction.

The visitor nodded her head and Carly quickly pulled her into a hug.

Freddie frowned as he looked to the blonde and his brunette friend. He turned his attention to Carly and asked with a slightly impatient tone, "Is Melanie real? Is this really her?"

At this point, Jade had walked up behind them to see what was going on at the door and had overheard part of the conversation. She laughed out, "Too bad Sam doesn't have the scar anymore or you could tell for sure."

Melanie pulled away from Carly and instantly frowned and gave the L.A. girl a cold stare.

The younger pale girl crossed her arms under her chest and matched her stare. She whispered out coldly, "She's the one that started it by trying to rip Freddie's arm out of his socket and try to give him a concussion, but you'd know that if you were really Sam."

Melanie looked down shamefully and slightly frowned. She apparently didn't want to argue over that point, but decided to comment with a somber tone, "My sister has done a lot of stupid stuff in her life."

Freddie asked with a slightly impatient tone, "You really are real?"

The Puckett twin turned her attention away from Jade and let out a giggle, "Yep, I tried to tell you several times."

"Well after all the earlier chizz they pulled on me that week, I wasn't going to believe something that outrageous."

Carly put on a soft pout as she looked to her former tech-producer.

Freddie suppressed the urge to role his eyes and answered, "Yes Carly, I thought you and Sam was lying to me. That is what Sam does: _she lies_."

The Seattle-based web-hostess frowned in disappointment, but quickly discarded it so she could eagerly ask, "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm off for break too and I found out from Sam you were down here, so I'm here."

Carly's brow knotted in further confusion, "Why aren't you spending it with Sam and your mom?"

The nicer of the Puckett twins frowned and asked with a disbelieving tone, "Yes, I so want to spend time with Pam?"

"Sam says she's getting better and trying," Carly replied with an optimistic tone.

"I'll wait 'til she gets a little better…" She dropped her tone and looked Carly straight in the eyes as she finished, "…and I need to talk to you."

The brunette put on a worried expression. The girls weren't particularly close, so Carly was concerned why she wanted to speak with her. The shift in tone was easily caught by the couple, each contemplating the significance of the dirty blonde of coming down to L.A. to talk to her.

Freddie cleared his throat then spoke up, "Well, ah, I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have to get to work." He turned and gave Jade another kiss on the cheek then walked passed them back into the house to head for the garage.

Melanie looked over the girls' shoulders and softly laughed, "He's still adorable."

Jade smirked as she looked over her own right shoulder and commented, "Yes he is..." She looked back to Melanie and finished with a soft warning in her voice, "…and he's quite mine, so don't try anything, understand?"

The 'good' twin nodded her head in understanding that Freddie was clearly off the market.

The L.A. based pale girl motioned her head inside her home and offered with a dry tone, "Since you're here, come inside. You two can talk. I have to get ready for something," Jade intentionally being vague about her movie for in essence a stranger.

The girls stepped apart so Melanie could step between them and into the foyer. Carly raised an eyebrow to Jade, questioning the chilled attitude. She obviously understood the resentment for Sam, but for a girl she didn't know, she found it odd.

Jade rolled her eyes then muttered, "I don't care for twins."

After closing the door behind them, they all headed for the kitchen, but Jade split off to head up the stairs to shower and dress with the promise of being down in a little bit to fix them a proper breakfast. Carly appreciated Jade's excuse to give her and Melanie the chance to talk even if the fellow pale girl would probably deny she did such a thing.

Carly politely asked as she and Melanie reached the kitchen island, "Have you eaten? We have some cereal to tie you over until Jade comes down."

Melanie laughed out, "Yeah I've eaten, I don't share Sam's eating habits, but even I need a good breakfast before starting my day."

Carly nodded with a bright smile then retook her seat at the kitchen island to continue on her cereal.

Melanie took Jade's seat, but ignored the half eaten cereal in front of her. She looked to Carly and with a bashful tone, "How is Sam?"

The brunette instantly knotted her brow as that was not the question she was necessarily expecting from the twin of her best friend. "What do you mean?"

She slightly tilted her head to the side and softly commented, "It's like trying to pull teeth from her to find out what's going on. You know she really doesn't like me, so she's not eager to talk to me. I know something is wrong and not just with everything you said on iCarly after New Year's."

The pale brunette softly frowned and let out a soft breath. She met Melanie's eyes and answered with a forced casual voice, "Her and Brad broke up. I guess he finally had to face what Sam had done to Freddie and how everything spun out of control from there. He couldn't reconcile how she treated him and how she treated Freddie. I think he was afraid that one day that she might turn on him."

The troublemaker's twin let out a regretful breath.

"She's trying to hide it, but… I know she's really heartbroken over it. It doesn't help that he's still our technical producer."

Melanie's mouth dropped open and she asked in shock, "Why haven't you fired him and got someone else do it?"

Carly tilted her head to the side and answered with a tired breath, "I wanted to, but she insisted that I didn't. He enjoys doing the show, even if things are kind of awkward between them, so she didn't want to alienate him or hurt him."

The blonde's eyes shot open and mouth formed an 'O' before commenting in a clearly disbelieving tone, "Wow… Samantha wanting to be noble? I guess things have changed with her."

The web-hostess regretfully commented, "Yeah, but too late it looks like."

The private school student nodded her head in agreement then asked, "Why isn't she here?"

"You just met Jade; do you really have to ask why she's not welcome to stay? Besides, Aunt Ruby wouldn't let her stay in fear she would try something out of spite no matter what consequences Sam could face."

"It's that bad?" she retorted with a sad tone.

Carly put on a regretful look and pointed out, "Jade did scar her up and broke a few ribs during their fight. Even I'm not sure if Sam has really let that go and doesn't want some kind of revenge even if her ribs are fine and her scar is gone."

"How did she get rid of a scar?"

Carly softly bit her bottom lip then answered with a hushed tone, "You'll think I'm crazy if I told you."

Melanie gave her a supportive smile and answered, "Carly, her scar being gone is crazy, why should I assume the explanation isn't crazy too?"

The brunette let out a relieved breath and answered, "Okay… if you want to know, it really started a few Christmases ago when I…"

Freddie Benson: Just got off work and my girl needs coffee to film. Guess what I'm doing? FEELING: Jetty 8)

Outside of Jet Brew

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

The time was approaching one-thirty as the tech-producer was stopping by the closest Jet Brew coffee shop before heading to meet up with everyone at Ava's house to film her scenes. He quickly entered and headed towards the counter, passing some of the seated patrons.

"Freddie?!" he heard Tori call out behind him. He turned smiled at seeing Tori come up behind him from sitting alone at a table, but he was a little surprised as he couldn't recall a time he had seen her out with her hair straight or wearing a shirt so short that it exposed most of her toned midriff, especially her bellybutton along with low, hip hugging jeans.

"Tori?" He let out a chuckle as he looked Tori up and down, trying not to let his gaze lock on to her midriff, "Interesting look."

She gave him a quick confused expression, but quickly disregarded it by laughing out, "Freddie, it's me, Shelby." The professional fighter quickly pulled him into a hug.

Freddie blinked in surprise then quickly returned the physical greeting once he was able to gather his wits. He softly laughed out, "Shelby?"

Shelby pulled away, while still holding on to his shoulders, and quickly answered with a soft laugh, "How have you been? I heard you moved to Los Angeles ..." She cleared her throat and muttered with an uncomfortable tone, "...and some other things..."

He nodded along and completed her statement with a hint of regret lacing his voice, "All of which are true, but I'm doing really good."

Shelby put on a regretful expression then looking down to the floor to try to hide a shameful expression.

Freddie let out a laugh to brighten her mood, "You still look fantastic."

She slightly bowed her head then looked to him and coyly smiled. Her voice had a teasing quality to it as she asked, "Thank you, but if I've always looked 'fantastic', how come you didn't recognize me?"

He joined her in laughter and answered, "Because I thought you were my friend Tori… a girl that could pass as your identical twin even if she thinks you two look nothing alike."

Shelby crossed her arms under her chest and laughed, "Right… be serious Freddie."

His charming smile grew bigger and he playfully retorted, "I am serious… I have photos to prove it." He knotted his brow and commented with a bit of an odd tone, "It's getting kind of weird meeting all these twins this week. Sam's twin sister Melanie stopped by this morning and yesterday I even met one of my girlfriend, Heather Fox."

"Right? Pictures? And your girlfriend looks like Heather Fox?"

Freddie reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his phone. He pulled up some pictures and started going through some of Jade and Tori.

Her mouth dropped open and eyes nearly bugged out at seeing the photos. She finally uttered out, "Oh my God, we are twins."

He softly chuckled, "I told you so."

She joined his laughter, "I might have to ask for a DNA test."

They took another few moments to calm down then Shelby motioned to the table she was just seated and asked, "You want to have a seat? Catch up a little?"

He sucked a breath through his teeth and put on an embarrassing smile. He let out an awkward laugh then explained, "I'm kind of in a hurry. I was just stopping by to pick up coffee for Jade—she's kind of a coffee addict—and meeting her over at a friend's house. We're filming a short film this week since we're on Spring Break. She's an actress and we go to a performing arts high school."

Shelby nodded her head in disappointment.

He blew out a breath, "But… a half hour or so wouldn't hurt? Let me just text her to let her know I'll be late… I better make sure I get her two cups of coffee," he finished with a laugh.

The straight haired brunette instantly brightened with a smile then led him to the table as there was no point in ordering the coffee until he was ready to leave.

Freddie took a comfortable seat across from the professional fighter and asked with an eager tone, "So what are you doing here?"

She relaxed back in her seat and cupped her coffee that fortunately no one had touched during the pair's reunion as she answered, "I'm defending my title Thursday. When you're the champ, everyone wants to take a shot at you and I'm enjoying the city and relaxing in the meantime."

Freddie whistled, "Wow… you've held on to it for what? Two and a half years?"

She proudly answered, "That's about right."

"Ever thought about hanging it up? It's not the safest sport and pardon me for saying, but how much farther can you go? You're seventeen and you've been on the top for all that time."

She titled her head away for a moment and admitted with a small smile, "You're right and my grandmother's suggested I do, but…"

"What?"

She let out an embarrassing laugh then answered, "The money's really good from the fights and the endorsements and…" She lost her upbeat tone as she continued, "…I need the money to look after my grandmother…" Her face became somber as she finished, "She's not getting any younger."

He nodded along and answered in an equally somber tone, "It's not my place to tell you what you should do other than what you think is best for your family."

"Thanks," she answered with a grateful tone.

Freddie picked back up with a livelier tone, "So… how's life been treating you other than professionally I mean?"

She cracked a smile nearly identical to Tori's as she answered, "Oh, I've been doing fine. I'm just trying to get my schooling done, but other than that, nothing much, octagon and the books."

Freddie furled his brow and gave her a look of disbelief. He asked with a slightly raised pitch in his voice, "Really? So as a beautiful, talented, strong young lady, you haven't snagged some lucky fellow? You don't have someone to share the happiness? I find that kind of hard to believe."

She softly laughed out, "You're flirting techniques have gotten better."

Freddie forced to keep the grin on his face as he was going to assume that she didn't mean anything by it, but he was going to have to correct the record, "I'm not sure how you can make that judgment call yet since I haven't flirted with you, but I will admit _at the time_ that I did flirt with you that I was quite awkward, but I cannot be the first guy that flirted with you... and creeping you out... but I'm betting I haven't been the last, so…" His voice dropped to one of concern, "…why haven't you got someone if everything else is going alright?"

She gave him a shameful expression from a moment then gave him a playful smile as she responded with a hushed tone, "No you weren't... but as creepy as I might have found it _then_… I have to say you were the most genuine and I haven't run into guys since then that's had that quality. I heard about your accident a few years ago, the one with the truck. I don't know how much more genuine you can get than that."

Freddie straightened up in his chair and answered with a charming tone, "If you're using me as a standard then I'm the one that should be flattered."

She cracked a smile and continued, "Speaking of being attached, I heard you were—I mean before you mentioned it. Jade you said?"

He nodded along and smirked. "Yes, I'm very happily attached. Her name is Jade and she's a wonderful girl that I love very much."

The Tori twin nodded her head and took a quick sip of her coffee. She hesitantly looked back up to meet his eyes and delicately whispered, "So can I assume that what I heard is true? You're living with her?"

Freddie grinned while replying, "I'm renting a room from her mother, so technically I'm not living with her; we're just under the same roof."

Shelby raised an eyebrow and softly laughed out, "Splitting hairs Freddie?"

Freddie softly laughed, "For me, the distinction is important." He took a soft breath and put on a serious expression as he finished his point, "We don't share a room... we don't share _a _bed which most people assume when they hear the phrase 'living together'." The straight haired brunette's eyes shot open at that admission.

The professional fighter gave him a regretful expression. She took a calming breath then whispered, "Freddie, I'm sorry."

He let out a soft laugh, "It's okay, I'm not offended."

"No, I mean about how it came to that." Freddie's smile left his face while she continued, "I heard about everything, about Carly's confession. If I knew what Sam was doing, I... would have done something."

Freddie rested his forearms on the table and answered, "It didn't start to get really bad until after we met and you were off living your life, so... you can't feel guilty about anything."

"I should have kept in touch with you guys." She dropped her tone further as she looked to her coffee, "I wish I would have kept in touch with all of you, maybe I…"

He softly smiled as he tried to reassure her, "It works both ways Shelby. I'm not sure how much you wanted to keep in touch with me, but I'm surprised that Carly and Sam didn't."

The Tori look-alike didn't look convinced at his explanation, so Freddie tried a different tactic since she wasn't going to let him let her off the hook. "If you need forgiveness... I forgive you."

She looked up to him in utter shock.

He gave her a tender smile. "It's took me a long time to work through all the anger and hate... and to _be _honest, there's plenty of people that I still hold some resentment for, but I remembered that forgiveness is better than just hanging on to everything else." He softly laughed and looked to the table as he idly commented, "Besides, Sam has superhuman strength. It wouldn't have been as easy as you may think."

Shelby laughed at the concept.

Freddie grinned, but his tone was completely serious, "I'm not joking Shelby; she has superhuman strength and is quite dangerous. Do not underestimate her... I don't... I have too many injuries from her to ignore... like the last one that nearly pulled my arm out of my socket and gave me a near concussion _thaaat_ spurred Jade into begging me to stay in L.A. than going back to Seattle. I was in a sling for about a week afterwards and as Jade puts it: I'm built like a tank, so that tells you how strong Sam is if she can hurt me."

She lost her smile as she looked into his eyes and saw that he wasn't joking. She had learned a long time ago to read people by their eyes and she had no doubts that he believed it. She blew out a nervous breath then asked on a happier note, "Since you're here and said you're on break, do you want to see my fight on Thursday?"

He could hear the soft eagerness in her voice of her wanting him to say yes. He warmly smiled as he answered, "I would love to and I think there are a few others that might like to see it—if you could swing a couple of more tickets?"

"Who?"

Freddie gave her a knowing smile. "Other than Jade… Carly's down here visiting for Spring Break and she might want to see you."

Shelby's brow shot up while asking, "Carly's here?"

"Yep," he answered with a boyish grin. "We've buried the hatchet so to speak and we're good."

"But I assume Sam's not here?"

"Nope, still up in Seattle."

The professional fighter laughed out, "Well then, I guess we're having a little reunion anyway?"

"I guess so, but before you leave to whatever your next fight might be, you have to meet Tori, just so I can show her that you two look alike. She will deny it up and down that you two look alike."

She happily agreed, "She can come to the fight too with whoever else she wants to bring with her. _I_ need to see her in person."

Freddie chuckled, "Oh, this should be fun."

Cohen Residence

Hollywood, CA

Dusty and Mary approached the front door at the moderate sized home just after two in the afternoon. The Southern tapped the doorbell and the cousins patiently waited for the door to open. A small smiled played on Mary's face as she was mildly content at Dusty going to spend some more time with Ava.

It opened a few seconds later and revealed the shorter brunette girl. She immediately smiled up at Dusty and whispered, "Hi handsome."

Dusty knotted his brow and slowly answered willing to play along, "Hello beautiful?"

The girl beamed him a smile then took him by the left arm and led him inside.

Mary couldn't resist putting on a grin as she followed the pair inside.

He looked over one more time then stated with a calm, conversational tone as a smile played on his lips, "So you're Eva?"

She let go of his arm, blew out a breath and rolled her eyes in defeat. She playfully asked while meeting his eyes, "Yeah. How did you know?"

He smirked and softly laughed out, "I kind of have a sixth sense about these things and… you're far too straight forward then what I've seen of your sister and I'd highly doubt she would do such a thing while she was still with Van Cleef."

Mary frowned in disappointment at being fooled by a twin.

The Seattle twin snorted out as she looked away, "She needs to dump that loser."

Dusty put on a slight frowned as he bit his tongue to refrain from commenting.

The other Cohen twin stepped out of kitchen and she blew out an exacerbated breath at seeing her sister with the cousins. She commented with a slightly annoyed voice, "I see you've met my sister?"

"Yes we did." He looked to Eva and asked, "I guess you're on break too?"

"Yes I am." She looked to her twin and stated, "I wanted to come down and visit my sister."

Ava commented with a dry tone, "Oh lucky me."

Eva crossed her arms under her chest then stuck her tongue out at her sister. Ava returned the gesture.

Dusty softly chuckled, "Oh sibling rivalry, it's so… Biblical."

The Angeleno twin snorted out, "Nay, I only want to kill her half the time."

Eva mocked in return, "I love you too big sis."

The cousins share a quick laugh at seeing the twins' antics.

The doorbell rang again and Ava decided to answer it instead of continuing her bickering with her younger sibling. She let out a relieved breath at seeing Jade and Cat on the other side and quickly ushered them inside with a friendly greeting.

The pair immediately stopped when they saw Eva. The pale girl looked between the Cohen sisters for a moment then muttered, "Twins."

Ava rolled her eyes as she commented, "My same reaction." She directed the girls to Eva and introduced, "Yes, my twin sister, Eva. Eva, Jade and Cat."

The redhead put on a smile and waved as she returned the greeting with a high pitched voice, "Hi."

Eva acknowledged the pair then eagerly asked, "So Freddie is going to be here?"

Ava looked to her sister and stated in no uncertain terms, "Don't make a pass at him. He turned you down last time, he's not going to take a second look, especially _now_."

The identical twin huffed out a breath, "Carly was too busy being all over him last time."

Jade looked on concern at the pair, but Ava quickly explained, "After Freddie's accident, she was one of the girls that threw herself at him."

The younger twin snapped out, "Oh everyone went after our resident hero! He jumped in front of a truck to save Carly. Who wouldn't want a guy like that?"

"Apparently Carly," Jade uttered in a curt tone.

Eva looked to Jade and answered in a dismissive tone, "From what I've seen going to school with her for the last five years, her smarts have always been overestimated and she's gotten by with that sweet girl act."

Dusty let out a whistle at the burn and looked away while 'Little Red' frowned at the insult towards her partner in cupcake crime. Despite being on better terms with Carly, Jade couldn't deny such an assessment of the web-hostess.

Ava rolled her eyes then looked at the pale teenager. "So where's Carly?"

Eva asked with a slightly higher pitch voice, "Carly's here too?"

Cat eagerly nodded as she answered, "Yeah, she's here visiting too."

She looked to her sister and commented, "If I knew that, we might be able to've saved some money on airfare together."

Ava softly shook her head then asked Jade, "So where is she? I didn't think you were going to exclude her from this."

"I'm not. She's still at my house. Melanie showed up and they're hanging out."

Dusty knotted his brow and asked, "Melanie?"

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and forced a fake smile as she answered, "Sam's twin sister."

The former webmaster asked in shock, "She's here? She's _real_?"

The green streaked hair girl gave a nod, "Yes. She needed to talk to Carly. I don't know what about, so I thought it was best to leave them alone and let them have the day."

The only male among them shook his head and muttered, "Twins? More twins? Okay, as much as I can appreciate double the beauty, does anyone find that this is getting a _little_ ridiculous?"

Eva smirked and passed a quick glance to her sister at the assumption that Dusty thought she was beautiful. Ava rolled her eyes, barely tolerating her sister.

Jade let out an ironic laugh, "You want to hear ridiculous? I got a text from Freddie saying he'd be running a little late as he ran into Shelby Marx at Jet Brew. He wanted to take some time to catch up with her."

The younger twin asked, "Shelby Marx? The girl that Carly fought a few years ago on Pay-Per-View for charity? Her posters were plastered all over the school before the fight."

Dusty picked up, "And the one that looks just like Vega number two?"

"Yep, the same one. I'm betting he wants her to meet Tori to finally put an end to this thing about her thinking they don't look alike."

Dusty threw up his hands and commented, "Okay, this week is just turning into bad writing."

Jade smirked as she responded, "Then let's get back to some good writing. While we wait, could I get some help bringing in the costumes, makeup and camera equipment?"

He cracked a smile and answered, "Of course my lady, time to be the benevolent sexist."

A few minutes later, _after_ Dusty had brought all the equipment inside, the black Charger pulled up into the driveway.

Dusty opened his arms open wide and laughed out as Freddie got out of the Charger, "_Now_ you show up, after I've done all the heavy lifting."

The tech-producer laughed out as leaned back into his car and pulled up two large coffee cups then shut the door with the side of his hip, "I got hung up."

"I heard, enjoying the company of some Vega look alike?"

The pair started back to the front door as Freddie answered, "I couldn't just ditch out on her. I hadn't seen her in years and she wanted to catch up."

"Right… I think you just wanted to kill some time so I had to do all the heavy lifting."

Freddie laughed as they reached the door and Dusty opened the door for him.

Eva was there to warmly smile at them and happily greeted Freddie, "Hi Freddie."

Freddie took a moment to look between the sisters then awkwardly asked, "Eva?"

She snorted out a laugh, "We went to school together for years; you shouldn't be that surprised to see me."

He politely responded, "I don't remember us ever hanging out, just passing in the hallway. That's why I didn't find it odd when I met your sister during the summer workshop, only that she looked vaguely familiar, but it is nice to see you."

Dusty leaned over and whispered, "And apparently throwing herself at you after the taco truck."

Eva slightly frowned to the Southern teenager.

The lean teenager raised a hand and commented, "I didn't mean anything by it. You saw a good guy and you went for him. I don't see what the big deal is over the matter."

The explanation seemed to placate the Seattle based twin with a half-hearted smile.

Dusty continued before any further awkward conversation could develop, "I think the girls are still getting ready, so we have a chance to look over your cameras recording sync up. I think I have everything ready to go."

* * *

In Ava's room, Jade was looking at herself in a full length mirror as Cat was zipping up the back of the wedding dress. The redhead had just finished the makeup and Mary was sitting on the bed just passing the time. Once Cat finished zipping her up, the pale girl wiggled and adjusted herself to get comfortable in the dress.

She looked to Cat and gently asked, "Could you give me a minute? I want to talk to Mary."

Cat knotted her brow and gave a cute pout as she looked to her friend then looked to the cousin of her ex-boyfriend. She looked back to Jade and let out a breath then started on her way to respect her friend's request.

The Texan and redhead spared a quick glance to one another as Cat exited the bedroom.

Jade idly commented, "I don't think Cat likes you."

Mary gently countered, "The feeling's mutual."

The costume wearing teenager crossed her arms under her chest and raised an eyebrow.

The younger teenager gave her a slightly indignant expression as she softly answered, "What? I don't like that she couldn't be honest with him."

"He's the one that carried the torch."

Mary slightly frowned as she answered, "Don't expect him to apologize for wanting to help her or caring about her."

"No, I wouldn't expect that he would. I don't think his pride would let him."

"Honor, not pride."

Jade pursed her lips then let it go as the point wasn't worth arguing, "Still, it seems a little irrational. He doesn't resent her, so why should you be bothered by it?"

"Couldn't I ask you the same thing in regards to Carly and Freddie?"

Jade immediately frowned at the girl, but didn't get to retort as the Texan continued, "I love him and I'm fifteen, I don't have to be rational about this. She hurt him whether she meant to or not and I'm mad about it."

Jade rolled her eyes and shook her head at hearing the blatant admission that she didn't care if she sounded like an immature teenager. She could at least give credit to the girl for admitting it.

The younger teenager frowned and narrowed her eyes on the actress, misinterpreting to what Jade was actually reacting. She retorted with a low voice, "If you make one kissing cousin joke, I'm going to rip those colored hair extensions right out from your scalp as soon as you put them back in."

Jade resisted the urge to whistle at the country girl's spunk, but did retort to perhaps regain the edge in the conversation, "A little defensive?"

"How would you feel if someone made a 'joke' about how you could be inappropriate with your stepbrother?"

The pale clenched her jaw tightly and harshly stared at the Texan. Mary calmly returned the gaze until Jade snorted out a breath in irritation then admitted, "I see your point."

The young brunette shook her head then quickly asked, "So you wanted to talk to me?"

Jade didn't see any point in wasting any more time either. She answered with a calm and deliberate voice, "Yeah, I wanted to tell you that you're wrong. Dusty is our friend, but if it looks like we just call him when we need him then that's just the way it looks. We've called and he's come to help. If he ever needs our help and calls, we'll be there, because that's what friends do."

Mary took a deep breath and locked eyes with the blue eyed girl to try her best in determining if the girl was telling her the truth. She studied for a few more moments, but just couldn't determine either way, so she went the safe route in her mind with a guarded tone, "I guess we'll see one day."

Jade answered in a solemn tone, "I guess we will."

The girls mutually nodded at the apparent resolution to their disagreement then Mary commented with a motion to the door, "Okay, I guess it's time for your scene."

"Yeah, but…"

"What?"

"There's one more thing I wanted to ask you." Jade took a quick breath and broke eye contact with her for a moment the cautiously asked, "What did Dusty tell you about the clown? What really happened, not the fairy tale story he told Ian?"

Mary visibly stiffened and her breath caught from the question. She took a few scant seconds to clear her throat then timidly answered, "What do you think happened?"

The made up girl paused in answering as she thought about how to answer that question. She calmly retorted, "I really shouldn't ask that question, should I?"

The Texan looked to the floor and whispered, "If you're really his friend then no, just accept the fact he was there and grateful that your brother remembers it as a fun day while it's a scary one for you that you'll never forget." She nervously shrugged a shoulder, "Remember, it's just a story."

Jade wore a hesitant expression as she looked at the younger girl then gave her a supportive smile as she replied, "Yeah, just a story."

The younger brunette gave her a grateful smile.

* * *

The pair headed downstairs and immediately met up with the rest with Jade immediately focusing on Freddie. She let a small smile play on her face then gave Freddie a quick peak on the cheek (which left a visible dark red lipstick impression) then asked, "Enjoy your catch up?"

"Yes, it was… enlightening?" he answered, still processing the conversation and what to make of it.

Jade softly knotted her eyebrows and raised a corner of her mouth to question him.

He slightly nodded his head to the side and answered, "I'll tell you later, but… she invited us to her championship fight on Thursday night."

She hesitantly asked, "Okay, are we going?"

He gave her a near puppy dog expression as he answered with raising the two cups of coffee, "I said yes hoping you'd come with me?"

Jade smiled and rolled her eyes before answering, "Of course." She took one of the cups and took a quick sip then looked to the rest of them and called out, "Alright, we have a scene to shoot!"

* * *

About three hours later, Jade was in Ava's room finishing changing back into her casual clothes that she had worn over while Freddie was resting his back against the wall next to the partially opened door.

Jade was finishing pulling the Penny-Tee over her head and pulling any of her hair caught in her shirt collar as she called out, "So you're okay with that… with what we filmed?"

Freddie rolled his eyes and softly retorted around the doorframe, "Are you happy with it?"

She brushed her hair out of her face and straightened it as much as could be done with just her fingers as she stepped out of the room and answered with him with a slightly bashful expression, "Yeah."

He pushed off the wall and smiled while answering, "Then I'm good."

She arced her left eyebrow (missing her piercing from filming the scene) and softly questioned, "Are you sure?"

"I can't say that it wasn't a tough scene to shoot, but you were fantastic and if you thought the scene was necessary, I'm not going to second guess you."

She took a step forward and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. "I appreciate it. I really do."

"You're welcome."

She smirked then pulled him into a deep kiss.

West Residence

About forty-five minutes later, Jade and Freddie entered the kitchen door from the garage carrying the protective bag for the wedding dress and the various pieces of equipment.

Carly and Melanie were seated at the kitchen island eating a small snack as Mrs. West was preparing for an early dinner. The Seattle brunette happily called out, "So how'd filming going?"

Freddie laughed out as he sat his camera case down on the floor next to the door, "I think it went great."

Jade quickly followed up, "Yes, it was bloody and violent, just how I like my horror movies—without it going all splatterpunk."

The web-hostess asked, "Will I get to laugh from the film?"

"Hopefully," Jade answered with a wicked grin.

Mrs. West called out as she opened the stove and slide in a metal pan to cook (which Jade couldn't tell what she put in the stove), "Well I'm getting dinner ready and it shouldn't take that long, so go ahead and put your stuff up and we'll all meet in the dining room."

The dirty blonde hesitantly asked, "Ah, Freddie? Could we talk before dinner? Privately?"

Freddie passed quick glances to Jade and Carly, who each gave curious expression with Jade leaning more to concern, then answered with a polite nod, "Sure. I guess the front porch is private enough. Just let me get something to drink and I'll meet you out there."

Melanie nodded then got up from her stool and headed to the front door.

A minute or so later, Freddie stepped out onto the porch and handed her a Joke-a-Coke then took a seat next to on the front porch swing. They pair started sipping on their respective drinks as they looked out on the street and watched the randomly passing car.

The dirty blonde finally spoke up with a soft tone, "I'm sorry for what Sam did to you."

He shook his head and had to put real effort to suppress a look of disgust to form on his face. He snorted out a quick breath then looked to her to answer, "Don't apologize for your sister. It's just another thing to add to the heap of her not taking responsibility for her actions right on top of the blind eye taken by everyone when not making some excuse for her. If she is ever truly sorry, let her apologize, don't do that for her."

"Maybe I'm apologizing for myself. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Freddie snorted out and shook his head, "Why is it the ones that didn't know and couldn't do anything about what happened are the ones that genuinely the sorriest?"

The dirty blonde shrugged a shoulder and answered, "I don't know. Maybe to really be sorry, they have to admit they were at fault too because they can't take comfort in the ignorance."

"Have you taken comfort in it?"

Melanie shook her head as she answered, "No."

Freddie looked away and took another sip from his drink. He watched as another random car passed down the road. Melanie whispered out with a near pitiful tone, "Carly told me that Sam lost Brad."

The former iCarly tech-producer flicked an eyebrow up and asked before taking a sip from his drink, "Maybe she'll finally learn that her actions have consequences?"

The nicer twin narrowed her eyes and retorted, "That's pretty coldhearted."

He pulled the bottle from his lips and answered, "By pointing out the truth? That pointing out that she does bad stuff might actually for a change lead back to her instead of weaseling out of it every single time? Sorry if I can't weep for her."

She hesitantly asked, "So you want her to suffer?"

He rolled his eyes and flippantly commented, "That would assume I care that much. I let all that mess with Sam go a while ago. I'm simply indifferent to her. If she's miserable or if she's happy, either way, I don't care. I'm far too busy living my own life and caring about my real friends."

She frowned as she retorted with a disapproving tone, "Now that's cold hearted."

Freddie chuckled then commented before taking another sip, "Wow, another Puckett sitting in judgment of me. Maybe you'll forgive me if _I don't give a damn_?"

Melanie took a sip from her drink then sadly uttered, "I'm sorry that my sister made you that way."

Freddie softly smirked as he eyed the 'good' twin as he calmly answered, "Your sister doesn't make me do anything anymore. If I love her or hate her or am simply indifferent to her then that's on me and no one else. I'm responsible for my own feelings."

The blonde looked away to the road and the pair sat in silence just enjoying their respective sodas.

Freddie finally commented after minutes of sitting in silence, "It was still nice to finally meet you."

She snorted out a soft laugh, "It's finally nice to be known as me instead of a practical joke of my sister."

West Residence

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Mrs. West was in a hurry to make it out the door to get to a business meeting first thing this morning. Everyone else may have been on break, but she still had to make a living. She was throwing on her women's blazer jacket when she heard the doorbell ring.

She was about to shout for one of the teenagers to answer it, but realized that they were busy upstairs. She rolled her eyes and dashed to the door as she buttoned her jacket. She opened the door and sucked in a breath at seeing the model standing on the other side.

Heather, wearing a blue spring dress, gently asked with a hesitant smile, "Mrs. West?"

The pale beauty let out a soft laugh as she gathered her wits, "Yes."

"Hello, I'm Heather Fox."

"Okay, this is still a little disconcerting, but it's nice to meet you."

The model politely nodded her head. "Thank you ma'am."

The matriarch motioned the girl inside and apologetically explained, "Sorry, but I'm on my way out to work."

As Mrs. West shut the door behind her, Heather answered with a smile, "Oh, it's alright. I don't want to be an intrusion. I'm just happy Jade invited me to have a role in her film."

Mrs. West nodded with a soft smile then asked, "Would you like something while you wait? Some coffee?"

The dark brunette politely shook her head and answered, "Oh no thank you. I don't drink coffee all that much."

The West Matriarch paused for a moment as she tried to rectify that statement with the image of her daughter in front of her. She quickly gathered her thoughts then commented, "I'm sure she's happy to have you."

"I am too. I'm trying to expand into acting and I'm glad someone's giving me a chance."

Mrs. West continued to smile as she thought of how her daughter had given Ava the same opportunity. "Well I wish you all the success… unless you're competing with my daughter for a role then I hope you'll forgive me for wanting her to get it over you."

The model let out a laugh as she answered, "Of course."

The matriarch politely continued, "I'm actually familiar with you. I'm a VP at an advertising agency and I know one division has been eager to try to get you onboard for a new ad run."

"Really?" Heather asked with evident curiosity in her voice. "Which agency?"

"Schneider Advertising."

Heather's face lit up and let out a laugh, "They've been making me some good offers…"

"They've been offering you peanuts and it's embarrassing. I think they expect you to be stupid simply for being a teenager."

Heather raised an eyebrow at her bluntness. She took a few moments to gather her thoughts then answered, "So you think I should turn them down?"

Mrs. West diplomatically answered, "As an employee, I would say you should take the deal, but as someone being honest with the situation, they need to be offering you substantially more for what they're planning."

She cleared her throat and answered, "I'll ah… keep that in mind."

"You should do that," she answered with a reassuring tone.

Jade smiled down and questioned with a knowing smile from the top of the stairs, capturing their attention, "So how's my living twin doing?"

* * *

Tawny looked into her vanity's mirror in her room, but instead of seeing herself in the filthy and blood splattered wedding dress, she saw herself as she was just before her wedding: a sweet, nice and down to earth girl.

The 'living' Tawny whispered, "You don't have to do this. You don't have to hurt our friends."

The revenant snapped back with sheer rage in her eyes, "I have to! They'll steal him from me!"

The reflection bowed her head and whispered, "I know it's not fair that we didn't get the chance to be happy, but I had my chance at life, let him go. Let him be happy."

The wedding dress wearing young woman shook her head. "No, he can't be happy without me."

"Now I'm just being selfish. It's not love, it's just possessiveness. I have no right to do that to him. Let him morn me then move on and be happy. Not like this. Don't haunt him."

Tawny pulled her silver scissors out and screamed enraged at her sweet reflection. She stabbed at her reflection, but instead of plunging the blades into the other girl's chest, the tips punched the mirror and sent a spider web crack throughout the entire mirror.

Hollywood Arts High School

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

After filming at home with her visible twin, Jade, Freddie and Carly went out to pick up Cat for lunch then headed back to Hollywood Arts. Freddie wanted to take a few minutes to an hour to shoot a few more establishing shots of and inside the school to give him the piece of mind of have all the footage he needed during editing process and Jade wasn't going to argue if he felt it was needed for her film.

They were pretty routine shots for the tech-producer while the girls just enjoyed each other's company chatting about any number of things (much to Jade's surprise) except she and Carly seemed to notice that Cat had been a little off most of the time, more so than usual. Jade opted to be the one to talk to the redhead as Freddie filmed as Carly had arranged to be picked up soon by Beck before leaving the school for the pair to catch a movie. Jade had apparently accepted the Beck/Carly friendship without question and he didn't feel the need to justify it which in all honest Jade realized was probably the healthiest attitude to take in the situation.

However, between Freddie wrapping up filming and Beck picking up Carly, Cat had slipped away from them. The couple soon split up and started searching the school for their redheaded friend. After searching the usual hiding places one could have at the school, they met up in the Black Box Theater.

The couple looked to one another and neither bothered to ask if the other had seen their redheaded friend. As each silently tried to figure out what to do next in order to find their friend, Jade noticed some motion in the corner of her eye. She quickly looked up at the catwalk and saw the ends of Cat's feet as she climbed up a ladder to the third floor. Jade curiously commented, "She's going up that ladder."

Jade grabbed him by the hand and she pulled him along to head for the left side exit of the auditorium and up the back stairs to reach the catwalk. She let go of his hand as she reached the leader then started up it with him quickly following.

They quickly reached the third story catwalk and Freddie immediately and gently took her by the upper arms then pulled her back to press her shoulder blades against his chest to steady her in order to satisfy his own subconscious fear of the pair being this high above the theater.

Her eyes shot open and she took in a sharp breath, being caught off guard by his near manhandling of her and a further surprised that it kind of turned her on being in his strong hands again in more than just their usual soft cuddling. She whispered, "Freddie, Freddie?"

He answered with a curious tone, "Yeah?"

She quietly answered with a borderline menacing tone, "If you don't take your hands off me in the next two seconds, I can't guarantee I won't turn around and ravage you."

Freddie smirked as he playfully counted, "One, two," then let her go and kissed her on the cheek, instantly bringing a closed mouth smile to her face. She turned to the small door as he idly asked, "You think she's in there?"

She glanced over her left shoulder to ask, "Let's find out?" She turned back to the door and opened it while leaning down to step through the truncated door. She just crossed the threshold with Freddie pressed close to her back to peer inside when she stopped in surprise to see Cat sitting on a cot. "Cat?"

Cat pulled the cord to the light bulb hanging over her head and the little room went dark.

Jade softly snapped, "Turn it back on."

The redhead complied with the request/demand and pulled the cord again.

The couple entered the room with Freddie taking a seat next to her on the cot while Jade took a seat on the stool in front of her. Jade gently asked, "What are you doing here?"

Cat hugged Mister Purples in her lap and softly took a breath before answering in a quite voice, "This is just my little sanctuary I sometimes use when I need to get away from it all."

Jade rested her hands on her knees and softly asked, "Are you going to talk to me?"

Cat looked up at her blue eyed friend then glanced to Freddie in realizing that the pale girl was taking the private opportunity asking _the_ question again. He was giving her a supportive smile. The redhead blew out a tired breath then whispered, "You get to change, why can't I? Since you broke up with Beck and got with Freddie, you haven't been as mean to me or anyone else… even Tori."

Jade looked to her friend with a slightly embarrassed expression and answered, "I have… I guess I'm growing up, but… you're regressing to a child." The dark brunette took a soft breath then continued in a tender tone, "I learned from losing Beck that I had to change or I would lose more than the man I loved. As much grief as I gave everyone, you're still my friends, but Cat, this isn't healthy what you're doing and we've ignored it for too long. So why? Why the change?"

The redhead looked back and forth between the couple and saw the supportive and somewhat hopeless expression on Jade. Cat idly started patting the stuffed giraffe in her lap then whispered, "It's safer—it keeps me safe."

Freddie gently asked, "How does it keep you safe?"

"You know how my brother could be pretty weird at times? You know, before he got better?"

Jade nodded along and spared a quick glance to Freddie.

She pulled the stuffed toy tighter to her as she continued but with each word she spoke, her eyes became moister and voice thicker, "We'll it could get bad at times… really bad. He would do weirder and weirder things and had fits at times. He'd shout out all over the house and we couldn't do anything to help me. We had to dose his favorite ice cream with things to make him go to sleep at the times it got _really_ bad."

She clenched her eyes shut and placed her fists over her ears. She shouted, "You don't know how many times I had to hide under my bed when my brother would start having fits and shouts and when my dad said that I should just stop talking!" She heaved a cry and let the tears start flowing. She pulled her fists away from her ears and covered her face. She muttered into her hands, "I just wanted it to stop and if I pretended the world was as happy and cheerful as I wanted then it wouldn't be so bad! I could get through another day."

She felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her. She instinctively turned and started crying into Freddie's shirt. The tech-producer gently rocked with her as she let out years of pain and frustration with her life.

Jade softly bit her bottom lip to stop herself from crying at seeing her distraught friend.

Freddie continued to rock with her and gently whispered her encouragement and reassurances that everything was okay. He finally stated after her tears started subsiding and calming her breath, "He's better now. You don't have to hide anymore. You can be whoever you want to be now and we'll still love and accept you."

The redhead sniffled and wiped her eyes with her thumbs. She looked up to Freddie and gave him a thankful smile then turned it towards Jade.

Freddie gently asked, "Do you want me to tell you how it happened?"

She looked to him with a confused expression and uttered in her still childlike tone, "It was a Christmas Miracle."

"Yes it was, but… would you like to know the truth?"

Cat sensed that Freddie was about to tell her something quite profound, so she straightened up in sitting and hugged her stuff toy. She nodded in the affirmative that she wanted him to tell her his story.

Freddie licked his lips then answered with a hushed tone, "Okay… it all started on Christmas Eve after the church service I attended. Everyone was exiting, ready to go and spend the rest of the evening with their families, but I stayed behind for a moment of so just to reflect on how everything had changed for me this year. I wasn't alone as I thought. There was this redheaded young woman…" Freddie gently played with the end of Cat's hair for a moment as he clarified, "…nearly the same color as yours, but she wasn't really a woman."

Little Red's brow instantly furled as she asked, "Then what was she?"

Freddie gave her a warm smile and gently answered, "She was an angel of the Lord… and that's where we really begin this story."

West Residence

Thursday, April 5, 2012

The time was late morning and the couple was still in their night clothes as they looked up at the ceiling, just snuggling and relaxing and completely content. She had slipped into his bed earlier in the morning, even before sunrise.

A smile played on Jade's lips as her hand rested on his chest, "We don't do this enough."

Freddie kissed her forehead and smirked, "What?"

"Do you remember the last time you slept in?"

The muscular teenager let out a soft laugh, "Other than Christmas Break? No, I can't remember. I'm busy; I have to work. I have to bring home the bacon for my girl."

She let out a laugh almost, almost akin to a giggle then hopefully asked, "I know, but maybe you can skip a Sunday with André sometimes?"

He brushed his fingers through her hair and answered, "If you want me to."

She lifted her head off of his shoulder and looked down at him with a near predatorily smile. "Oh, I defiantly want you to." She leaned down and quickly captured his lips to share some affection for a few minutes before they really had to get up at least at a decent hour before noon.

Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena  
3939 S Figueroa St  
Los Angeles, CA 90037  
Thursday, April 5, 2012

Jade and Freddie held hands with laced fingers as they led the quintet of Carly, Tori and André through the arena. The songsmith idly commented, "I've seen a few MMA fights, but never a female one."

Freddie grinned as he looked over his shoulder and commented, "Then you're in for a treat. Shelby's quite good."

"Yeah, especially since it'll be like watching Tori fighting," he laughed out his reply.

The Los Angeles brunette snapped her attention to her musician friend and frowned at him.

He quickly lost his good natured demeanor and looked away thoroughly chided.

Jade laughed at the response as they reached their seats in the closest row to the octagon.

Carly laughed out as she sat between Jade and Tori, "It's good to be on this side of the fence this time."

The tech-producer laughed out as he leaned passed Jade, "Are you sure you wouldn't want a rematch with her? It was great for charity."

"Absolutely not!" the Seattle girl shouted out in fear drawing laughter from the rest.

Shelby was making her way to the ring with her manager Rod and trainer Juan when the fighter caught sight of Carly and Freddie. She quickly walked over to take a moment to see them.

"Carly?" the fighter grinned then pulled the fellow brunette into a hug.

"Hey," the fellow brunette laughed in return as she was pulled to her feet.

Shelby let her go and quickly continued, "I'm glad you could make it. It's so good to see you."

The slightly shorter brunette nodded her head and let out a soft laugh, "Thanks. It's good to see you too. It's been too long."

The fighter's smile slightly faded as she answered, "Yeah, too long."

Freddie spoke up and motioned to Jade on his left, "Shelby, this is my girlfriend Jade."

Jade politely greeted the fighter, "Hi."

Shelby laughed out, "So you're the lucky girl?"

Carly clenched her jaw tightly to try to suppress any sort of visible reaction to the question.

The green streaked girl smirked as she answered, "Yes, _I_ am the lucky girl."

The Vega twin lifted a corner of her mouth and understood the message loud and clear from the pale girl: _'he's mine, so hands off'_.

"Hi, I'm André," André happily called out.

The Tori twin gave him a flirtatious smile to the songsmith and quickly offered her gloved hand for a shake. "Hi, it's nice to meet you." He happily took her hand then Shelby turned her attention to Tori.

The fighter looked on in shock as Rod and Juan joined her in her disbelief at seeing the resemblance.

"See, we look nothing alike," Tori desperately told them while pointing to the professional fighter.

Shelby swallowed then looked Tori straight in the eyes and muttered, "Tori?"

"Yes?"

"I want a DNA test after all this is done."

Freddie snorted out a laugh was threatening to let out a full, hearty laugh, but Tori snapped her head around and glared at his muscular friend.

He turned his face away and tried to force a calm expression on his face even though he wanted to burst out laughing.

Tori's annoyed expression didn't stop Jade from cracking a smile and commented, "Maybe you two are long lost twins?"

The Hollywood Arts student of the pair retorted, "Like you and Heather?"

"Who knows? But I doubt my mom would forget having twins or give her up."

Shelby laughed out at seeing the banter as it relieved her momentary tension at seeing her 'twin', "Well I have to go; championship fight and all. See you after the fight."

Freddie laughed out, "Right, good luck."

Carly half-joked, "Try not to break the other girl's jaw."

Shelby snorted out a laugh, "I can't make that promise."

Rod raised a finger and asked, "Tori is it? How would feel about a…"

* * *

As the teenager fighter started down the aisle and entering the octagon, the crowed started chanting, "Shelby! Shelby! Shelby!"

The ring announcer called out as the referee pointed to Shelby, "Defending her CFC Championship title, Shelby Marx!"

Shelby threw up her clenched, gloved fists and the crowd roared in approval.

The ref turned to announce Shelby's opponent, a redheaded taller girl that looked like she was pushing the limit on the maximum weight for their fighting division.

The opponents quickly turned to one another and the referee threw out a hand, signaling the start of the fight.

The taller girl wasted no time in charging Shelby, apparently hoping to just overwhelm her with the weight and height advantage. She threw out a jab directed squarely at the center of Shelby's face, but the smaller girl ducked and threw a punch and connected with her mid-section then connected with her left hand to the side of her face.

She stumbled away and shook her head, but Shelby didn't give her a chance to recover as she threw a few swings at her head, driving the other girl to the cage fence. The taller girl was able to protect most of her head and once her back hit the cage, she was able to use it to push off and shove Shelby away.

The redhead took a wide swing with her right to the left side of Shelby's head. It was a hard hit, but fortunately the slimmer girl had her left forearm up to protect her head. However, the strike sent her palm into just above her temple and her down to one knee.

Freddie sucked in a sharp breath through is clenched teeth at seeing such a strike while Carly covered her eyes, not bearing to see Shelby getting hurt.

However, before her opponent could swing a second time, the Tori twin drove her right shoulder into the other girl's abdomen, locked her hands under the back of the girl's thighs and pulled up. The other girl immediately lost her footing as her legs were literally pulled out from under her and she fell on her back.

Shelby scrambled up to straddle the other girl's abdomen then started swinging blows at her face. The taller girl raised her arms to protect her face from Shelby's punches and forearms.

Jade's mouth formed an 'O' at seeing Shelby's relentless punishment against the other girl and her mind recalled Dusty's tale of how brutal he was at fighting his old nemesis at Northridge during his sophomore year.

Shelby's opponent was able to roll to her side, but that didn't help protect her from Shelby's strikes. Only seconds later, she had to tap out and the referee was on Shelby in an instant to pull her away before she could do anymore damage to the other girl.

The crowd instantly was up on their feet cheering. Freddie and Carly in particular were on their feet, whooping and cheering.

The referee held Shelby by the wrist and the still CFC champion threw her other arm up and shouted in joy.

The brunette quickly exited the octagon and met up with the two-thirds of the original iCarly crew. Carly pulled Shelby in a tight hug then pulled away to reach up and gently touched the side of Shelby's face. "Are you alright?"

Shelby let out a dismissive laugh, "Yeah, a little ice and makeup and I'll be fine."

"At least it's not throbbing," Carly let out a soft laugh.

Freddie rolled his eyes as he recalled the iCarly crew's trip to Japan when they competed with the iWeb Awards and their competition Kyoko and Yuki lured them out into the middle of nowhere in an attempt to prevent them from competing and resulted with him getting hit in the eye in the process. The tech-producer laughed out, "Well, that was before I got my magically durability. Let them try that now and they'll probably hurt themselves."

His comment caught the fighter's attention and turned to Freddie and pulled him into a quick hug.

Shelby quickly pulled away and cheerfully announced to the others, "We're going to celebrate tomorrow night. Bring all your friends. It's my treat. Where's the best place to go?"

Jade spoke up with a knowing grin, "I have the perfect place."

The others gave her curious expressions while Shelby's smile brightened.

Cohen Residence

Good Friday

Friday, April 6, 2012

When Shelby meant that she was giving an open invitation to Carly and Freddie's friends, she apparently meant it. So as the others heading off to the dinner, Dusty was standing in the Cohen living room waiting for Ava to come down so he could drive her to the celebratory dinner. Apparently Mister Cohen wanted to spend the evening with his other daughter, so they were out and only traded quick pleasantries before leaving (without going into details as to why he was there to pick up his daughter instead of the 'strange boy'). The Southern teenager tried to ignore the slight disappointment Eva wore on her face that he was going out with her sister for the night.

He didn't have to wait long however as he heard the soft footsteps coming from the staircase. He smiled up at the lovely brunette as she slowly made her way down the stairs holding a small, black clutch in one hand and the railing with the other.

She wore an A-Line black dress with a high scoop neck and silver decorative jewelry across her neckline, extending as several strings over her bare shoulders down to her mid-upper arm. A black belt hanging low on her hips separated the dress from the skirt with the hem of the dress stopping an inch or so above her mid-thigh. She wore her brunette hair down with ringlets with some above her ears pulled back with a clip to flow behind her.

She looked down at herself and bashfully commented while brushing her hair behind her ears, "It was my prom dress. I really don't have anything else fancy to wear."

He smiled warmly to her and whispered, "You look beautiful Ava."

She looked up at him and gave him a soft smile. "Thank you." She started assessing how he looked for the evening. He didn't look as if he was dressed any fancier than normal with his hooded leather jacket, blue jeans and Nike sneakers, other than wearing a white dress shirt out of his waist and a loosely hanging tie around his unbutton collar.

"You think they're going to let you in that way?"

He shrugged a shoulder and smirked while answering in a charming voice, "I'll just turn on my father's charm and I'll be fine, unless…"

"Unless what?"

He gave her a slightly embarrassed expression and answered with a somewhat timid voice, "I won't embarrass you being so underdressed while taking you? An escort shouldn't outshine the escorted, but neither should he distract from her."

She walked over to him and looped an arm through his then smiled up to him. "How can I be embarrassed being escorted by such a handsome guy?"

He bowed his head and chuckled, "Now you're just flattering me."

"Is it working?"

He hesitated in answering as he thought on the deeper meaning behind her words. He answered with a soft tone, "You don't have to."

She softly chuckled, "You're not answering my question."

He just grinned in return.

She snorted out a laugh, "Fine, be that way." She turned and started leading him to the front door. "Where's Mary? Is she in the car?"

He answered with a light tone, "She said she wasn't feeling well—which I knew she was completely lying—with the idea of us going alone together, but I called up Freddie and asked him to pick her up. I am not letting her miss out on a fancy dinner."

She lifted a corner of her mouth and coyly question, "Is your cousin trying to play matchmaker?"

"My cousin is a hopeless romantic… I think because she's a product of one."

Just as they reached the door, she asked, "So what does that make you with your… _unique_ circumstances?"

He raised a teasing eyebrow. "A man who's not like either of his parents in that regard."

She politely nodded then allowed him to lead her out.

Maestro's

Los Angeles, CA

Good Friday

Friday, April 6, 2012

Freddie couldn't keep the smile off of his face as he opened the door for his lovely girlfriend, the famous web-celebrity and the Texan as they entered the fancy restaurant. Jade was dressed in her black dress she had worn when she hung out with Cat in dog sitting on the night of the earthquake, but ditched the black leggings and boots, for bare legs and black high heels. She finished her outfit with her black leather jacket to keep her arms warm until they settled inside.

Mary wore a pink and white striped sleeveless dress with a slanted hem that hung loosely around her legs. Apparently she had gone last minute shopping and picked up something nice on her cousin's insistence.

Carly wore a black Katharine Kidd Sleeveless Panel Dress (which consisted of a bateau neckline and A-Line body) with the hem falling to her upper thigh and at her fingertips with blush suede caryssa platform pumps.

Freddie wore a simple dark blazer, dark blue dress shirt and black slacks. He quickly offered his arm to Jade and lead them further inside to immediately be greeted by the by grey haired maître d'hôtel that usually catered to the group after ping-pong championships and during Valentine's for the couple. They were immediately handed off to a lovely blonde attendant to escort them to the table Shelby had reserved for them.

Apparently they were the first to arrive, but soon the others followed as Freddie was pulling out the seats for his the girls.

A few minutes later, André arrived with Cat, who was dressed in a pink spaghetti strap dress with a sweetheart neckline. Tori soon followed as Beck had offered to pick her up. She wore the blue dress she had been able to keep from her stunt work on the movie 'Catch Me, Kiss Me'. The others quickly took their seats as they were seated counterclockwise around the table starting from the center of the side of the table towards the stage: an empty space reserved for Shelby, Carly, Freddie, Jade (these three with their back to the glass doors), Mary, André, Cat (facing the stage), Beck and Tori (their backs to the entrance).

Just as the appetizers were being served to the group, Shelby arrived and she immediately started turning heads as she was escorted by maître d'hôtel to the pushed together tables. She wore a royal blue sleeveless sweetheart neckline dress, more like top as her outfit was split as a matching top and a near hip hugging matching skirt to allow her to show her toned abdomen and bellybutton.

The grey haired main led her to the seat next Carly where the former 'opponents' shared quick greetings, while the others who had not seen Shelby at the fight looked on in surprise. Beck's eyes shot open and jaw slightly slacked at seeing the fighter. His eyes focused enough take a quick glanced over the attractive girl (especially over her exposed midsection) then went into a near fit to clear his throat in an apparent effort to cover himself from his reaction.

Freddie suppressed a smile while Jade rolled her eyes at her ex's reaction.

Tori looked down at herself and suddenly felt underdressed in comparison to who others saw as her twin even if she still wouldn't consciously admit she favored.

Shelby apparently wasn't fooled and smiled to the long haired actor and easily greeted him, "Hello."

Beck quickly got over his brief shock of seeing Tori's 'twin' and slipped into his usual easy going persona then answered in his usually smooth tone that usually worked on the ladies, "Hi."

Apparently it was effective on the professional fighter as well as she slightly bowed her head and a soft blushed formed on his face.

Freddie got up from his seat and happily welcomed their hostess, "Hello Shelby, allow me to make a few more introductions." He started with Cat then went about making the introductions, "These are our friends, Cat and Beck and this is Mary, she's another friend who's running late's cousin visiting over the break."

The redhead happily waved from her seat while Mary gave her a polite nod and smile.

While everyone's attention was on Shelby as Freddie pulled out her seat cattycorner to Carly, Tori hesitantly passed a soft comment to the long haired actor as she focused her outward attention to the food on her plate, "Real smooth."

Beck leaned over and whispered into the younger Vega sister's ear, "Sorry, I was just a little shocked at seeing you like that."

She turned her head and looked to him with narrowed eyes as she retorted in a hushed tone, "Seeing me? She doesn't—"

He interrupted her with a gentle tone, "Tori, I don't know why you can't see the resemblance, but I do and I just saw you… in something quite unique, so pardon me if I was a little…" He licked his lips and let out an awkward laugh, "…taken aback? It goes without saying, you're beautiful Tori."

The brunette's jaw slightly slacked as she looked on, taken aback by his heartfelt words.

As the group started back on their appetizers, Mary looked around and asked in concern, "Where's Robbie and Rex?"

Freddie quickly answered, "It's the first night of Passover."

She answered with a roll of her eyes and sighed in embarrassment for not remembering such an important matter, "That's right."

Shelby curiously asked Carly and Freddie, "So everyone isn't here?"

"No," Mary quickly answered for the pair.

The tech-producer softly smiled and answered, "Ava and Dusty are running late, but we can go ahead and start ordering."

Beck questioned with a guarded tone, "So Sinjin isn't bringing her?"

Freddie cracked a soft smile, "Apparently not."

Mary didn't bother to hide a smile on her face while Beck looked on in mild curiosity and Cat ate another appetizer to hide her frown.

Satisfied with Freddie's answer, Shelby motioned back to the maître d'hôtel and he quickly sent over a waitress to take their orders.

Over the next minute or so the group ordered their meals and as she finished up, Carly noticed to her left a young man sitting alone at one of the small square tables meant for two.

The brunette slightly leaned forward and over Shelby's right shoulder to see if she could see a profile of the young man. She sucked in a sharp breath as recognized him then asked in disbelief, "Caleb?"

The young brown haired man dressed in a nice tuxedo turned in his seat, but didn't look too surprised to see her as he immediately put on a bright smile and answered the web-hostess, "Hello Carly."

Freddie knotted his brow as he curiously asked, "Carly?

Carly passed a quick glance to her former tech-producer and answered, "Oh, this is Caleb. Gibby and I met at Troubled Waters hospital."

Freddie picked up with a false laugh, "When Sam checked herself in when she thought the idea of liking me was a sign of mental illness?" He looked to the self-proclaimed time traveler and asked with a slightly impatient voice, "What are you doing here?"

The others at the table put on various expressions of embarrassment about the situation while Jade put on an annoyed expression.

"Oh, just having a good meal before I go back."

Jade challenged, "To the hospital?"

Caleb got up from his seat and took the empty one next to Shelby. The fighter gave him a guarded expression while he lifted a corner of his mouth and narrowed his eyes in a playfully manner and as he answered, "No, back to twenty seventy-seven."

André asked with a perplexed expression, "Twenty seventy-seven?"

Carly quickly explained, "Caleb thinks he's from the year two thousand seventy-seven and that Justin Beiber will become president."

The young man confidently countered, "He is the president in my time and you're still vice-president."

The group exchanged confused and concerned expressions among themselves.

"He's Canadian; he can't be president," Carly retorted as if Caleb really was from the future.

Caleb raised an eyebrow and softly challenged, "Do you really think he's the first person to serve as president with questionable natural born citizenship?"

André instantly frowned at the older guy, Mary softly laughed and the others looked to each other again to check to see if the others had heard him correctly.

Caleb laughed as he looked to the rest of them, "Chester A. Arthur? He became president after Garfield's assassination. He was rumored to have been born in Canada with only one American parent." He let out a louder laugh at seeing the teenagers' awkward reactions as they assumed he was going to say another name.

He let his smile fade while turning his attention to the tech-producer and uttered with a mildly irritated voice, "I see you're still compounding the problem."

Freddie knotted his brow and asked, "What problem?"

"Staying here with her," he answered with a motion of his to the green streaked hair girl.

Jade immediately frowned at their unwanted intruder as he continued, "You really did mess things up by leaving didn't you? All you had to do was date Sam for three weeks and everything would have went back to normal, but now… who knows what kind of future I could be going back to. Carly may not even have become Vice President and you the second gentleman… what about your children? You could still have kids, but they won't be born at the right time or as the right ones. You've totally butterfly effected my future."

Jade clenched her jaw tightly at the implication he was making that Freddie and Carly would be married in the future. She was quickly having enough of his fun and games at her expense.

Freddie leaned back in his chair and commented, "I don't care if you're real or just insane. I already have a future child I'm keeping in mind."

His comment brought curious expression from Shelby, Carly and Beck.

The pair stared at one another for a few moments before Caleb finally spoke with an annoyed tone, "Well, I'm sure the timeline will work itself out to get everything back on track. It always does."

Freddie narrowed his gaze and sharply retorted, "No, it won't work out the way _you_ want it to work out. Contrary to what you or anyone else thinks, I'm not a toy to be played with."

Caleb gave him a sympathetic smile. "Freddie… you can't fight _Fate_. She always wins in the ends. _Always._"

Freddie clenched his jaw tightly and outright glared at the man.

Jade knotted her brow as she looked at the man she assumed was mentally disturbed, but her anger gave way to apprehension as his words made her feel as she was missing something significant with his statement, that he was talking about more than some abstract concept when invoking fate. She subconsciously slipped her right hand away from her plate and palmed over her abdomen. She narrowed her eyes as she desperately tried to find the memory that was triggering such a reaction, but it seemed nowhere to be found. However, she may not have been able to catch what she felt was an elusive and fleeting memory, but contemplating on his words invoked a familiar emotion albeit a far stronger one than she was use to feeling.

The green streaked hair girl looked up with an angry expression and whispered with a chilling tone that caught everyone's attention, "Not unless I kill her first."

Caleb let out a nervous chuckle to try to cover the chill that went down his spine from her words, tone and deadly look she was directing at him, "Y-y-you can't kill Fate."

"_I'll find a way,_" she hissed out in a venomous tone.

The man claiming to be from the future swallowed down in fear as he looked at the pale teenager. The other teenagers at the table felt the need to recoil in fear from their friend.

Freddie spoke in a stern voice leaving no doubt that if Caleb knew what was good for him, he'd leave, "Caleb, it's time for you to go."

The young man cleared his throat then got up from his seat. He awkwardly answered, "I think you're right. I've lost my appetite. I guess it's best that I head back. No sense in putting off finding out if I have a home left or not." He turned and headed for the exit, but stopped midway and looked over his shoulder. "Jade?"

"What?" she snapped out, completely out of patience with the man.

"Watch out for falling batteries."

Her brow instantly knotted in complete confusion as he turned and headed out of the restaurant. Freddie looked just as confused at such an absurd statement.

Caleb turned his head back to look forward, but frozen in place as Dusty and Ava stood in front of him with him blocking their approach to the table. If the man claiming to be from the future wasn't afraid enough from his encounter with Jade, he surely was now when he lost almost all the color in his face.

Dusty gave him a guarded expression as he commented, "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"No, it's just… it's just—" He cleared his throat to try to settle down his fear as he finished answering, "—never mind."

Dusty knotted his brow as he slightly turned to watch the young man briskly walk passed him and towards the exit. He passed a quick glance to the brunette, but she gave him a lost expression and a shrug of her shoulders. He shook his head then led her to the table where the rest took a few moments to try to process the ramblings, but for Jade as she was trying to calm the cold rage she felt in her heart.

Cat idly commented as she glanced to all of them, "He's strange."

Carly quickly nodded in agreement as she tried to push his words about her and Freddie being married and having children in the future to the back of her mind.

Dusty bowed his head and politely greeted their host, "Miss Marx."

She politely returned the nod then Ava spoke up, "Hello, I'm Ava."

"Hi Ava, I'm Shelby."

The shorter brunette snorted out a laugh and shook her head before looking to Dusty and whispering, "_Twins._"

Dusty pulled the seat out for Ava and she brushed under her skirt to have a seat with Dusty following with having the neighboring seat so he was between her and Shelby (thus leaving an empty seat to Tori's right and cattycorner left to Ava). The Southern teenager smiled as he commented with ease, "Sorry we are fashionably late, but… we had to be fashionable."

Freddie answered, "Actually you're doing pretty good, we just ordered." He motioned for one of the waiters to walk over so he could add Ava and Dusty's order.

A minute or so later, their orders were taken and drinks poured (and after several attempts by Dusty to explain the concept of what he meant by 'sweet tea' to the waiter).

The Carolinian took a sip from his tea then commented to Shelby, "I saw highlight's of your fight Miss Vega, but I'm curious. Why didn't she bump you _then_ tried to roll you onto your back then just turning under you? She looked like she had the weight advantage on you."

"She was just at the limit of the class." The professional fighter frowned as she finished with a low tone, "I think she was a few pounds over, but it would have looked bad if I really pushed the issue, but you're right. _I'm_ surprised she messed up on something so basic. I guess she must have panicked and was surprised that I could have been that aggressive in return." She shrugged a bare shoulder then continued with a confident smile, "But then it would have really gone into a ground game and I had the advantage."

Dusty nodded along to the possible explanation then Shelby took a quick sip of her water then asked, "So do you keep up with the sport?"

He chuckled for a second or two then answered with an almost cavalier tone, "I keep up with that stuff for ah... more practical reasons."

Shelby raised a questioning eyebrow with Beck was happy to answer in a casual tone, "He has to know it so he can hurt people."

Dusty politely smiled to Shelby and casually answered, "Yes well… unlike my classmate here who's had a pretty charmed life from what I know, some of us have had to treat some of high school as a… _'Trial by Fire'_. You are either on the top or you're someone's… well I'll let you fill in the word, but that's not as paramount anymore since going to Hollywood Arts. It's nice not having to worry anymore about being jumped simply for my race."

Beck tried to hide a sour frown behind his glass as he took another sip from his drink.

The rest of the dinner consisted of Freddie and Carly catching up with things that happened after the girl's exhibition fight, but before all the things the led up to Freddie deciding to move to Los Angeles. The conversation shifted on to their separate going ons of their lives since the move, sprinkled in with Shelby and Dusty trading tips from their respective experiences in fights, even if some of them she couldn't legally use in the octagon.

Freddie noticed the smile on Shelby's face that regardless of how outlandish some the stories were, she seemed to enjoy the normalcy of it all like he had noticed from Heather, but didn't mention it. He suppressed a smirk at seeing that she did pass the occasional flirtatious remark his way, but saved most of it for Beck. The tech-producer however noticed the passing disapproving expressions on Tori's face as the pair would banter. He saw from the corner of his eye that Jade would just look on in amusement, but couldn't tell if it was from the amusement of Beck flirting with the look alike or the hidden annoyance on Tori's face, but he guessed the latter.

The dinner soon wind down and the group of teenagers started giving their thanks to Shelby for the dinner, making their farewells and heading. As Cat was heading out with André, she frowned at seeing Ava and Dusty leave the restaurant together after the Southern teenager briefly spoke with his cousin.

Shelby gently and playfully reminded Tori before she could leave with Beck that she wanted that DNA test which the Los Angeles teenager reluctantly agreed to talk to her parents about it.

Freddie and Carly stepped aside with Shelby before departing as Jade and Mary let the trio have their privacy before leaving. Carly reassured the professional fighter, "We'll keep in touch."

She smiled and nodded gratefully.

Freddie picked up with a bright smile, "Right and don't be a stranger. It's not hard to get up with me; I'm not hiding."

Shelby pulled the pair into a group hug and whispered to both, "It was good to see you."

She pulled away and smiled to the former brief couple just as the maître d'hôtel walked up behind the blue dressed teenager and informed her in a hushed tone that her ride had arrived. She looked back to the pair and finished with a bright smile, "Well, I have to get going. We'll talk soon."

The grey haired older gentleman then led the champion fighter towards the door and to her waiting ride.

Freddie idly commented as she watched Shelby depart, "So, when are you going to have that rematch with her?"

Carly turned her head and gave him a slight pout at such a suggestion.

He softly laughed and reached around her back with an arm to escort her to the others so they could retire for the night.

Cohen Residence

About twenty minutes or so after leaving the restaurant, the cherry red Mustang pulled up into the Cohen driveway and Dusty escorted the lovely brunette to her door. She stopped and turned to the taller teenager. "Thanks for the ride," she thanked with a soft smile.

He politely nodded and gave a boyish grin as he answered, "You're welcome."

Her smile grew bigger then she lifted up her chin so she could place a soft kiss on his cheek. She placed the kiss far enough down his cheek where the corner of her lips brushed the corner of his lips. She smiled at him then commented, "Goodnight," then turned and headed inside.

One would expect that he'd react with a smile and be elated and encouraged by her gesture, but Dusty furled his brow and slightly frowned as he looked at the door before turning and heading back to his car.

* * *

The night was nearly pitched black as Ava ran out the back of her house. Tawny, still in her filthy and blood splattered dress, charged after her friend in life. The shorter girl tripped off the back porch onto the green lawn then started scrambling back on her feet, but Tawny jumped onto her back. The girls rolled around a few times on the grass until Tawny was able to get on top and grabbed Ava by the throat with her left hand.

She raised the pair scissors up over her head with the other hand, ready to plunge the silver blades down into her friend's chest.

"Tawny!"

The undead woman stopped before she could bring the scissors at hearing the voice of her husband.

Her pause gave him the moment to wrap an arm around her abdomen and grabbed the wrist of the scissors swinging hand. He pulled hard backwards, struggling with the enraged undead woman. She screamed for him to let her go, but he held on tightly to pull her away from Ava. The pair fell backwards and with her husband gripping her scissors filled hand, the silver scissors plunged just under her sternum.

Tawny's mouth opened and closed and looked up at the sky in complete disbelief.

He cradled his undead wife as she stared up at him, tears started running down her pale cheeks and her life slipped away once more. She tried to speak, but no words would exit her mouth.

He started crying and brushed his hand over his cheek as whispered to her, "It's okay, it's okay. I love you and I'll see you again."

She reached up and cupped his cheek as tears started rolling down between her nose and cheeks. Her hand dropped away from his face and her eyes truly went dead. He pulled her close and cried into the crook of her neck.

Ava looked on as she cried along with them as everything went to black.

* * *

The credits started rolling and Freddie relaxed back in his seat in his room on Holy Saturday afternoon as he looked at the computer screen and the final edit of the film. He rested his fist over his mouth and took several slow breaths through his nose. "I just watched Jade die again."

Dusty rested his shoulder against the outer doorframe within the room and answered with a solemn tone, "True and by your hands, _but_ this time it was because the story demanded it and not out of some petty action by an ex-boyfriend. It was a good lesson about how we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life. It is true tragedy: having to go on while the one you love isn't here."

Freddie regretfully nodded along with that sentiment then commented with a solemn tone, "I just hope that won't happen for a very, very long time."

* * *

Author's Note: Wow, I crammed in a lot in that chapter with hopefully a lot of call back for the iCarly side of this story. The next chapter will be a special Easter chapter just in time (coincidentally) for Easter with April Fools Blank on the first of April then that Friday is one I hope you all will enjoy: Tori & Jade Go Platinum Part 1.

Special Guest Star Jennette McCurdy as Melanie Puckett

Special Guest Appearance by Jim Parsons as Caleb


	26. Chapter 26: I'm still not Clarence

Hello my dear readers. A little treat with posting this early since it's Easter coming up. I hope you like this unique chapter.

To touch on the last chapter since this story has plenty of crossover elements (besides obviously Freddie), Caleb is a character from iCarly that claimed to be from the future in the iCarly episode 'iLost My Mind' and gave a number of predictions in the episode and on their website. I take no position if he was really from the future or not.

I think I responded to all the reviews through PM, but if I missed anyone, please, **_please_** PM to let me know because for some reason over the last week my review email alerts have been going into my Spam folder and I could have missed them.

Oh, as pbow pointed out, Dusty calling Shelby Miss Vega was a typo. Even I was becoming confused with all the twins.

Finally congratulations to Victorious for winning best show at the KCAs. It's not fair that I had to choose in voting between it and iCarly.

Special Guest Appearance by Jennifer Connelly as Ruby Lyn West

Rating: T Language, References to Adult Situations

* * *

Chapter 26: I'm still not Clarence

West Residence  
Saturday, April 7, 2012

A few hours after Freddie had finished editing Jade's tribute to 'The Scissoring', the couple was lying in Freddie's bed with Jade snuggled up with him on his left side watching television. After the hectic, but enjoyable week, she just wanted to enjoy this alone time with him.

She felt so at peace for the moment that she was drifting off to sleep long before it was time to go to bed. However, she didn't completely doze off as she felt his fingertips gently brushing through her hair then him whispering, "Would you go with me to Easter service?"

The dark brunette took in a sharp breath as her eyes shot open. She wasn't really expecting him to ask her since she had skipped out going with him to Christmas service. She had no problem going to a service per say as the reason for last time was that she didn't want to deal with his mother (who had actually arrived a few hours ago to spend Easter Sunday with her son). She just didn't want to have to listen to his mother being sly with her disapproval of her or working in calling her a whore for having had sex with her precious baby boy before marriage during the Christmas service and she certainly didn't want to hear her try again this time.

However, he had asked her again and the feeling that she didn't want to disappoint him a second time struck her. She knew this meant a great deal to him and he wanted her to at least share in it during the cornerstone celebrations of his faith. So she swallowed down her announce and any other emotion she knew she was going to feel if she had to put up with any chizz from Mrs. Benson might throw her way during the day.

She lifted her head off his chest/shoulder and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek. "Yes, I'll go with you."

A small smile formed on his face as he continued to look forward at the television. She cuddled her head back on his chest to listen to his heartbeat then he softly kissed her on the crown of her head.

West Residence  
Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012

Marissa Benson happily exited the guest bedroom as she cut through the living room and headed for the kitchen. Ruby was sitting at the kitchen island and sipping on her second cup of coffee. She gave Ruby a disappointed expression at seeing that she was still dressed in overnight clothes after breakfast.

Mrs. Benson's voice was laced with disappoint, "You won't be joining us?"

The West Matriarch gave her a soft smile. "Carly and I were going to spend the day together, some godmother/goddaughter bonding."

"And you couldn't do that with us?"

Ruby cleared her throat then looked up to meet the nurse's eyes. "I haven't been to church in a very long time. The last time I was in a church was during Taylor Shay's funeral, so I'm not too comfortable in them. If Carlotta wanted to go then I would take her, but she didn't mention it. You celebrate Easter how you want to celebrate and we will celebrate Easter in our own fashion, just like Taylor wanted her children to celebrate. For Taylor it was to teach, not to force any particular way to celebrate."

Mrs. Benson looked down an actually expression of shame appeared on her face.

"But enjoy the service. Will you be eating out after or are you coming back home right after? I can fix a nice meal."

The nurse gathered her wits and answered, "We'll be eating out. I've researched a healthy restaurant in the area."

The dark haired beauty frowned and commented, "Don't poison my daughter Marissa… I mean it."

The nurse frowned just as Freddie trotted down the stairs wearing a white shirt, navy tie with a navy blazer and slacks.

His mother looked passed him and up the stairs then back at him with a curious expression. He motioned behind his shoulder with his head and answered the unasked question, "Jade will be down in a few minutes."

She forced a smile as she tried to comment in a casual tone, "Will she be presentable?"

Freddie immediately frowned, but held back a sharp retort. He knew if they got into right now, she'd spoil his entire day.

"What do you think Mrs. Benson?" Jade called out from the top of the stairs.

The three in the kitchen looked up as the dark brunette started walking down the stairs. Freddie gave her a soft smile as he saw that she was wearing a pink dress with a v-neckline and pleated skirt that reached down to just above her knees and a light blue denim jacket to cover her arms. Her hair was curled and resting on her shoulders with a few streaks of a matching pink with her dress. She glanced down at herself then looked up to give Freddie a bashful smile, ignoring his mother. "How do I look?"

He gave her a soft smile. "You look beautiful."

She bowed her head then smiled back to comment, "Thank you. You look pretty sharp yourself."

He chuckled and looked down at himself, "Thank you."

Mrs. West walked over to daughter and rested her hands on her shoulders. She gave her a kiss on the forehead then softly commented, "Freddie's right, you do look beautiful." She turned to Freddie and she slipped her car keys into Freddie's hand and whispered, "I think your mother would be more comfortable in it than the Charger."

He gave her a grateful smile, "Thanks."

Mrs. Benson gave a tight smile as she looked to the couple and asked, "Are we ready to go?"

Freddie made it a point to slip his hand into his girlfriend's hand and lacing their fingers. "Yes, I think we are."

Hollywood United Methodist Church  
6817 Franklin Avenue  
Hollywood, CA

Mrs. Benson sat on Freddie's left as Jade sat on his right. The couple laced their fingers as the Bensons watched and listened to the pastor giving a passionate sermon on the message of forgiveness and salvation through the resurrection of Christ.

Jade on the other hand couldn't help but let her mind wonder as she listened to his words. She had hurt her friends and pushed them away yet they had forgiven her. Dusty had forgiven her, Cat had forgiven her, Tori had forgiven her for all the mistreatment directed at her since dumping coffee on her head from day one.

She had watched Freddie struggle and battle his personal demons to eventually forgive Carly and the rest. After everything with New Year's, she had fought tooth and nail to help Freddie forgive Carly even if she was furious with the girl and quite frankly wished the girl (with Sam) would just go straight to Hell yet Freddie forgave her again. To her own surprise, she and the girl from Seattle had come to some understanding if not some form of forgiveness.

She had clung to her anger and resentment to all those that had wronged her yet she found peace with it all when she had forgiven (rightly or wrongly if they had needed it) them just as Freddie had found it with all those that had mistreated him.

She had always saw and thought it was foolish and weak with the reactions of kindness to mistreatment (particularly from Tori then at first with Freddie), but she had been proven wrong time and time again. Forgiveness, giving and receiving, was stronger than the hate, anger and resentment.

The preacher finished his sermon and the congregation actually went through communion while Jade was still lost in her thoughts. Apparently Freddie didn't want to disturb her from her facial expression and let her be throughout it. She was only pulled out of her thoughts with Freddie leaning over to whisper to the dark brunette afterwards, "Thank you for coming with me even if it isn't the same for you."

She took a soft breath as she tried to get her bearings then slightly turned her head to see a soft smile on his face from his profile. She softly commented, "I know how much this means to you."

His smile grew bigger and he softly squeezed her hand as the choir started singing.

The service soon ended and the congregation started filing out of the pews to converse among themselves.

Mrs. Benson walked down to the entrance to speak with the pastor as she had done after the Christmas service. Freddie smiled to Jade and informed her, "I have to use the bathroom. I think I drank a little too much coffee this morning. I'll be right back then we'll meet up with my mom for a nice Easter meal."

The pink streaked hair teenager nodded her head then her handsome boyfriend got up from his seat to head to the restroom.

Jade got up from her seat and casually walked in front of the first pew as she waited then looked to the altar. She stopped just in front of it and looked to the hanging cross. She let out a tired breath then whispered, "I'm not much one for prayer…" She shrugged a shoulder, "…not much one for faith either, but thank You… for what You've done for Freddie. If You're still willing to help him… still keeping an eye on him, please stay with him. Things have gotten better, but I don't want him to lose himself from whatever seems to come our way… I don't want to lose him. I love him."

"Prayer is a sign of faith," a soft whisper called out from behind her.

The teenager turned so quickly to see who had spoken from behind her, her hair flew off of her right shoulder and completely behind her. She curiously looked at the lovely woman in her late twenties for a moment until she recognized her. She sucked in a sharp breath at the realization. She looked identical to the redhead with a similar color to Cat and pale complexion as the woman in the photograph with Mister Hale in Dusty's room. She wore a white V-neck shirt with a long dark blue coat over it that reached midway down to her blue jean covered thighs.

She gave the teenager a warm smile as she greeted her, "Hello Jadelyn."

The actress cleared her throat and cautiously answered as she turned completely around to face the young woman, "Hi."

The red velvet haired young woman let out a soft laugh as her answer, "I'm Anna."

If possible, the pale girl's eyes widened larger. "Anna? As in—"

She slightly bowed her head with a soft smirk. "Yes, I'm _that_ Anna."

Jade nodded along as she stared at the young woman. She quickly licked her lips then asked, "Is there a reason why you look just like Dusty's mom?"

The redhead softly smiled and slightly tilted her head to the right. "Yes."

Jade waited a few seconds for the angel to continue, but she remained silent, so Jade promoted her, "Are you going to tell me?"

Anna's grin widened as she answered, "_No_… but would you prefer if I take a different appearance? Something you'd be more comfortable interacting with? Maybe someone you admire? An actress or singer you like? Jennifer Connelly or maybe Avril Lavigne?"

The pink wearing girl shook her head and whispered out, "No, it's fine. You look fine."

The redhead gave her an accepting nod of her head. "Thanks, I always thought this was a pretty form."

Jade awkwardly asked, "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to talk to you… about the future."

Jade took a sharp breath then swallowed down the fear that was threatening to come up from her stomach. "The future?"

"Yes."

The pale teenager cleared her throat and forced a strong voice as she questioned, "The last time you wanted a talk was before New Year's…" she finished with a sarcastic and snide tone, "Thanks for the heads up with that night."

The angel slightly tilted her head and a corner of her mouth lifted as she replied, "I told Freddie he had to make a choice and he made it."

The spring dressed teenager took a step forward and snapped, "Why couldn't you have just told him?"

"Then he wouldn't have faced the decision. We already knew the answer to his question that drove him here in the first place, but he needed to know for certain either way and he does know that now."

"But it blew our special moment for New Year's," she answered with easily discern resentment.

Anna slightly tilted her head to the side and softly retorted, "Did your confessions to one another when he got back mean any less?"

"NO!"

Anna held back a laugh which only irritated the teenager and caused her to snort out an irritated breath.

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and snapped out, "So what do you want to talk to me about the future?"

"I thought I'd show you something."

The teenager's brow knotted in confusion, "Show my something?"

"Yes, like Freddie. We think it would only be fair if you got the same opportunity."

Jade took a step back in fear and forced a confident voice as she retorted, "But you showed him what it would have been like if he had said yes to Sam, what could you possibly show me?"

The redheaded angel responded with a smile.

Jade sucked in a sharp breath then answered without thinking, "You want to show what it would be like to be back with Beck?"

"Yes."

She snapped back, "I don't need that opportunity. I love Freddie and as much as I care about Beck, I don't want to go back to the way things were. We had our chance and we lost it, but we're both at peace with it and I don't care what comes at us next, we'll get through it."

"Are you sure?"

The actress outright glared at the celestial being. "If you had been watching all that I've done since New Year's then you'd know."

"I've been watching. I know what's been going on." Anna nodded then looked back to Jade with a smile. "Okay, if you're so sure then that's that. I can't make you go, but…"

"What?"

"How would you like to help Freddie?"

Jade tightened her arms around herself and knotted her brow. "Help Freddie?"

"Well, I took him to the… 'other world' and he didn't go by the script."

"Yeah, I know. He talked…" Jade slightly frowned as she didn't know how to fully comprehend all that quantum mechanics stuff, but pushed on anyway, "…to the other me. He tried to help fix her and Beck before they broke up. He told me."

Anna softly smirked. "Yes, well he asked me whether he made a difference or not, but I couldn't really give him an answer at the time, but you could…"

"I could?"

She motioned downward with her head with a playful smile. "If you wanted to take the opportunity offered. Give him that peace of mind either way? Since he loves you even what could have been you."

Jade gave her a deep frown and commented as a song lyric popped in her head, "Even angels have their wicked schemes?"

The redhead laughed then commented cryptically with a jovial voice, "Maybe we do, but I still think you should go. It might reveal something to yourself that you didn't know, really deal with a fear you have."

She defiantly retorted, "I already know I love Freddie."

"I didn't say you didn't."

Jade bowed her head and looked to the floor, contemplating the angel's offer. She took a deep breath then looked up at Anna and answered, "For Freddie's peace of mind."

Anna smile as she raised her right hand and gently placed her pointer and middle fingers on the center of Jade's forehead.

Asphalt Café Parking Lot  
Los Angeles, CA of the universe formally known as Canon  
Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Jade was on the stage setup in part of the Asphalt Café's parking lot for the Full Moon Jam. She was in front of the microphone stand and singing into it to test the volume and acoustics, "La da. La da. La da, da, da, da, da, da."

She took a breath then continued singing despite her getting frustrated with the feed into her earpiece, "La, la, la, la, la, la, la." She made a clicking sound with her tongue and wasn't happy with what she heard in return. She turned her attention out to beyond the intended audience area where the sound equipment was set up just at the edge of the café itself. Sinjin was in the center of sound equipment with two of his assistants on either side of him and she calmly called out to him, "Okay, that sounds horrible. I can't hear myself on the monitor, turn me up a little."

Sinjin laughed, "Sure, I would love to turn you up a little." He looked to his friends and laughed along with them at his lame come on line.

Jade face fell into anger, gripped the microphone with both her hands and shouted back in outrage, "Just turn my voice up you mop-headed freak!"

The curly blonde haired teenager cringed along with his friends from her shouting.

"Oh knock it off Sinjin!" Freddie shouted from behind them as he was seated with Tori at one of the blue grilled tables. Sinjin looked over his shoulder and glared at Freddie while that tech-producer looked back with a cold stare.

Tori softly gripped Freddie's right forearm, "Come on..."

Freddie looked back to Tori and shook his head as he answered, "No, no, no, no, no, dee, no, no, no."

The brunette gave him a bright smile and innocently asked, "So you'll do it?"

The former tech-producer answered with an exasperated tone, "I'm not gonna ask Jade out on a date."

Tori desperately whined out while raising her right pointer finger, "Just one little date next week."

Freddie shook his head and firmly answered, "No."

The lovely brunette tilted her head to her right side and desperately pleaded, "But…"

"Uh-uh."

"But..."

"No."

Tori was near the point of begging Freddie, "Come on, if you take Jade out on a date, it'll show other guys that she can be dated and then more guys will start asking her out and then Beck won't feel so bad about going out with Meredith."

Freddie raised an eyebrow and retorted, "I have an idea. Why doesn't he just ask Meredith out and be man enough to deal with the fallout of him asking out a girl he should have clearly turned down in the first place when he and Jade were together?"

The lovely brunette blew out a tired breath as she was running out of ways to try to convince him to try.

The muscular teenager blew out a soft breath and continued, "I am not asking Jade out to smooth over his feelings. She'll date someone when she wants to date someone, not when we think she should be with someone _especially_ if it's just a means to an end to make Beck feel better."

Tori frowned and looked down at the table. She tried one last attempt, "But Jade can be so much fun."

He snorted out a soft laugh, "I know th—"

A number of students were carrying plastic bins up to the stage to Jade's left. The purple streaked hair teenager turn and shouted in outrage, "Not now!"

"Sorry Jade!" one of the students mumbled and ran from the stage with the others she frightened.

The pair of friends turned their attention to Jade to see what triggered her into becoming upset then looked back to one another. Tori whispered out, "This is hopeless."

Freddie playfully rolled his eyes. "It's not hopeless. She'll find someone that will love her for her when it happens, not on our timeline and especially not on Beck's timeline so he can feel better."

Tori awkwardly smiled at his point and softly shook her head.

"Besides, your plan wouldn't work with me. Everyone already knows we're friends and it wouldn't be a big deal if we went out somewhere alone together and… I'm already known as one of the only two guys that go here that isn't afraid of her, so it doesn't prove anything if we went out. If none of them are 'brave' enough to ask her out then they aren't worth her time in the first place."

Tori softly smirked as she eyed her muscular friend at being forced to agree to his point.

Jade gripped the microphone with both her hands and growled out, "Sinjin, fix this monitor before I make a necklace out of your ears!"

Sinjin whimpered in fear from behind the sound system as his friends coward in fear with him.

Freddie smiled and commented with a soft laugh, "Okay, she's going to have to find a _very_ brave man."

Hollywood Arts High School  
Thursday, May 3, 2012

Jade was at her locker switching out books as Freddie approached the purple streaked hair girl. She glanced over and casually commented, "Hey."

Freddie blew out a tired breath and gave her a bashful expression while resting his right shoulder against the wood paneled corner to the row of lockers and the entrance way.

She dryly asked, "What?"

He softly bit his tongue for a moment then answered, "I need to talk to you… about Beck."

She knotted her brow and closed the locker. She turned fully to look at him and asked with a concerned tone, "What about Beck?"

He glanced away for a moment then looked met her eyes to explain, "He wants to ask out another girl, but he's afraid of how you might react."

She shook her then snapped out in disgust, "Oh my God. How many times do I have to say it? I don't care who he dates! We broke up! He can ask out any girl you wants!"

He answered her with a patient tone, "I know that, but…"

She questioned with a sharp tone, "What?"

"He's still hesitant and Tori came to me with an idea that could help him understand that."

She slightly frowned and slightly turned her head away from him while still looking at him. "What idea?"

Freddie pushed off resting his shoulder on the corner and held up a finger. "I shot it down immediately for the record."

"Okay."

"Okay… I shot it down."

She rolled her eyes and answered with a slightly impatient tone, "Okay, I get it: you didn't agree with the idea."

He cracked his boyish grin and reiterated, "I'm just making sure. She wanted me to ask you out on a date next week."

The pale girl's eyes shout open and her jaw slacked for a brief moment then snapped, "Why?"

"Because if you started dating, she figured you would be okay if Beck asked out another girl."

She offered him her hand and asked, "We need to finish this in private."

He rolled his eyes then slid his hand into her hand. She walked passed him and the pair casually walked to the janitor's closet. The pair walked inside and Freddie closed the door behind him.

Jade took a calming breath to check her anger as she didn't want to take it out on Freddie then whispered out coldly, "I don't need your girlfriend's help to go out with a guy."

The tech-producer calmly replied, "Well she thinks so because guys are scared to ask you out."

She blazingly snapped out, "That's how I like it!"

He readily agreed, "I know, but I'm not sure she understands that. She figured that if guys saw you out with a guy that they could see that they didn't have to be afraid of asking you then you wouldn't be upset if Beck asked Meredith out."

"_Meredith!" _she furiously hissed out as she gave him a deathly glare.

He nervously chuckled, "And that's the reaction Beck is afraid of you having."

She slightly titled her head to the side and forward and harshly questioned, "Do you know why?"

He nodded and gave her a resigned expression. "Tori filled me in: she's just another girl in the long list of girls that he let flirt with him and didn't care that it upset you."

Jade closed her eyes and let out a soft breath through her nose as she wrapped her arms under her chest.

Freddie let out a regretful breath and whispered, "I'm sorry."

She opened her eyes to see the regretful expression on his face. She bowed her head and whispered, "It's not your fault."

He cracked a soft smile and countered, "Doesn't mean I can't still be sorry."

She responded with a soft smile of her own.

Freddie blew out a tired breath and continued, "Okay, maybe it was a silly plan and maybe it doesn't look good, but you can't blame her for trying to help."

She snapped out, "_Help Beck_, something that you admit and see for what it is. She just wanted to pacify me to _help Beck_. Did she even consider my feelings in the matter other than 'she'll just freak out'? 'Oh look at Jade, she's freaking out for no good reason and being overly jealous _again_'."

Freddie slightly tilted his head and let out a soft breath, "Do you think Tori really sees it that way? _Maybe_ André and Robbie because of some guy code or something, but not Tori. She didn't like him letting Alyssa Vaughan be all flirty with him years ago from what I know of the story. She's not blind to his behavior, just more forgiving of it because that's the way she is. She didn't give me one bit of grief for nearly knocking his head off when he tried to drag you in here after Sinjin's game show."

The purple streaked hair girl blew out a tired breath then softly questioned, "It doesn't concern you that she asked you, _her boyfriend_, to ask me out? That it might look bad later when you two finally drop the act and let everyone know you're together."

Freddie slightly frowned, but his eyes showed that he wasn't really upset with the question. "I'm not sure she thought that far ahead, more like: 'See, Jade is a nice girl to go out with. She's dateable and you don't have to be afraid to ask her out.'"

"_That_ should concern you that she didn't think that far ahead especially since it was for another guy."

Freddie softly chuckled as a bit of happiness shined from his eyes as he spoke about the brunette, "What? That she leaps before she looks in trying to help? I'm in _no_ position to complain about that and I don't think I'd want to if I could."

The pale girl let a small, teasing smile formed on her face as she retorted, "You're showing again."

He knotted his brow. "What?"

"The fact that you're in love with her. At some point you two can't keep it a secret. People are going to figure out that you're in love with her from you."

Freddie shook his head and flippantly asked, "And how exactly do we come out with that? Mister Vega would assume the worst since day one that I've been living with them. He'd tear my head off."

Jade put on a wide grin as she teased him, "Maybe, but Mrs. Vega loves you. Every time I see you three in the same room, it looks like she's barely hold back wanting to plan your wedding with Tori. She's not going to take any mess from her husband."

Freddie rolled his eyes as he couldn't argue with that point. In the Vega Matriarch's eyes, he could do no wrong and probably chide her husband in an instant if he tried anything against him. He lifted a corner of his mouth and softly questioned, "How did this turn into a conversation about me and Tori?"

She wickedly smiled while answering, "Because I'm not usually up for talking about my feelings and you're just so much fun to tease."

He tilted his head to the side and dryly answered, "I love you too."

She let out a soft, genuine laugh that made Freddie finally feel better since having to bring up this topic to the pale girl. He softly asked, "Are you going to be okay?"

She nodded her head while answering, "I'll deal like I dealt when we broke up, so if he wants to ask Meredith out, he can do it. Let him enjoy Meredith's cupcakes."

He gave her a supportive smile. "And I'll be there all the same."

She retorted in a hushed tone, "You're too sweet for your own good."

He softly chuckled, "Yeah, but that's why the ladies love me." He nodded over his shoulder to the door and commented, "Let me walk you to class?"

She laughed out, "Yeah, maybe Vega'll see us and think you did ask me out and she'll get a little jealous."

He gave her his boyish grin and shook his head and commented with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Always looking out for me."

She returned with a grin while approaching him and looping her arm with his arm. "Someone has to do it."

He let out a soft laugh as the pair exited the closet.

West Residence  
Thursday, May 3, 2012

Jade took in a sharp breath and started rapidly blinking as she tried to get her bearings and suppress the sudden feeling of vertigo. She palmed her right hand against a wall to steady her balance then quickly looked around to see that she was in her bedroom, but she wasn't alone: the native Jade was pacing about the room without noticing her presence. The purple highlighted haired Jade shook her head in disgust as she muttered, "Meredith… he wants to ask _her_ out."

Jade spoke out without thinking with nearly as disgusted tone, "He's what?"

The native girl jerked around to look at her and instantly knotted her brow and slacked her jaw. A moment later she shouted in complete disbelief, "What that jank?!"

Jade raised her hands up in hopefully in a non-threatening manner. "It's alright—I'm you… the one with the Freddie you talked to just before Christmas."

The fellow pale teenager stared at her in shock for a few seconds then looked her up and down, taking in what she saw was an oddly dress version of herself. She cautiously walked over and poked her upper chest with her right pointer finger.

Jade slightly frowned at seeing the completely dressed in black counterpart poking her, but then again it was a pretty surreal scene for her as well.

The native girl muttered out, "You're real?"

"Yes."

"You're _that_ Jade? The one the _other_ Freddie's dating?"

She cautiously nodded her head. "Yes."

The darkly dressed Jade took a step backwards and looked her up and down once more. "How are you here? _Why_ are you here?"

She cleared her throat then hesitantly answered, "Anna dropped me off."

"Who's Anna?"

"Freddie's angel; the same one that dropped him here on Christmas Eve."

The native Jade licked her lips then asked with force casualness, "Okay… so why?"

"So I could see if I made the right choice in being with Freddie, maybe I should be with Beck, but I already know I made the right choice. I agreed to come just so I could tell Freddie what happened to you with Beck. He cares."

The fellow pale girl nodded for a moment then snorted out, "Well Beck and I broke up months ago. He wants to date Meredith now."

She bowed her head and blew out a soft breath. She swallowed her disgust at apparently this Beck didn't seem to have a problem either with wanting to go out with a girl that made passes at him while they were together. She looked back up to her counterpart and apologetically answered, "I'm sorry… I know Freddie tried and… I'm not sure how I'm going to tell him."

The native teenager slightly frowned and flippantly remarked, "Well tell him that I took his advice, but… Beck wouldn't listen. He blew me off and thought I was just overreacting and blaming me for all our fights… he let me walk out the door after the last straw with Sinjin's game show."

Jade snorted out a laugh and retorted, "Mine went to Yerba after we broke up and then when he came back… we couldn't get back together."

The native Jade glanced away and laughed out, "Your Freddie told me about that… you got with him."

She smiled as she answered as if she was caressing his name, "Yes, my Freddie." The pink streaked hair Jade raised her left brow (which was missing her brow-ring) and questioned with a hint of disbelief, "So Beck wants to date Meredith?"

She snorted out in disgust, "Yeah, but he's all terrified with how I would react."

The 'younger' Jade softly laugh, "Mine was too. He was afraid even if I'm with Freddie that I'd freak out that he was asking a girl out he let flirt with him while we were together, but then when he took her out to the Full Moon Jam, he realized he didn't want to go passed the first date."

She pulled an arm away from her and motioned to her visiting self with her pointer finger and questioned, "Wait, that's already happened for you? Our Full Moon Jam is tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow? What's today?"

"It's Thursday; the jam is on Friday."

The pink wearing Jade nodded her head as she glanced away from her counterpart. "I guess I'm a week ahead of you." She looked up and smiled, "You know how it's going to turn out for him when he asks her out."

"_If _he asks her out. Tori's so concerned that he won't that she asked Freddie to ask me out to try to stop me from getting upset. She thought if I was dating someone, I wouldn't get upset that Beck was dating."

The visiting Jade naturally wanted to retort about not caring who Beck dated and making it a point to her counterpart, but she focused on another part of her statement and snapped out, "Freddie's _here_?"

The darker dressed girl nodded her head, but before she could verbally answered, Jade immediately walked passed her in an instant to head out of the room and down the hallway. She stopped at the end of the hallway, but stopped when she saw that Freddie's room was decorated as it always had as a guest room. She snapped around and questioned her other self catching up with her, "You said he was here."

"I mean he's here in L.A. He's living with Tori."

The pink dressed Jade asked flabbergasted, "_Tori?_"

She looked sympathetically to her other self then shrugged a shoulder and casually answered, "We're not you and him. We… we care about each other and we… bounded after your Freddie's visit, but we didn't develop those feelings for one another, especially during the time he moved here. I was still with Beck and trying to keep our relationship intact and Freddie was straightening his life out from the fallout of your Freddie showing up. He really did a number up in Seattle with less than half an hour."

"So he left Seattle and moved in with Tori?"

"Before we got to talking, he was closest to her. They kept in touch and he had spent the weekend with her when he came down to see her play last September, so when he left they offered him a place to stay."

She disappointedly nodded her head then cautiously looked up to meet the fellow blue eyed girl. "But he's happy right?"

The slightly shorter haired Jade studied the girl's face and saw that same genuine love that she had seen on the other Freddie's face four months ago. The look was a little disconcerting for her, but she pushed it aside for a moment and patiently answered, "Yes, he's quite happy with Tori."

Jade shot her eyes open and uttered, "Th-they're together?"

The darkly dressed Jade continued to give her counterpart a sympathetic look as she wasn't blind to the shocked and somewhat confused expression on her face. She quickly realized for the other girl that the news must have been akin to having her boyfriend leave her for Tori of all people. She quietly answered, "In secret… Trina, Cat and I are the only ones that know." She softly rolled her eyes and shrugged a shoulder as she added, "Maybe Dusty, but only because he's good at picking up on stuff with people."

Jade looked down to the floor and contemplated the idea of Freddie being with Tori instead of her counterpart. She had an inkling feeling that this was somehow familiar with the possibility of Tori and Freddie being together and surprisingly realized that she wasn't particularly upset about it. She looked up and whispered in a tone that the native girl easily picked up as desperation even if she was trying to hide it, "But he _is_ happy?"

"Freddie's happy," she reassured in a quiet tone.

Jade nodded along, but didn't look at the fellow dark brunette. "Good… as long as he's happy."

The slightly shorter hair girl knotted her brow. "Good? I just told you that basically your boyfriend is with Tori, _Tori._ That doesn't wazz you off?"

The pink wearing girl looked up and countered, "No, he may not be my Freddie, but as long has he's happy and she's not mistreating him then I'm really not upset. I love him and I want him to be happy regardless if he's with me and the girl he's with is Tori."

The native Jade was taken aback by the statement. She couldn't imagine being that good with the idea of any guy she had been with being with Tori after a breakup, but then she figured the girl standing in front of her had went through an entirely different experience with being with Freddie over the last several months. "So you were able to tell him back that you loved him?"

"Yes… but that's a long story so back to Meredith, really? Your Beck wants to date her too?"

The slightly shorter hair girl cleared her throat as she gathered her wits from the change in topic then answered, "Yeah, the same one from two years ago."

Jade snorted out and flippantly asked, "Has she offered him her 'cupcakes' again? I'm not sure if my Meredith got the chance again before he dropped her."

She answered with a hint of disgust, "I don't know, but I hope he enjoys them since he's so eager and well… you know… he never got a taste of my cupcakes."

The pink dress wearing teenager snorted out a breath and looked down to let out a soft laugh as she thought on the statement of enjoying cupcakes.

The facial jewelry wearing teenager questioned with a confused tone, "What?"

"I'm just thinking on how enjoyable it is for my cupcakes to be tasted."

The shorter haired teenager closed her mouth tightly for a second then cautiously started, "You and Freddie? You two are—"

She softly laughed, "We've made love five times in total, but since he turned eighteen in early February, we can't anymore until my birthday, not that it was ever a driving point between us."

"You—you gave it up to him?"

She looked to her with a confident smile and answered calmly, "I don't regret it for one moment that he was my first and I don't think I could have had a better experience."

The other Jade swallowed then cautiously asked, "So it was… fun?"

The 'younger' Jade softly smirked as she answered, "Quite… I'm not going to say that it didn't hurt—and not in the good way—just when we started, but after that…" She started softly laughing, "Freddie is…" She lost the laugh, but wore a genuine smile as she finished, "…_very_ attentive to what I liked when we figured out what that was and my needs and made me feel very safe and precious. He was the same the other four times too."

The purple streaked hair girl cleared her throat and looked down with a soft blush forming on her cheeks while the pink highlighted Jade remained silent.

An odd silence formed between the pair, but not particularly an uncomfortable one. While the native Jade tried to wrap her head around the idea of being that intimate with her friend, the pink wearing Jade looked around then commented, "I guess Anna wants me to see a little more?"

"What?"

She turned back to her native self and explained, "Well, I did find out what happened: Beck ignored you, you broke up, Freddie moved down here and you're at least friends—"

"We are good friends. He's…" She dropped her tone and softly answered, "He's been good to me."

"Good, you need someone to count on and I know your Freddie has to be the same even if you aren't together, but now I'm still here."

"Maybe she really did want you to see if you made the right choice with Freddie instead of getting back with Beck?"

"I already know the answer and I told her, but what's the point? You're not with him. Are you going to get back with him?"

"I don't see that happening. I don't see him admitting that he did anything wrong and wanting to try again."

The pink highlighted Jade shook her head then dryly commented, "Well… if she wants to be humored for a little while, why not? For all she's done for Freddie, I can do that."

The slightly shorter haired Jade furled her brow and asked, "What did she do?"

"Fully healed him from his accident with the taco truck,"

Her eyes shot opened and she asked in disbelief, "Fully healed?"

Jade put on the happiest smile. "Yeah, no scars or pins or plates in his leg. He's one hundred percent."

The native girl looked on astonished then whispered, "Do you think… you think she would do that for our Freddie when she picks you up?"

Jade answered with a somewhat lost expression, "I can ask."

The purple streaked hair girl nodded her head then continued with soft laugh, "How am I going to explain you to mom?"

"We tell her the truth."

She slightly frowned and dismissively answered, "She's going to think you're insane."

"Just because we don't have any real faith, doesn't mean she lost hers."

* * *

Ruby looked back and forth between the identical girls as her daughter explained the situation with Jade showing some other pictures of her with Freddie that the native one didn't have, specifically the Halloween pictures, as the three were gathered around the kitchen island. Once her daughter finished, she got up from her seat, went to the cabinet then poured her a glass of red wine. She took a few seconds to empty the glass then sat it down.

The pair of identical girls looked on in surprise at the sight, but the dark haired beauty laughed as she looked at the identical girls, "Even I needed a drink after that story."

Her daughter let out a snort then commented, "You okay now?"

The pale woman nodded her head and answered, "Yeah it's just… it oddly makes sense about why you suddenly got so close to Freddie."

Her daughter cocked her head to the side and dryly answered, "You can see why we didn't exactly come clean as to why. We didn't want to get locked up in some nuthouse."

Mrs. West immediately frowned as she walked back to take her seat on the opposite side of the island. She answered with a firm voice that both Jades knew it was not wise to argue against, "I would not have thought you were crazy." She looked to her daughter's counterpart and continued, "Well… you're welcome to stay for how ever long you're here." She glanced up and down her again then complimented, "You look very nice."

Jade cracked a soft smile while answering, "Thanks."

"Yeah, why do you look like that? I was wondering why you were dressed up like that."

"Anna picked me up just after Easter Service."

"Easter Service?"

"I went with Freddie. It's important to him and he wanted to share it with me. He's supported me and embraced everything that's important to me, the least I can do is go to Easter Service with him."

The purple streaked girl retorted with a perplexed expression, "So it's Easter for you?"

"Yeah, it's just next week for you."

Mrs. West pointed out, "Ah… it's May."

Jade blinked, as if that was the oddest thing about this entire situation, then commented, "Okay, it's not just a week's difference. I guess they pushed back the Full Moon Jam for you instead of moving it up as they did for us."

"I guess so," the native Jade dryly commented. "You want to borrow some clothes?" She snorted out a laugh, "I'm figuring I'll have something that'll fit you."

Jade rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms under her chest. "Thanks… because I'd like to head out."

Ruby questioned with a knotted brow, "Where?"

"I want to see Freddie."

Vega Residence

Freddie was sitting at the center end of the couch towards the door with Tori (wearing her glasses) resting the back of her head against his right thigh and laying across the couch reading in one of her textbooks. As she read, he gently ran his fingers through her hair while watching a rerun of 'Celebrities Underwater'. She would spare the occasional glance towards the TV as the pair shared the love for the show.

He broke the peaceful silence between them with an idly comment, "Jade's kind of annoyed with you."

Tori kept her eyes on her page as she casually asked, "About what this time?"

"About wanting me to ask her out to try to show guys she's dateable as to make Beck not feel so bad in asking Meredith out."

She asked with a quick tone, "How did she find out?"

"I told her."

She slightly frowned and closed her book on her lap so she could turn her full attention to him even if she was not moving from her position. "Why?"

He softly rolled his eyes. "Because she had to find out what Beck was going to do and how he was feeling about the situation. I thought it was better for me to tell her than him just finally working up the nerve and just going out with Meredith."

"So she's upset with me over that?"

"A little, but she'll get over it."

Tori defensively retorted, "Well I was just trying to help my friend."

"I explained that to her, but she was concerned about one thing in the whole mess."

She rested her head back to look up at him.

He gave her a coy smiled that forced her to lift her head off of his lap then scoot backwards to sit in his lap. The tech-producer let out a laugh and quickly wrapped his left arm around her back to rest on her hip and his right hand on her left thigh. Tori slipped her right hand around the back of his neck and rested it on his right shoulder while her left hand rested on his right forearm to help him steady her in his lap. Tori giggled as Freddie stole another kiss from her lips then continued, "She was concerned how you could ask your boyfriend to ask her out."

She raised an eyebrow above her glasses frame and playfully questioned, "Oh? She was? Are you concerned? Do you think I'm trying to palm you off on Jade?"

He softly laughed, "Me worried? No. If anything, I should be worried about you leaving me for Jade. I mean there are times you can cut the sexual tension between you two like a knife."

She slightly tilted her head to the side and gave him a pout.

He let out a hearty laugh at the teasing getting to his lovely girlfriend, but made it up to her with another quick kiss. However, she was not going to settle for a quick peck as she took her hand off of his forearm and cupped his cheek to deepen the kiss. At first he eagerly returned the kiss and pulled her slightly tighter against him to securely hold her in his arms, but after a few moments, he pulled away and questioned in concern, "Ah Tor—"

She slid her hand away from his cheek and placed her pointer finger over his lips and answered, "Shhh, Trina's the only one here, so we don't have to worry."

He quickly smiled at realizing her point then leaned forward to kiss her again with her finger only separating their lips, but kissed anyway. She pulled her finger away to recup his cheek then the secret couple started treading playful kisses. Her thumb started brushing his cheek as his left hand slipped under her T-Shirt and gently massaged the side of her abdomen, sending a shiver up her spine. She moaned into his mouth from the sensation as he always knew how to gently push her buttons while in his strong and safe embrace.

The front door opened and at the sound of it, the brunette literally leapt from his lap and twirled around to have a seat on the center end of the neighboring couch. Freddie quickly cleared his throat, tried to catch his breath and turned his full attention to the television while Tori adjusted her glasses on her face, partially to shield the blush on her cheeks and straightened out her shirt with her other hand.

"Oh calm down, it's just me," the native Jade huffed out as she entered the living room followed by her dimensional counterpart wearing a Penny-Tee.

Freddie let out a relieving laugh, but it was quickly cut off as he saw a second Jade follow their friend inside. Tori looked on just as in shock at the sight of the identical Jade.

Jade quickly offered, "I'm the other Jade."

"Other Jade?" Freddie questioned in confusion then looked to his Jade for answers, but the visiting one continued, "As in the one with the Freddie that visited you during Christmas."

Freddie's eyes shot open then looked to his Jade, who quickly nodded her head in confirmation. "Oh my God," he whispered in disbelief.

Jade softly laughed, "That's one reaction."

He looked to his Jade and she nodded in confirmation again. "Wow, ah… wow."

"You're that Jade?" Tori questioned with the same shock, but Jade could hear a bit of worry in the girl's voice.

She returned with just as hesitant expression, "Yeah, I'm that Jade."

The girls looked to one another for a few seconds before Jade offered, "So I guess you know the story?"

Tori cautiously answered, "Yeah ah…" She passed a quick glance between the other Jade and Freddie before continuing, "I know everything. I saw the pictures and video, but… how are you here?"

She sympathetically replied, "Same angel, different lesson. I know it's kind of hard to wrap your head around it."

Freddie whispered, catching Jade's attention, "Yeah it is, but the truth is the truth… not the first angel to but in our lives."

Jade looked back to her boyfriend's counterpart guessing he was referring to Mitch then gently questioned, "Yeah… are you okay?"

It was a loaded question, but understood the need for her to know from what he had learned from his Jade's conversation with his dimensional counterpart and the identically concerned expression she wore that Jade had given him a few times after Christmas. "Yeah, I'm okay." He let out a nervous laugh then continued with a little tribulation in his voice, "Everything kind of snowballed out of control after his visit, but eventually everything settled… with me living here."

The pinked highlighted teenager gently replied as she saw in his eyes that the story was too long and emotionally draining to get in with her, "I'm sorry it ended that way because _I do know_ how much you care about them, but I can honestly say that I think you're far better off here than up there."

He slightly bowed his head. "Thanks." He lifted his head to finished, "I owe him a thanks for a kick in my rear. I took a hard look in the mirror, took responsibility for the consequences of my choices instead of trying to brush them under the rug and now I'm really happy."

Jade put on a bright smile and answered with a genuinely happy tone, "I'm glad to hear and I'll pass that along to him." She looked to Tori and questioned, "So you two are together?"

Tori softly nodded her head and softly answered seeing there was no point in denying it, "Yeah."

Jade studied the brunette for a few moments as even as strange as it felt and that she should be upset that she was the one Freddie was seeing, she couldn't find it in her heart to be mad. The feeling that drove her to push down her anger and hate for Carly to get them to reconcile was in full force to reassure her that this situation is what was making this Freddie happy. She cleared her throat and tried to comment with the most sincere tone she could manage, "Congratulations, you don't know how lucky you are to have him."

Tori cracked a smile and looked to Freddie as she whispered, "I think I do."

Jade shrugged a shoulder. "Maybe you do, maybe you don't; I haven't seen you together like she has." She looked to Freddie and finished, "I just wanted to see if you were okay for myself, sorry for ah… disturbing you two." She immediately turned to head back for the door, willing to leave her counterpart behind to catch up with her at the car.

Freddie curiously called out before she reached the door, "So you do love him back?"

She turned to look over her shoulder and gave him a questioning expression.

He motioned to his Jade and explained, "Jade told me at the time she talked to the… other me that you two hadn't told each other that."

She snorted out a laugh at the bittersweet memory, "Well, Nora may have gotten in our way, but he dealt with her and we had our moment."

Freddie knotted his brow and looked to her dumbfounded.

She blew out a quick breath then summed it up, "Carly and the rest were stupid enough to show up at her court hearing, got kidnapped, Freddie had to go and rush to save them just as he was going to tell me that he loved me on New Year's at midnight then came back and we got to tell each other we love each other." She purposely withheld telling them that they had made love afterwards as seeing that would just cause undue stress for the couple and probably freak out her other self again.

Freddie nodded along, willing to just accept the story.

"Good luck you two," she commented one last time then turned back to head out the door before anybody could say another word.

Black Box Theater  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Friday, May 4, 2012

The bell for the class rang and a number of students started making their way out of the theater, leaving Cat laying across several of the standard grey metal chairs pushed together to make a makeshift bed and resting her head on Dusty's lap while he gently brushed her hair with his fingertips and his right hand rested on her abdomen.

She idly played with his fingers resting on her stomach and commented, "You shouldn't have skipped class."

The Carolinian native softly laughed out, "I really don't have a third period anymore, so why can't I spend it with you? No Slap, so what am I to supervise?"

Cat giggled at seeing the conclusion of his logic then sat up to rest her knees on the seat and turned to face him. She cupped his cheeks and pulled him into a quick kiss.

He laughed out once she removed her lips from his lips, "Now this is the way to spend a class period."

His comment drew out another laugh from the redhead and granted him another kiss. He gently rested his hands on her hips as the started trading a few gently kisses.

The main entrance to the theater opened and Robbie pushed in front of him an aquarium tank, but instead of water, it had several plants. He happily shouted, "Hey, lookie lookie what I got."

Dusty closed his eyes and groaned into Cat's mouth at the irritation of Robbie's lousy timing. However, Cat reacted in a far different way as she pulled away, turned to sit in a seat, quickly cover her face with both of her hands and in a panic shouted, "No, I don't wanna see that thing again, put it away."

Dusty's eyes shot opened in an instant then outright glared at the curly haired teenager. "What did you pull out Shapiro?!"

Robbie swallowed nervously at seeing the harsh glare directed at him. He finally was able to gather enough courage and answered with resting his weight against it with crossed arms, "No. This is a butterfly motel."

Cat got up from her seat and questioned, "Oh, what's it for?"

"Butterflies. It's filled with everything they like: dirt, plants, and rotting fruits," he eagerly explained with a hand motioning over it.

Cat slightly shrugged her right shoulder as she asked, "Okay, so?"

Robbie smugly answered, self-assured that he was correct in his idea, "Well, I figure, if you stick your head in here the butterfly will crawl out of your ear…" He lifted his hands to the sides as if they were small wings and lifted a leg up behind him as he finished, "…and then frolic about."

Dusty snorted out a laugh, "You're too late, I already killed it."

Robbie mouth dropped open and looked absolutely horrified.

"Hold that pose!" the Southern teenager laughed as he reached into his jacket pocket. "I want a picture." He raised the G5 Pearphone and took a quick photo of the ventriloquist.

"Yahyahyah—" Robbie's voice stopped as his mouth opened widely.

Dusty lost his frown and awkwardly commented, "Okay, not so much fun now that he looks like he's going to have a heart attack." He quickly reached around to his left and grabbed something beside his chair then turned around to hold a clear plastic jar with a perforated led with a butterfly flapping around inside. "Here's your butterfly."

Robbie quickly walked over and snatched the plastic jar away. He studied the butterfly for a moment then snapped in a panicked tone, "How did you get him out?"

"It wasn't rocket surgery Robbie. I just pulled a slight vacuum on her ear and he came right out."

Sinjin entered the theater through the back entrance then rushed to the three when he saw Robbie's contraption. He quickly asked the fellow glasses wearing teenager, "Is that a butterfly motel?

Robbie turned and cautiously answered, "Yes."

"My turn!" Sinjin shouted then stuffed his head through the opening.

The three exchanged disbelieving expressions with one another as they watched the lanky teenager taking in a deep breath and apparently enjoying his head in the motel.

West Residence  
Friday, May 4, 2012

Jade relaxed in the couch seat as she watched television waiting for her dimensional counterpart to come down so that they could head for the Full Moon Jam. She had enjoyed what was in essence an extra day of Easter Break spent at home to avoid having to answer all the odd questions of her appearance to the others, well at least until tonight where they would float some cover story about her being a distant relative paying a short visit. The pink highlighted girl also had an unspoken reason in not spending the school day with the native Jade: she didn't want to see Beck or the possibility of her other self getting back with the long haired actor. They may have been separated, but Jade had enough sense to realize that Anna wouldn't have sent her here if there wasn't a strong possibility of the pair reconciling as any other outcome would make the trip pointless for the angel's stated goals. As Freddie had done, she had no intention of going by the script and learning her own lesson, if there was one to learn.

Her attention was pulled away from the television with the native Jade nearly hopping down the stairs and walking into the living room. The native Jade looked down at herself then asked curiously, "How do I look?" She was wearing the same outfit that the visiting Jade had worn to her Full Moon Jam with the only difference being that instead of blue highlights, she wore purple ones.

Jade got up from her seat and commented with a soft smirk. "I love the outfit; I wore the same thing during our Full Moon Jam, but I wore matching blue highlights to the shirt."

She nodded along, "Good choice, but I want the contrast… and maybe I didn't want to go through the trouble of switching out extensions."

The 'younger' Jade let out a laugh and a flicked her eyebrow ring-less eyebrow, "There's that too."

She nodded in response then curiously questioned, "So I have to ask, 'How was I?'"

Jade curiously looked in return.

"You said you wore this to the Jam, so how did I perform? Did they like it?"

She snorted out a laugh, "I blew them away. I don't doubt you won't do the same. Are you singing _'You Don't Know Me'_?"

"Yeah."

"You'll do fine." She walked to and wrapped an arm around her counterpart's shoulders to turn them to the direction of the kitchen. "Now let's go so I can get out and see you steal the show."

Asphalt Café Parking Lot

Hollywood Arts High School  
Friday, May 4, 2012

Since most of the Asphalt Café's parking lot was taken up by the stage, the native Jade had to park her car in one of the other parking lots on the other side of the school. Jade got out of the car and her attention was immediately drawn to the black 1969 Dodge Charger parked in the neighboring parking spot. A small smile lit up Jade's face as she asked the slightly older girl, "Is this Freddie's?"

The purple haired streak girl gave her a questioned looked as she responded with a question of her own, "Yeah, how did you know?"

"Mom found him the same car from dad's boss' salvage yard for next to nothing and gave it to him to have a set of wheels when he moved in with us."

The native Jade snorted out a laugh, "You don't actually buy that story? You really think they have anything that's really running? And even if it did, she would get it next to nothing?"

She smirked along with her 'twin'. "No, but I don't expect to ever get the real story out of her. I'm going to leave that as one of her mysteries." She softly rested her hand on the fender of the muscle car. "So how did he get it?"

The ready performer answered with a knowing smile, "My mom found it at the salvage yard and gave it to Freddie. She wanted to help him out and I guess she saw how much Freddie meant to me. It might have had a little something to do with him jumping in front of the taco truck for Carly."

The pair shared a near identical laugh and once they calmed down the visiting Jade idly commented as she looked to the car, "You don't know how much this meant to my Freddie."

She put on a hint of a smile before answering in a soft tone, "I have a pretty good idea," then turned to head for the school so they pair could cut through it to reach the café.

On their way down the hall, Jade's eyes widened and her mouth closed tightly at seeing the backside of her redheaded friend and Southern teenager walking hand in hand with laced fingers.

The apparent couple to Jade's eyes reached the door and Dusty held it as he must have heard and sensed that someone was behind them. When then lean teenager caught sight of Jade, he started with a jovial tone, "Hey Elphaba…" He stopped to try to process seeing two Jades. Cat noticed that he stopped and turned to see what he was seeing. Little Red immediately put on a confused expression as she looked back and forth between the pair.

The dark dressed Jade started, "This is a cousin of mine visi—"

Dusty interrupted and glanced between them and bluntly stated, "There are two of you."

The native girl was about to give him the cover story, but Jade freely admitted, "Yeah there are. I'm Jade and she's Jade," then held her gaze at their eyes meeting.

He broke eye contact first and looked to his Jade. "You'll explain later." He looked back to the slightly longer haired Jade and softly laughed, "So you're here for the Full Moon Jam?"

"Yeah. You're singing right?"

"I was planning to whether the old hippy likes it or not."

"_Angel with a Shotgun_?" the visiting Jade questioned with a smirk.

He slowly answered, "Yeah, I am…"

She softly laughed out, "It fits you."

He snorted out a laugh, feeling that he was at the butt end of an inside joke, but didn't mind. "Thanks."

She motioned out the entrance way he was holding open for them. "Shall we? I want to hear some singing."

* * *

Tori, Freddie and Jade stood and idly chatted together at the food table looking at the stage as they waited for the show to start in the next few minutes as André had just promised after welcoming everyone to the Full Moon Jam.

Soon Beck walked to them from sitting with the majority of the rest of the students camped out on the parking lot and started pouring himself a drink. He paused for a moment in seeing Jade as he expected her to be backstage getting ready to perform.

Jade offered with a smirk, "I'm Heather Fox."

Beck opened and closed his mouth while knotting his brow.

The pale girl let out a rarely used playful laugh to imitate the more lighthearted model and lie, "It turns out that we're distant cousins and I wanted to see her perform. It's nice to put a name to the face."

He looked to Tori and Freddie. The tech-producer nodded his head in covering for the visitor from another world while Tori wore an awkward expression, but she quickly replaced it with a playfully smirk to ask, "So, you and Meredith? Huh? Are you guys gonna snoodle?"

The handsome actor finished pouring his punch and turned his attention to the lovely brunette. He quickly dismissed the idea with a dry tone, "There will be no snoodling."

Tori snapped her head around and stared at her friend in complete shock, "What?!"

Beck calmly replied, "Look, Meredith is... nice, too nice." He scratched under his nose with the top of his right index finger while still holding his cup then continued, "I think I've learned something about myself."

The brunette snapped out with an irritated voice, "That you're ungrateful to your friend who tried to fix you up with a cute girl?"

He softly rolled his eyes and answered, "No, I just think I like dating a girl who, ya know... fights back."

The secret couple looked at each other with confused expressions then looked back to the handsome actor.

Beck commented, "I mean, a girl who's got strong opinions, you know and a big mouth."

Tori cautiously asked, "Why?"

Beck shrugged a shoulder as he passed a glance to Tori, "Because it's not easy. Easy is boring."

Freddie looked on him as if he had lost his mind then uttered in disbelief, "_That's_ what you've learned?"

The longer haired teenager looked passed Tori and raised a disbelieving eyebrow, but Freddie was undeterred as he continued, "After all this, that's what you learned: you want a girl that fights back? Not that you should actually listen to what your girlfriend says or consider her feelings instead of just blowing them off as if they're meaningless? Not that you were stupid for throwing away a relationship with the girl that you supposedly loved? Was love not important?" He shook his head in disgust and muttered out loud enough for the other three to hear, "Jade is better off without you if that's all you've learned."

Beck outright glared at Freddie which he immediately returned. However, before Beck could respond, André retook the stage and laughed out, "Our first performance for the night is Dustin 'Dusty' Hale. You should all know him as the former webmaster of TheSlap!"

Cat shouted at the top of her lungs from behind the sound board and partially into Sinjin's ear while a few in the crowd started shouting that they wanted him back in charge of TheSlap. A knot of students started holding up their phones in solidarity of support for him.

Dusty walked out on stage wearing his worn hooded leather jacket, blue jeans and Penny-T. He threw up a hand in thanks for the sentiment to all of the phone holders as he took his place in front of the microphone stand with a guitar hanging over his right shoulder from the cross strap and in his hands. He took his place in front of the center microphone and answered with a genuinely warm laugh, "Hey everyone… this is my very first performance while being here… and my last performance, so you're all obligated to be as cruel as possible in judging my performance."

His self-deprecating comment got a hearty laugh and cheer out of the audience.

"The song I'll be singing is _'Angel with a Shotgun'_ and it is dedicated to all the ones that have had to fight for their love and won against all the odds stacked against them."

The lights turned down, bringing with it a more intimate mood on stage as Dusty started drumming the strings of his guitar and softly started his song. He quickly picked up and the crowd started cheering and getting into the song.

Jade softly chuckled then whispered to herself, "Just as good as the first time."

He walked to the center of the stage as he was wrapping up his song and the lights started finishing up its routine. _"...and I'm gonna hide, hide, HIDE my wings TONIGHT!"_ The lighting finished its routine on his last line to flash behind him so to the audience it looked like a pair of shadow feathery wings formed perfectly behind him. The show brought surprise and approving cheers out of the audience.

Jade took in a sharp breath at seeing the sight as she realized the irony of seeing it for a second time in light of Ian's comment earlier in the week and Anna's choice for physical appearances to her.

The lights turned back down to the softer setting as he released his guitar and cradled the microphone in front of him and slowed down his singing to a soft melody, _"They say before you start a war, you better know what you're fighting for. Well baby, you are all that I adore, if love is what you need… a soldier I will be."_

The crowd started cheering and clapping loudly with Cat nearly making Sinjin go deaf.

He started laughing from the adrenaline and their reaction. He pulled his guitar off of his shoulder and threw out a hand as he shouted, "Thank you! Thank you!" He turned and trotted off stage.

"That was fantastic," Freddie cheerfully commented while Tori whooped, yelled and clapping.

Jade idly commented, "It certainly was."

André walked on stage and announce the next act from behind the microphone, "Okay people, now that you're fired up, let's really heat things up for Jade West! Let's go!"

The crowd started cheering as Jade with blue highlights in her hair and wearing an eye-catching outfit of a 'Bust'em Out' corset with a blue spaghetti strap undershirt (for modesty's sake or she really would be busting them out), black skirt and matching leggings with black boots, a black ribbon tied around her right wrist and her black 'Jaded' bracelet on her other wrist, walked on stage "Hey! Ah! Woo!"

The purple streaked hair girl took the microphone with her right hand and the stand with her left hand. The music started going for a few seconds then Jade started, _"You think you know me, but you don't know me."_

She looked to Beck with a soft, flirtatious smile as she continued, gently caressing the left side of the microphone stand, _"You think you owned me, but you can't control me… but you look at me, and there's just one thing that you see. So listen to me…"_ She pulled the microphone from stand and shifted her weight down to her right foot to kneel while holding the top of the stand with her left hand. She shouted with her eyes close, _"Listen to me!"_

She started walking across the stage and started pouring her heart into the song, _"You push me back. I push you back, harder, harder. You scream at me,"_ she quickly pointed to Beck, _"I'll scream at you. Louder. Louder." _Beck took a few steps forward while Tori pointed to him with a smile and Freddie with a concerned expression.

"_I'm dangerous! I'm warning you, but you're not afraid of me and I can't convince you, you don't know me." _

She took the microphone stand in her left hand again and started kneeling down as she continued to sing, _"And the longer that you stay, the ice is melting and the pain feels okay. Feels okay-ay. Hey!"_

Jade slowed down and dropped her volume as she looked back to Beck who softly clapped, _"You push me back. I'll push you back. You scream at me. I'll scream at you."_ She started picking up her volume with each word until she was shouting the last word, _"Louder, louder, louder, louder, louder, louder, and louder and louder and LOUDER!"_

The background singers picked up their volume, _"You push me back. I push you back. Harder, harder."_ She jabbed her finger towards Beck. _"You scream at me. I'll scream at you. Louder. L-L-L-L-Louder."_ She grabbed the microphone stand for a brief moment as she looked directly to Freddie and she finished, _"I'm dangerous. I'm warning you, but you're not afraid of me and I can't convince you and I don't have to… I think you know me."_

He smiled up to her and softly clapped while she replaced the microphone into the stand.

The crowd burst into cheer as they got up onto their feet.

Beck wore a soft smirk as he walked up onto stage with his hands stuck in his pockets. She started walking towards him and they met at the center of the stage. The crowd instantly stopped their clapping as they looked at the young couple with baited breath. He retorted with his boyish grin, "I've missed you."

The purple hair streaked girl gave him a patient expression then calmly replied, "You got to do better than that."

Beck's laid back and carefree approach broke in an instant as he blinked in shock.

She softly continued, "Missing me? Really? After Tori turned you down—_twice_—and you're trying for Meredith, you _miss me_? Are you sure it isn't because Tori won't give you a chance? Even if it isn't, missing me isn't enough; why should I give you a second chance? After everything?"

He sucked in a breath and bowed his head. He quickly ran his hand over his mouth and down his chin then looked up to meet her crisp blue eyes. The former couple stared at one another for a few seconds before Beck finally broke the since with a hush whisper (that the microphone picked up anyway), "Because I love you… and failing to move on made me see that I still love you and I hope you give me a chance to get it right this time instead of ignoring everything you told me months again. I'm sorry."

She took a deep breath and watched him squirm for a few second before taking a step forward and cupping his left cheek to bring him in for a kiss. He was caught off guard by the motion then fell into returning the kiss and resting his hand on her hips. She slipped her hand away from his cheek and joining her other one around the back of his neck to help deepen the kiss.

The crowd started cheering again, "Woo! Woo! Oh yeah!"

The couple broke from their kiss and smiled as they turned their heads to look on to their cheering classmates and guests.

Tori looked on quite happy with the sight, but Freddie looked on with a dark and _worried_ expression due to his reservations of how genuine his confession was to his pale friend.

Jade took a soft breath at seeing what could have been… what still could be: finding happiness with Beck if he really would meet him halfway and having everything back with Freddie being happy too… just like Freddie had been shown months ago. She swallowed down the apprehension then felt a soft hand on her right shoulder and she turned to see Anna smiling at her.

The teenager looked around and saw that they were back in the church and she was back in her pink dress and light blue denim jacket.

Anna gave her a smile. "How did you like your trip?"

The pink wearing teenager cleared her throat then uttered, "It—ah was ah… enlightening."

The redheaded angel grinned as she playfully commented, "I thought it would be."

Jade looked her dead in the eyes and whispered, "I still love Freddie."

Anna let out a soft laugh and slightly shook her head. "I didn't say you wouldn't."

"So I passed your silly little test?"

She answered with a calm and deliberate voice, "It was never my test or even my Father's test. It was always for you to decide and what to learn from the experience and what to do with that knowledge. We don't make you do anything."

The pale teenager softly nodded her head then asked, "So what about the future? What are we going to face?"

She gave her a reassuring smile and answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "You face life like you do everyday and make choices… and live with the consequences."

Jade frowned at the cryptic and last thing from being reassuring answer.

Anna gave her a sympathetic smile and apparently as to make up for her not being able to give her the answer she was seeking, raised her right hand and placed her pointer and middle finger back on the teenager's forehead. There was a soft, high pitched sound then she dropped her hand.

Jade knotted her brow and asked with a hint of annoyance, "What was that for?"

"I just had to fix your eyebrows… I think you've learned your lesson about Cat and they just bug me on how fake they look."

The teenager's hands shot up to feel her eyebrows and quickly realized that her made up eyebrows were replaced with her own regrown. She swallowed down the shock and meekly commented, "Thanks."

"You're welcome and just to let you know, you didn't age any on your trip. I wasn't going to steal a day of your life."

Jade took a few brief moments to gather her wits then commented, "The other Jade wondered if you could heal Freddie when you picked me up."

Anna softly smirked.

"… and since I _did_ humor you by going, I figure you owe me one."

The pale redhead laughed out, "_I_ owe _you_ one?"

Jade answered with a smile and sheer audacity, "Yeah you do."

Anna softly bit her bottom lip to hold back a laugh then answered with a lighthearted tone, "Well it is Easter and my Father loves His miracles…" She softly laughed and rose out her arms. "Done. That Freddie is fine along with everyone else's counterpart that I healed for Christmas."

"Thanks," she answered with a hushed tone.

The angel answered with a happy tone, "As my brother Castiel likes to say, 'Good things do happen' and with that, I'll leave you to enjoy the rest of your Easter."

The redhead turned, but before she could leave or vanish or whatever, Jade called out, "Before you go, I have one more question."

She looked over her shoulder and answered, "Yes?"

"Why?"

Anna turned around and gave her a curious expression. "Why what?"

"Out of all the people that God could step in to help, why Freddie? Why us? What did we do to get your attention? Isn't there plenty others that could use your help more?"

She put on an embarrassed expression and answered, "Would you accept the answer that my Father works in mysterious ways?"

Jade shook her head. "No."

Anna let out a needless breath then answered, "Okay… this is what I can tell you: you know how people sometimes say and feel that life is out to get them? That they are something's plaything?"

The pale actress snorted out a breath and smirked as she dismissively answered, "Yeah. I'm a teenager; I've seen plenty of people that think that."

The angel whispered out with a dangerously serious tone, "For Freddie, it was true in Seattle."

Jade sucked on a breath and looked at her with a wide eyed expression.

"…but it's been… corrected, so anything now is just normal everyday life happening. Happy Easter Jadelyn… and you do look very nice."

Between blinks of an eye, Anna was gone with the sound of fluttering wings.

Jade took a cautious step backwards as her brain attempted to process the woman's sudden absence.

"Jade?" Freddie's voice called out from her right.

She turned and saw Freddie giving her a concerned look. She quickly stepped to him, wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. She softly kissed him on the cheek then whispered, "I love you."

He may not have understood the reaction, but he didn't question it, just hugged her in return and whispered, "I love you too Jade."

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this Easter Edition of 'We Love Each Other' and visit to see what things Freddie kicked off from his original trip to 'Canon World' back in Christmas. I admit there is a little meta-commentary to Victorious if you picked up on it, but what's wrong with a little fun? Also, to make clear, the Easter outfit Jade is wearing I admit is a complete rip-off of Elizabeth's costume for her music video for Nickelodeon's Believix.

I'll see you on April 1st with April Fools Blank then next Friday with 'Tori and Jade Go Platinum Part 1'. Take care.

Special Guest Star Julie McNiven as Anna


	27. Chapter 27: April Fools Blank

Happy April Fools Day! I hope everyone had a Happy Easter too. I hope you enjoy my interpretation of April Fools Blank. The normal story shall pick up this Friday with Tori & Jade Go Platinum Part 1 and that is not an April Fools prank.

PD31: The funny thing is that the Teddie is actually closer to the original Canon than this trilogy is at this point due to the later starting point. I make no promises either way if we will ever see this universe again. About the 'dig', I was hoping people would get the meta commentary on a certain someone taking shots at Freddie.

Fanfic-Reader-88: I thought Jade should get the same chance as Freddie… especially with the things to come.

Twilight Warrior 627: Could have been, could have been, could have been. Freewill, freewill, freewill. Jade got a chance to see what could have been especially with things to come.

Challenge King: It was meant to show that they may not share interests, but they respect them enough to share and understand the importance to one another. It also was to show probably the second most important relationship in the story (since it really is a Freddie/Jade focused story) of Tori and Jade and how that 'kinda-friendship' works.

Agent-M-0167: I would like to point out the 'mysticism' part of the story have not actually been outside the confines of what Dan himself has put in his shared iCarly/Victorious universe as they are also confined to the major holidays. I'm still working within the confines that have been set in-universe. Also, like Dan, it has allowed me to explore things in a manner not normally allowed within a story.

They are seventeen/eighteen, it is about time some of them grow up. I'm not sure what you mean about the necessary evil parts of the last chapters.

Darck ben: There is a lot to explore in that world and I was only able to touch on a few things. I enjoyed the Teddie twist and I've written in in-complete Freddie/Cat story that I hope to one day soon get back to writing.

Jeremy Shane: Thanks. I don't want to derail anything, but I can't PM you to personally address your points. The whole Victoria vs Ariana thing comes down to this: Ariana is frustrated for being unfairly criticized for getting Victorious canceled and the hate for the new show before it is even air, but she can't criticize Dan for running both iCarly and Victorious into the ground, so she lashed out at the easiest target with a nonsense accusation. Touring had nothing to do with Victorious canceled; it is just one of many casualties in Nick's desperate attempt to get back ratings by bringing on program targeted at a younger demographic after losing their normal audience for the last year and a half with the demise of iCarly losing literally half its audience due to the Seddie arc. That's not a bashing of the ship, but just looking at the cold hard numbers of dropping ratings and Nick trying to BS an excuse as to why it lost ad revenue due to the fall in ratings in the winter of 2011.

I didn't get to see Twisted, I wasn't feeling good that night and went to bed _really_ early.

Rating: T Language, Implied Violence

* * *

Chapter 27: April Fools Blank (TeenNick Version)

Advance Acting II  
Hollyweird Arts Pie School  
Sunday, April 1, 2012  
(Okay, it's a weekday somehow. Don't blame me because Dan was too lazy to look at a calendar.)

Sikowitz was standing on stage of the classroom and motioning towards the whiteboard then turned to the class as he explained, "So, the lowest level of the globe theater was reserved for 'the groundlings' who were the lower class people who came out to enjoy..."

Tori barged into the room from the stage side of the room door, screaming with her left hand tucked behind her back, "You guys! I'm sorry I'm late, but my mom slammed my hand in the car door!" She pulled her hand away from her back to reveal a bloody stub, dropped to her knees and screamed in agony, "Ahhhhh!"

Sikowitz and the class however didn't look amused at all, but annoyed and dismissive.

Tori stood up and laughed out while waving the false prosthetic at the end of her hand, "April Fools!" She threw up her hands and shouted, "Yeah!"

Jade rested her hands in her lap and dismissively asked, "What are you, five years old?"

André had his arms crossed over his chest and snorted out while looking away, "Really."

Tori softly laughed, with her confusion at their reaction clearly on her face, "But today's April Fools Day."

Robbie shrugged a tired shoulder, "We really don't care."

Beck dryly commented, "April Fools Day is kinda for, y'know, little kids."

André answered with a near hostile dismissive tone, "That's how we all feel." He spread his arms out with his palms up, and Robbie to his right and Beck to his left, slapped his hands while all three looked at Tori cross-eyed.

Tori laughed out, "But this school is so full of creative people, I thought for sure April Fools Day would be a big deal here."

Cat jumped up from her seat and shouted in outrage, "Well, it's not! Okay, Tori? So just shut your face and let Mister Belding teach!"

Principal Belding walked on stage and politely responded, "Thank you, Zack. Now, as Screech was saying, a world without pants is like a donut..."

Beck started laughing, "Yes! Yes." He clenched his right fist and pulled his arm down as he hissed, "Yes."

Tori softly whined out, "Oh c'mon. No one here is into April Fools?"

Mister Belding rushed from the stage and pushed Tori to the ground then yanked her 'ugly brown purse' as Jade called it from her shoulder and dashed out the stage side door.

Tori stood up in shock to the principal's action while Sikowitz apologetically commented while hugging a goat wearing a birthday hate, "Tori, I'm sorry Mister Belding took your purse and no, we don't celebrate April Fools Day here." He looked to the rest of the class and asked, "Now, who else has a question?"

The songsmith raised his hand and the acting teacher called out, "André."

"I have a front loading washing machine and lately, I've noticed that my washer isn't draining properly, and it leaves my clothes both wet and damp. Uh, what should I do?"

"Robbie, what's the answer?"

The ventriloquist happily answered while halfway during his explanation, he started raising in his chair towards the ceiling until he was out of sight, "First, rotate the drum by hand and check for any scraping of the outer tub then move the open end of the whirly-doink up and down while moving the pump rod in a circular motion, while making sure that there's less than one quarter-inch of movement..."

Tori looked to Sikowitz and sadly asked, "So, at Hollywood Arts, everybody just ignores the fact that today is April Fools Day?"

Cat answered softly, "Pretty much."

Jade dryly answered, "Yeah, we ignore it."

The redhead looked to Tori and slightly raised her left hand while asking, "Wait... did you just say you wanted a face full of trumpet?"

The brunette knotted her brow and started, "What do you mean face full of..."

Cat raised a trumpet and blew it in Tori's face, sending the brunette out of her seat while she shielded her ears and crashing onto the floor.

Drake Bell dashed into the room from the stage door, helped Tori back into her seat then dashed back out the door. The class in unison softly smiled at seeing his presence while Sikowitz crossed his arms and questioned, "Wait, was that the bell?"

The real bell rang and the acting teacher laughed out, "Ooo, there's the bell."

The next moment, Sikowitz blew up in a puff a smoke then bits and pieces of him along with tattered clothes rained down on the spot that he was just standing.

Cat called out to Tori with a raised hand, "Hey girlie."

The brunette turned in her seat to face her friend and asked, "What?"

The redhead blew her trumpet in Tori's face again and the brunette fell out of her seat for a second time.

Cat laughed out in a child like manner while Tori groaned on the ground.

Hollyweird Arts Pie School

Tori turned the corner to her locker as she made her way from Sikowitz's class. She spotted Sinjin walking down the hall to her direction and called out, "Oh, Sinjin... Sinjin..."

As the dancing red lobster walked further behind Sinjin, the lanky teenager answered with an odd tone similar, but not exactly like he had just breathed in some helium, "Hello, Tori. How can I help you today?"

"Well, I was just in Sikowitz's class, and everybody told me that no one at Hollywood arts does anything fun for April Fools Day and I just think that we..."

Sinjin raised his left pointer finger and placed it over her lips and shushed, "Shhhhhh. Now now, Tori... If you're gonna be my lady, you need to do a lot less talking."

The singer softly laughed out, "I'm not gonna be your lady."

Sinjin mockingly laughed, "Heh heh heh," then dismissed her statement with gently cupping her chin and placing his left thumb under her bottom lip. "We'll see about that."

Freddie quickly caught up with Tori and gave Sinjin a good shove with an open palm against the taller boy's chest to get some distance between him and Tori. The tech-producer wrapped a protective arm around Tori's shoulders with his right arm. "No, we're not, because she's _my girl_. You can look, but don't you dare touch."

The taller boy frowned then walked around the pair while Freddie smirked.

André started running from the entrance of the school, passed the main stairwell and shouted to the brunette as he approached, "Tori! Tori! Did ya hear? Did ya hear the news?!"

Freddie dropped his arm from Tori's shoulders as the girl eagerly asked, "What, what happened?!"

"It's war! It's war, Tori! It's war!"

Freddie slightly frowned and gave his musically inclined friend a curious expression. "Ah… we've been at war for the last ten and a half years. Where have you been?"

Tori hushed Freddie then shouted out in horror while rested a hand on André's chest and one on her stomach, "Is it Switzerland?!"

André gently grabbed Tori by her upper arms and shouted, "Will you forget about the war?! We're gonna have a pop quiz!"

Tori answered with a perplexed tone, "But you just said..."

André desperately and fearfully interrupted, "It's true I tell ya! I just heard it from two boys in the bathroom!" He rested his hands on his hips as he continued, "At the urinal. We're gonna have a pop quiz! A pop quiz is goin' down, Tori!"

Tori whined out, "Oh my God! I hate pop quizzes!"

André wrapped his arms around the small of her back and lifted her up in the air and swung her back and forth to the sides, "How can you think about a pop quiz when we're at war?! It's war, Tori! It's war!" He sat her back down then shouted in realization, "I gotta go recycle some aluminum!" He turned and made his way to the stairs as he started singing, "_Oh, say can you see…_"

Just as he reached the third step, an arrow flew and hit him in the upper left thigh. "Ohhhh! I'm hit! Arrow!" He tumbled down the stairs to the hallway floor while Tori looked on in shock with her hands on her upper chest.

"I got hit in the leg by a Swiss arrow!" He shouted up at the sky with a balled fist, "Dang this cursed war!"

Two Union medics rushed through the school entrance and each grabbed one on André's wrist and started dragging him down the hallway.

Freddie shook his head in disgust. "It's always the black guy that gets it first."

Tori gave Freddie a confused expression.

He shrugged his shoulders and idly commented, "Dusty's not in the scene to deliver the 'White Guilt'-free commentary on race, so…"

The brunette's mouth formed in a cute 'O' shape then nodded along just as the bell rang. She idly commented, "We gotta get to class." Tori looked up and shouted, "Helicopter!"

As the other students were dashing off to class as the blades of the helicopter above their heads circulated the air and the helicopter dropped a rope ladder for the pair. Tori started partially climbing it then Freddie climbed up behind her and held the ladder with Tori secure between him and the ladder. The next moment, the pair was lifted up into the air.

Hollyweird Art's Ladies Bathroom

The air had a strange quality about it as everything looked like it was going through an old film of shades of brown as Cat walked into the ladies' restroom dressed up as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and carrying a fishbowl with a goldfish. She held up the bowl and asked the fish, "Oh Tofu, are you all right? Did she hurt you? She tried to, didn't she?"

She started fanning herself with her right hand and idly commented, "It's awful hot in here. I better open a window." She carefully sat the fishbowl on top of a metal trashcan between the handicapped stall and a neighboring one then walked to the window.

Once she opened the window, a fan started blowing into the bathroom and sending the redheaded girl spinning about and shouting, "Oh no! Tofu! Oh! Oh! Oh!"

She finally stopped when she flew into one of the closed stalls and hit the side of her head on the door. "Concussion!" she shouted then collapsed onto the floor.

She eventually woke up a few minutes later with the air cleared and the sound of a high rift guitar solo playing in the background. She climbed to her feet and looked about the room. She fearfully commented, "Oh my goodness, Tofu! Well, I have a feeling we're not in the Hollywood Arts bathroom anymore." She spun about in place then commented, "Oh no wait, we are, it's just in color."

She walked over to the trashcan and picked up the fishbowl to sit it on the side of the porcelain sink at the end of the row (as well as the shortest one) as the sound of a flushing toilet sounded from the handicap stall.

The next moment Tori as Glinda The Good Witch of the South walked out of the colorfully decorated restroom stall dressed in a pink sequined pink top, pink jeans with pink shawls tied to a belt loop on either side of her hips, brown nearly knee high boots, pink fluffy shoulders and a large tiara setting on top of her head. She carried a silver scepter and motioned with it as she greeted Dorothy with a high pitched and pleasant voice, "Well, hello."

The redhead grabbed the sides of her dress and politely curtseyed as she answered, "Hello, if you please."

"Are you a good witch, or a sandwich?"

Dorothy looked around in confusion for the briefest of seconds and answered, "Who, me? Well, I'm neither a witch nor a snack. You're talkin' some crazy chizz."

The good witch politely retorted, "Well, you do have the ruby cell phone."

The pigtailed redhead reached into her right side pocket and pulled out a ruby jeweled pear shaped PearPhone. Her mouth dropped open as she looked to Glinda, "Oh my goodness! Well, this phone is beautiful! Were all my contacts transferred?"

A large plum of red smoke suddenly spewed out of the neighboring stall to the handicap one and Jade suddenly walked out into the restroom and shouted in angry while looking about, "Who took my ruby cell phone?" She was dressed all in black with a zipped up front black studded top that reached just over her cleavage and a flowing, partially translucent, long skirt. Her hair was parted down the center, pulled back into then down and to the side in curls with her green highlights that she matched with green lipstick.

She looked to Dorothy and pointed to the redhead with her left hand as she hissed, "Was it you?"

The childlike teenager apologetically answered and offered it to her, "Oh, I didn't mean to. Here, you can have it back."

"Good, give it." She touched the phone and shivered as she was being electrocuted with yellow sparks flying where her fingertips touched the phone, "Dee-ahh-deeahh-dee-ahh-dee-ahh!" She growled out in frustration, "Curses! I'll never be able to get that Ruby cell phone," she turned and looked to Glinda as she finished, "as long as it's April Fools Day!"

Glinda dropped her shoulders and huffed out in disappointment, "Y'know, speaking of that, are we really not gonna do anything for April Fools Day?"

Elphaba shouted, "Silence!" She turned to Dorothy and with a raised finger, hissed out, "I'll get you my pretty and your little fish too."

Dorothy sucked in a sharp breath and dashed away to stand on Glinda's left side. The good witched waved her scepter at Elphaba and demanded, "Be gone; you have no powers in this restroom."

Elphaba was about to snap out a reply, but the door to the restroom flew open. Freddie and Dusty barged inside with the tech-producer carrying a pump-action shotgun and Dusty a sawed-off double barrel break-action shotgun.

The Southern teenager started with a shout, "I told you there were witc—oh my God," he stopped when he saw the identities of the witches. The pair lowered their shotguns and stared on in shock at seeing their friends and in Freddie's case, his girlfriend as a witch.

Elphaba quickly lost her menacing demeanor and swallowed and looked on in fear towards her boyfriend. She held up her hands and whispered in an unsteady voice, "Freddie, I-I can explain."

Dusty uttered in disbelief, "Oh my God, you really _are_ dating the Wicked Witch of the _West_…" He let out a hearty laugh, "That is awesome."

Freddie licked his lips and gave his friend an annoyed expression. "Not funny."

The Carolinian laughed louder, "It's hilarious. The name should have given it away."

Elphaba frowned at the Hunter, but Freddie swept her worries away by handing the shotgun to Dusty, walking over and taking her into his arms. He dove in and lip locked with her which she eagerly returned the kiss while wrapping her arms behind the back of his neck.

He pulled back a few seconds later with some of her green lipstick on his lips. He smiled and whispered, "If you ever turn me into a frog, you better kiss me to turn me back."

She let out a giggle then pulled his head back to kiss him again.

The others looked to one another with awkward expressions as the couple continued to kiss and gently hold each other.

Victoria whispered in a shocked tone to Ariana, "That's not in the script."

The redhead smirked whispered in return, "I'm not going to say anything to them."

The brunette rolled her eyes then slipped back into her part. Glinda after a few moments finally shouted in outrage while looking at Dusty, "You were going to shoot us?"

Freddie pulled his lips away from Elphaba to look at Glinda with a worried expression while Dusty flippantly remarked, "It's just rock salt rounds to disrupt your magical abilities until we could exorcise your powers away." He finished with a tone that suggested he was a little offended, "I could have loaded them with blessed silver for a guaranteed kill, but I'm not one of those 'mouth-breathing' hunters. Besides, you're the one carrying a wand; you can do far more damage with that thing than I can with this even with live rounds. We're the ones outgunned here."

Freddie knotted his brow as he looked to his leaner friend.

The former webmaster retorted, "Hey, watch some Harry Potter; that's the kiddy version of how bad you can F someone up with one of those things. Let her do a movie version reductor curse that shatters stone on flesh, blood and bone; you'll be just bloody chunks on the floor. All they'll need is a water hose to wash away what's left of you."

Elphaba turned back to Dorothy while still being in Freddie's arms and hissed out, "I will get my ruby cell phone back tomorrow."

Freddie curious asked, "Why can't you get it now?"

Glinda motioned her scepter and started to answer but was cut off by Dusty.

He raised his double barrel at the good witch and snapped out, "You wave that little scepter in my face and I'll fill your cute little behind with so much rock salt we'll be using you as a salt shaker for a week."

She snorted out and lowered the scepter then answered, "She has no powers in this restroom and she can not touch the phone while it's April Fools Day."

Freddie offered his hand and asked, "Can I have the phone?"

Dorothy smiled to him and gave him the phone, much to Glinda's dismay.

Elphaba evilly laughed in trumpet as the couple turned while lacing their fingers with one another and headed out of the restroom.

Dusty kept the rock salted shotgun trained on the good witch as he exited the restroom.

Dorothy turned and desperately asked Glinda, "What am I s'posed to do now?"

Glinda motioned with her scepter and suggested, "Well, you are in a restroom. You could wazz."

"Tofu too?"

"Tofu too," she happily answered. Glinda walked passed her to the door and attempted to exit, but the door remained closed. She turned the door handle with her left hand as she waved with her scepter. As the door opened and she exited, a pink bubble formed around her.

Once the door closed behind her, Dorothy looked to her goldfish and fearfully uttered, "Oh Tofu." She started looking around as she continued, "I'm scared and frightened and afraid." She stopped and realized what she had spoken then commented, "Oh my goodness, those are all synonyms."

The stall next to the handicapped stall opened and Robbie stepped out dressed as the Scarecrow. He happily reassured the redhead, "Don't be scared, Cat."

"Robbie! Who are you?!"

"Robbie."

She happily acknowledged him, "Oh hiiii Robbie!"

The next stall opened and Beck stepped out in silver painted clothing. He added with a mechanical voice, "We're here to help you."

"Oh my!"

The next stall opened and André exited with an orange jacket with a hood of a lion. The not-so-cowardly lion raised his fists and snorted out, "Put 'em up! Put 'em up!"

"Put what up?"

He pointed to her lower legs and answered, "Your socks... they fell down." He raised his fists back up and challenged again, "Put 'em up!"

"Yes sir!" she answered then bent over to pull up her blue socks.

The Scarecrow happily asked, "Now, how can we help you, Cat?"

She desperately answered, "I just wanna get back to class."

The Tin-man grinned and he happily answered, "Well that's easy."

The Lion finished while pointing to Scarecrow, "First, ya just punch Robbie right in the face."

The heartless man pointed to the Scarecrow as the hay filled man responded, "Wait, was that in the movie? 'Cause I don't remember getting p..."

Dorothy threw a go right hook, slugging the glasses wearing fellow in the left cheek and sending him backwards into the Tin-man's arms.

The redhead sucked in a breath and covered her mouth with her right hand in shock.

The next moment, one of the backstage crew opened the door and entered. "Hey Leon... Leon..."

Leon nodded upward and answered, "Hey, what's up?"

"You're late for the next scene."

"I'm late?" he asked with evident shock on his face.

"Yes. Victoria's already started acting."

"Oh man! Later y'all," he quickly answered and dashed out with the crewman.

Asphalt Café  
Hollyweird Arts Pie School  
Some weekday of the week, April 1, 2012

Leon came running up to the group's usual blue grilled table and quickly apologized as he took the lion's jacket off, "Sorry I'm late. I was in the girls' bathroom doin' 'A Wizard of Oz' bit."

Tori/Victoria (Oh, I don't know which one it is either in this scene) waved him off as she answered, "Oh it's okay." She rested her hands on the table and curiously asked, "Hey, where's our food?"

He motioned his head over her shoulder and answered, "Oh, here it comes."

Four suit wearing waiters approached and set out the covered plates in front of them. A following waiter pulled the covers off as Victoria and Leon answered respectfully, "Thank you. Excellent."

One waiter stayed behind until the brunette raised both her thumbs and smirked.

"Man, I am so hungry," Tori commented followed by André, "Me too."

The brunette cupped her mouth and shouted, "Hey, can we get a couple of feeding children over here?"

A microphone blared out the girl's request, "Two feeding children at table sixteen."

Two well dressed children, one a sandy blonde boy and a curly haired blond with a bow in her hair approached the pair. They respectfully picked up a piece of food of their plates and put it in to the teenagers' mouths.

Suddenly Robbie came running out from the side entrance of the school towards the table while shouting, "Tori! Tori! I'm running in with big news! Tori!"

The male child shouted in fear, "It's him!" The little girl screamed in terror then both children dashed away. Robbie quickly jumped on the bench of the table between Tori and André.

The brunette eagerly asked, "What's the big news?!"

"The Beverly Hills volcano is about to erupt!"

André shouted, "What?!"

The ventriloquist continued in his excited tone, "In three-and-a-half minutes this whole school is gonna be covered with hot lava!"

Tori reached out and rested her left hand on Robbie's bent knee. "We only have three-and-a-half minutes?"

The songsmith mumbled out while slamming his fist on the table, "The same amount of time as a commercial break."

The brunette desperately asked, "Well... what do we do?!"

Robbie took Tori by the right hand and gently answered, "I say we kiss!"

André resign commented, "Okay, c'mere."

Robbie snapped his head downward and partially in André's direction to hiss out, "Not you!" He looked back to Tori and gently pleaded as he stroked the top of her hand, "You. Kiss me, Tori. I want my last three-and-a-half minutes to be spent with my face smushed against your face!"

Tori desperately asked, "Are there any other ideas?"

"Tori, please!"

She nodded her head and surrendered to the suggested, "All right."

Robbie leaned forward while Tori tilted her head up and raised her hand to place her hand on his shoulder.

Rex announced, "Stay tuned for the second half of Victorious. Or don't. I get paid either way."

During the original airing, most of the commercial break was taken up as behind the scenes about One Direction.

Rex voice over again while Robbie and Tori were just an inch or so away from kissing, "And now, we continue with the exciting second half of Victorious. Press play."

The scene started and just before Robbie could meet Tori's lips, Freddie shoved Robbie out of the way and cupped Tori's cheek then smashed his lips to her lips. She hungrily returned the kiss and snaked her hand around the back of his neck.

Beck came running up behind as André looked in shock at seeing the pair kiss. The long haired teenager shouted, "Tori! André! Have you heard?! Have ya heard the news?!"

Tori/Victoria and Freddie/Nathan ignored the actor as they continued trading kisses.

André answered for them, "What news?!"

Robbie got back up on his feet and answered while annoyingly looked at Freddie, "I already told you! The Beverly Hills volcano is about to erupt, now kiss me!"

Beck waved him off, "No. No, the new news!"

The songsmith quickly asked, "What new news?!"

Tori hissed out between kisses, "I don't care, I'm busy." She mumbled into Freddie's lips, "I've been waiting to do this since iFight Shelby Marx."

He answered with a grin into their kisses.

Beck frowned at seeing the sight, but answered, "The Beverly Hills volcano has retired and moved to Florida. So it's probably not gonna spew hot lava all over Hollywood Arts."

The other students eating lunch at the café shouted in unison, "Yay!"

Robbie held his right foot to his left ear then shouted, "Wait! I just heard we're about to be attacked by killer butterflies!"

The student body shouted out in despair, "No."

"Wait!" Beck shouted while pointing towards Sinjin. "Sinjin has two big jugs of anti-butterfly spray!"

"Yay."

Sinjin held a sprayer in each hand to the two bottles and fearfully answered, "But I drank them."

The crowd groaned.

André jumped up from his seat and held up an apple. "Wait! I'm not gonna eat this apple, so you guys can all share it!"

The crowd shouted in cheer.

* * *

Freddie took a deep breath and looked directly at you, the reader with a calm expression as he stood in front of the row of lockers containing Tori's locker. He politely informed you, "Now, for our gratuitous Jori scene. Thank you."

Nathan looked off to the side and laughed out with a hint of disbelief, "Did you just see Elizabeth in that Wicked Witch costume? Oh my God…. Melanie did a fantastic job. Elizabeth has to wear that again when we do iHalfoween. We are doing our version of that right?"

There was a pause then a hushed whisper replied from behind the camera.

The brown haired teenager blinked with a confused expression. "What?"

He looked back to you then to someone behind the camera. "We're still on?" He looked to the reader with an embarrassing expression. "Oh?" He let out a nervous chuckle, "You looked beautiful Elizabeth."

* * *

Jade smiled as she crawled on her hands with her legs dragging the floor as she moved to Tori changing out a book at her locker. The dark brunette stood up and pulled her Gears-of-War back tightly on her right shoulder and happily greeted the lighter brunette, "Well, hey there Tori."

She sadly answered, "Hey."

Jade knotted her brow and asked with a softy baby tone then gave her a sympathetic smile, "Oh, why the sad boo boo face?"

Tori sadly answered while cupping her hands in front of her, "I guess I was just really looking forward to April Fools Day, and I'm disappointed that everyone ignores it."

The green streaked hair girl grinned and responded with a higher than normal pitched voice, "Well, then I guess somebody's gonna have to get tickled."

Tori smirked as she took a step back and raised the right side hem of her outer purple shirt and falsely denied, "No, don't. I'm not in the mood."

Jade put her hands behind her back as she started, "Uh-oh." She pulled them from behind her back and held up her pointer and middle fingers of each hand up as curled bunny ears. "It's the tickle bunny twins!"

The pale girl lunged at her frenemy and started tickling while the brunette twisted away and laughed up a storm. Jade laughed out as her twin fingers tickled up Tori's sides and back, "A'tikka tikka tikka tikka tikka! A'tikka tikka tikka tikka tikka!"

After a few seconds of the 'assault', Jade stepped away and brushed her hair out of her face.

Tori sadly commented, "I just feel like April Fools Day should be different."

Jade blew out a tired and annoyed breath, "Well, too bad, Tori. It's just a regular day here at Hollywood Arts."

Sikowitz quickly trotted down the main stairwell and approached the girls. He eagerly pointed out with a slight hint of annoyance in his voice, "Jade! Jade! You're late... Go to the janitor's closet."

"Ooo, right!" The dark brunette grabbed the sides of her skirt and started tiptoeing backwards. She awkwardly moved her head down at about thirty degree angles while making odd noises. She turned in place halfway to the door, winked over her shoulder then continued tiptoeing to the janitor's closet.

Tori desperately asked, "Wait, what's happening in the janitor's closet?"

The acting teacher quickly cut her off, "Just make sure you're there in the next sixty—" He was interrupted by the red lobster tackling him to the ground. The acting teacher shouted as the lobster bear hugged him then the pair started rolling with Sikowitz getting a slap or two into its face, "Being attacked! Ahhhh! Great crustaceans! Get it off me! Get it off me! Oh God. Get it off!"

During the wrestling match, Tori pulled out her blue PearPhone and recorded the action.

The eccentric teacher was finally able to get him off of him and started making martial arts moves to intimidate the creature to crawl away towards the senior signing wall.

Sikowitz turned to Tori and instructed his student with an urgent tone, "Hurry!" He quickly turned away from her and entered the janitor's closet.

Tori quickly closed her locker then headed for the closet. She opened the door and stepped inside. The next moment she stepped out of the freight elevator of Bushwell Plaza and into the Shay apartment. Spencer was seated on the couch brushing a model head of Gibby. The brunette called out as she walked behind the couch towards the apartment entrance, "Hey, Spencer."

He answered with a smile as she exited the apartment, "'Sup Tori?"

Tori stepped out just to the entrance of an early nineteen seventies game show stage with a voice calling out, "Get ready to match the stars!" The brunette had also changed into a purple ensemble outfit.

Set up to the right side of the stage from the audience was two raised rows of André, Jade and Robbie on the top row followed by Cat, Beck and Trina on the second row. All six teenagers were in period piece clothing.

Sikowitz called out with his microphone and waved to Tori with a note card in his hand. "All right! We're here with our next contestant, Tori Vega." The game show host happily asked, "Where ya from, Tori?"

Tori happily answered, "Uh, I live in the Hollywood Hills."

"Wonderful. And are ya ready to go for the big money match?"

"Well, okay."

"Good. Now, you know how our game is played."

"Uh, yes. You read a sentence, with a missing word, and then I have to fill in the blank."

"Right. And if you match at least one of our panelists' answers, you win five thousand dollars."

"Wait. What happens if I don't match a panelist?"

He knowingly whispered at Tori's expense, "You'll see."

"Huh?"

Sikowitz looked down at his cared and read, "And your question is: 'Dumb Debbie was so dumb...'"

The panelists all asked at once, "How dumb was she?"

"She was so dumb she didn't realize that April first was April Fools blank."

The panelists eagerly started righting their respective guesses on their not cards with Jade (in oversized glasses) commenting loudly as she wrote, "Okay. I've got a good word." She leaned back in her chair and challenged, "Bring it."

"Okay, Tori. Dumb Debbie was so dumb, she didn't realize that April first was April fools..."

Tori happily answered, "Day."

The audience and the panelists didn't apparently like that answer with the embarrassing hissing sounds filling the studio.

Sikowitz spoke out, almost as if he was tasting the word in his mouth, "Day… Hmmm... 'Day'. Well, let's see if you match anybody." He cleared his throat then asked, "André?"

André happily answered, "Roses are red, storm clouds are gray, Debbie's so dumb, she didn't realize it was April fools... ...Lobster."

The red lobster jumped out into view at the entrance and Tori immediately pointed to him in concern and voice it, "What's the lobster... Ahhh! Wait..."

The lobster charged her, grabbed her from behind then gently laid her on the floor while the panelists laughed. He proceeded to slap her bottom several times with his right claw. He started making funny noises as he turned and rushed back towards the entrance.

"All right, now get up," he instructed the teenager with a laugh and a wave his card. She climbed back onto her feet as he continued with another laugh, "Jade, what's your answer?"

The glasses wearing teenager laughed and answered in a husky voice as she turned her card to show them, "I figured she was so dumb, she thought April first was April fools... Berry."

The others sucked in embarrassing breaths and mumbled among themselves.

She looked to them and desperately shouted in a high pitched voice, "That's a thing, right? April fools Berry, that's a thing."

Robbie shouted from her left, "Oh, you're a thing. A foul beast of a thing!"

Jade's mouth dropped open in outrage.

The lobster jumped back into view at the entrance and Tori immediately raised her pointer finger to tell him to stop, "No, no, no. No, no, no. It's not my fault that she said Berry... wait." He rushed her again, picked her up to set her on the ground then slapped her bottom again. "But she said Berry!"

The lobster ran away again as Sikowitz happily called out, "All right, upsee-daisy." Tori brushed herself off and straightened her hair as the host asked Robbie, "Robbie...?"

"Yesss?" he answered with a hoity voice. "Yesss, what is it Sikowitz?"

"Dumb Debbie was so dumb, she didn't realize that a April first was April fools..."

"Foot."

The buzzer sounded that he had gotten it wrong and the audience started hissing in disapproval.

He shouted back in outrage, "Oh shut up you people, I was on Broadway."

Sikowitz turned to Cat and stated, "Cat, it's your turn."

The redhead pointed to Tori and happily commented, "Wait, the lobster forgot to push Tori down."

Sikowitz shouted for joy, "Oh yes."

Tori whined out, "Cat, why would you remind..."

The lobster tackled her to the ground for a third time then dashed off again.

The host impatiently asked, "Will you get up?"

Once the brunette was back on her feet, Sikowitz started again, "Cat... Dumb Debbie was so dumb, she didn't realize that April first was April fools blank."

The redhead pulled up her card and held it for the audience to see as she announced, "I said... 'Blank'."

Sikowitz awkwardly spoke into his microphone, "Cat, I said blank."

She threw up her hands and shouted, "I love President Ford!"

Sikowitz embarrassingly addressed the audience while Tori patted his back, "We're not gonna bring out the lobster for that one." He looked to the well dressed and handsome actor and shouted, "Beck!"

The fluffy haired teenager answered as he was partially channeling Burt Reynolds and placing his card in front of himself, "Well, I'm sorry darlin', I'm starving, so I said 'onion rings'."

Tori sighed out in irritation, prepared to drop to the floor herself, but a shout stopped her.

"Not this time!" Freddie shouted out and grabbed everyone's attention from the entrance to the stage. The lobster turned and saw Freddie holding a giant pair of lobster crackers. The lobster quickly turned and dashed away with the brown eyed teenager quickly on his tail. The tech-producer shouted, "Come back here! We're having lobster tail for dinner."

Dusty followed a moment out of the entrance still holding his sawed-off double barrel shotgun, but stopped to call out, "Get out of the way Freddie! I can kneecap him and season him all at the same time!" The Southern teenager started running to catch up.

Tori laughed out at seeing that annoying lobster about to get its just deserts.

Sikowitz nervously cleared his throat then looked at the brunette, "Okay, one last chance, your sister Trina."

Trina happily smiled to her younger sister.

Tori happily cheered her on, "Come on, Trina!"

She pulled up her card for everyone to see and happily announced, "Well... I said... 'Cut to the next scene'."

Vega Residence  
Hollywood Hills  
Los Angeles, CA

The Vega sisters were standing in the kitchen of their home, both dressed back in their normal attire. The younger sister whined out in frustration, "Awww, your stupid card brought us to this scene!" She pointed at her sister with an angry expression and complained, "You cost me five thousand dollars!"

Trina stomped her feet, crossed her arms over her chest and whined, "But I want an oompa loompa nowwwww."

Tori mocked her in return as she playfully tapped her sister's nose, "You can't have an oompa..."

The other teenagers shouted out from their hiding places around the house, "Happy Birthday!"

"It's not my birthday."

Her friends threw up their arms up as football goalposts and shouted, "Touchdown!"

"There's no football game."

In response, Trina shrugged and the others shouted with her, "Where's the beef?!"

She pointed at them and smirked while commented, "Okay, kids won't get that reference!"

OneHorseShay voice over them and the teenagers looked up at the ceiling, "I do! I get the reference!"

Tori shook her head then looked back to her friends, "And it's April Fools Day!"

The doorbell rang and Trina tapped her sister's left shoulder then dryly commented in a surprisingly overdramatic voice, "You'll get it."

The brunette walked over and opened the door.

A dark headed late-middle aged man eating a banana was standing on the other side of the threshold. He lazily greeted the girl between bites of his banana, "Hello, Tori."

She happily returned the greeting, "Hey, Mister Drysdale." She turned to her friends and introduced the man, "Oh guys, this is my neighbor, Mister Drysdale. These are my friends."

They politely exchanged greetings with various hand gestures. He walked inside and threw his half-eaten banana on the small glass table near the flatscreen.

Tori politely asked, "So, what can I help ya with?"

"Well... my wife says that I talk too much, and that I never dance. What should I do?"

He had a seat on the coffee table in front of the couches then Tori pulled out a remote control from her back pocket to turn on the sound system and overhead colored lights.

Tori started singing and taking off her brown jacket, "_It's nine on the dot and we just talk and we talk and I just want it to stop 'cuz aren't we here for the music."_

Jade picked up the next line as she walked to Mister Drysdale left and pushed him down on top of his head to have a set,_ "And if you dare just get up out of your chair. 'Cuz this ain't goin' nowhere. We gotta move or you'll lose it."_

Trina jumped down from sitting on the piano and started singing the next line with the other girls backing her up, "_All I wanna know is when we're letting go so we can get this record to break."_

Robbie walked up beside Jade and continued for the girls, _"Why we wastin' time, we never can rewind. All I'm really tryin' to say is…"_

Tori shouted,_ "Shut up and dance! Show me whatcha got. Shut up and dance."_

Cat could be heard singing the next line,_ "Are you in or not?"_

The girls started singing in unison,_ " You're movin' your mouth baby, don't speak. Shut up and dance if you're into me." _

Little Red grabbed Mister Drysdale by the arm and onto his feet,_ "'Cuz I can't wait no more to get on the floor. Don't stop now it's our chance to…"_

Tori continued from in front of the piano with the other girls picking up to support,_ "Shut up and dance 'till we drop. 'Cuz I'm sick of this space in-between you and me. Light it up 'til we're makin' a scene. Quit the talk, let it rock if you know what I mean."_

"_Well, shut up and dance. Show me whatcha got. Well, shut up and dance are you in or not? You're movin' your mouth. Baby, don't speak."_

Tori got onto the coffee table and along with Jade and Cat, started rotating her hips and twirling an invisible lasso above her head,_ " Shut up and dance if you're into me. 'Cuz I can't wait no more to get on the floor. Don't stop now it's our chance to shut up and dance dance, dance, yeah!"_

The girls started point in unison as they sang,_ "Shut up and dance dance, dance—"_

"_Yeah!" _shouted Rex.

"_Put up your hands hands, hands, yeah. Shut up and dance dance, dance, yeah. Shut up and dance!"_

Everyone collapsed to the floor after singing the last word other than Dusty with Mister Drysdale following a moment later. The lobster, a little worst for wear stepped down from the stairs then collapsed. Dusty idly commented, "They don't pay me that much."

Victoria got up from the coffee table cheerfully announced while the other got up from their places, "Okay, that's our show! Oh, it's been such a great week… oh my God, what a talented cast!"

They all lined up together with Sikowitz joining them as Victoria shouted, "Yeah!" The brunette continued, "Thanks to Dan Schneider!" They all let out a whoop, "Wooo!"

The actor that plays Dusty shouted out with his pointer fingers to the ceiling, "And Nick Cannon! Because without him, Dan would have fired my butt a long time ago!"

This instantly drew a laugh from the audience.

Victoria picked up, "And of course our cast and crew... The dancing lobster..." She pointed to behind the camera and winked, "Lorne..." She looked back to the audience and continued, "…and of course our musical guest, Lady Gaga!"

Lady Gaga walked down the stairs and waved to the audience.

The casts started shouting, "Wooooooo! Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo."

Victoria continued, "Thank you guys so much! Go to theslap dot com, and... what else?"

Elizabeth answered, "Say goodnight."

"Say g'night."

The brunette motioned with her hands in karate chops to the audience as she yelled out, "Goodnight, everybody! April Fools!"

Elizabeth shouted with a grin to the audience, "April Fools!"

"Wooo!"

As the credits played across the screen, Avan opened up his arms to Victoria and she jumped into them and wrapped her legs around his hips.

Elizabeth shared a quick hug with Leon then moved on to Matt while Ariana and Daniella shared a quick hug.

The actor that plays Dusty had the lobster in a headlock and playfully punched him on top of his head.

Avan sat Victoria down to her feet and the brunette turned to Leon to share a hug while Avan and Eric shared a dance.

Nathan after speaking with Lady Gaga turned just in time to Elizabeth turning to him after speaking with Matt. The onscreen couple both let out laughs and shared a hug that turned into a swaying dance to the closing music. He planted a soft kiss on her left cheek and she returned with a chaste kiss on his lips as the screen went dark.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll see you on Friday with a new update.

Special Guest Star Jerry Trainor as Spencer Shay  
Special Guest Star Dennis Haskins as Mr. Belding  
Special Guest Star Drake Bell as Himself  
Special Voice Appearance by Me


	28. Chapter 28: Tori and Jade Go Platinum P1

Hello everyone. I hope everyone had a nice week. I definitely hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm greatly surprised at the positive feedback for the last chapter. It was completely silly episode, but I'm glad people enjoyed my interpretation.

ArtisticAngel6: I was just taking an outright crazy episode and trying to make it even zanier in an effort for the reader to deflate before all the coming drama of the next few chapters. I heard about the tour and I know some are actually disappointed because it superseded Victoria's 'Here's to Us' Tour and changed venues.

Guest: Thank you. I'm seeing that there are 12 to 13 chapters left. I plan to cover ever episode and end it with their graduation.

darck ben: Jeddie? That was pure straight up Nathan/Liz according to Ariana in the scene then you got the Teddie. It was kind of a bone/bribe for PD31. I'll have to talk to you privately about cameos. I used to do a few years ago for my Creddie stories, but I run into the problem if I do one person, I may get flooded with request then I hurt peoples feelings if I can't get them in there.

Agent-M-0167: Honestly, I originally didn't care for the episode in the sense that I thought it was a wasted episode for the series, but looking over it to write on it, I found some funny nuggets to it. Also, I need some silliness for the reader as the next few chapters will be drama filled.

Fanfic-Reader-88: They were not just kissing, but were full blown makeout sessions each time. The Freddie/Tori was acting, but the Freddie/Jade was completely unscripted. Nick has some prohibition from showing guns on their regular channel and I did make it a point that the shotguns were actually filled with rock salt and that Tori's scepter was the far more deadly weapon.

Yes, I did enjoy my own guest appearance in the chapter.

Challenge King: Freddie/Nathan was getting the chance to be the ladies man that he truly is in the show and I wanted to show a brief update with the actors since the Blooptorious episode… especially the Nathan/Elizabeth off-screen relationship. I hope you like this new chapter.

Twilight Warrior 627: It was just a little fun to be a little crazy, especially with the next few chapters filled with drama. I'm glad you liked it. I take the Charlton Heston approach to those types of voice-overs: the voice is of yourself, so the voice was the reader's voice.

Pbow: Thank you for your PM. I keep trying to reply, but the PM window keeps crashing on me. :D I will be replying as soon as I can. Thank you for your insight. I do appreciate it.

* * *

Rating: T Language

Chapter 28: Tori and Jade Go Platinum Part 1

Advance Acting II  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Monday, April 9, 2012

The day was the first day back after Spring/Easter break and surprisingly to the students of Sikowitz's class, the eccentric acting teacher was on time and eager to start his lesson. Once everyone had settled in their seats, he started pacing about on the platform stage with a flat screen television setup on the right side of the stage from the class' point-of-view.

Sikowitz swiftly turned in place to present his back to the class and pointed with his left pointer finger between his shoulder blades. "Back-story…" He turned from his right and pointed down to Tori, "Back. S-tori."

The brunette smiled and happily shrugged her shoulders from his attention.

He brought his hands together then waved them away as if he was an orchestra conductor and finished, "Back-story."

Tori softly laughed out, "Why did you keep saying back-story?"

Sikowitz swung his right hand out, pointed to Tori and jovially answered, "Excellent question!" He softly rubbed his hands together. "When it comes to television shows and Hollywood movies, most of the writing is terrible."

The class started mumbling to themselves with André calling it out, "Hey, that's true."

Jade mumbled out as she relaxed back in her chair and her arms crossed under her chest, "Don't we know it."

Sikowitz continued, "So, good actors must make up their own 'back-story'... a history for the character." He started counting off with his fingers as he spoke, "Who is this person I'm playing? Where did I come from?" He paused when he noticed something strange on his right sleeve then questioned, "What is this stain?"

Tori happily called out to distract them away from Sikowitz's shirt sleeve, "Maybe we should just talk about back-story?"

Sikowitz's happily agreed and pointed to the brunette, "All right." He took a seat next to Cat in front of a red PearBook and continued, "Let's take a look at this performance by me from an old TV show called 'City Bus Nights'..." He tapped on the keyboard and brought up a still of him (with a full head of hair) and another actor on the flat screen television. He motioned towards the television with his right hand as he continued to instruct, "There I am, guest starring as the character of 'Loogie'. So for my back-story..."

The back door of the classroom next to the stage opened up and Sinjin dashed inside. "Hi, sorry to interrupt!"

The acting teach called out in irritation as he looked to Sinjin with an impatient expression, "What is it, _boy_?!"

Sinjin laughed out, "Mason Thornesmith is having a major press conference right now about the Platinum Music Awards." He started giggling like a child then turned back out of the doorway into the hall.

Robbie shouted as he looked up from his PearPad, "I got it... they're streaming it on The Slap."

Tori threw out her hand towards the television and demanded, "Put it on the TV!"

Sikowitz looked down at the red cased Pearbook and commented while he slowly typed away, "Okay. Now, let's see... w... w... w..."

Cat shoved him away from the computer and shouted as she started typing, "Move!"

The next moment the image from 'City Bus Nights' was replaced with an image of an older gentleman with graying hair in the middle of speaking, _"...Last year, the Platinum Music Awards were wat—by over two hun—million people, worldwide and this—I am very excited to announce that—will begin the—Music Awards with aaaaaaa perrrrrformance by a completeeee unknown."_

Tori softly whined as she looked to Robbie as he was the one that brought up the feed on the television, "What's wrong with the feed?"

Jade bowed her head and pinched the bridge of her nose as she shook her head in disgust and dryly commented, "God, they can't even get a feed right anymore. They just need to put Dusty back in charge."

André's spoke up, "True d'at."

Beck sitting on the opposite side of the room held his tongue as a number of 'shruggers' started looking at him with disapproving expressions, obviously starting to blame him for the continuing problems with TheSlap.

Sinjin was running down the hallway passing various other students loitering in it and up and down the main stairwell. "Is everyone watching?! Is everyone watching the press conference?! Okay!"

Mason continued on various monitors from PearBooks to PearPads to PearPhones as the feed finally started clearing up, _"Beginning now, we are conducting a worldwide search for a fresh young talent who will begin the award show with an original song... and become an overnight music sensation."_

The reporters were started murmuring their questions, but he held up a hand and continued, _"Now, please hold your questions. Please hold your questions, thank you. So for the next forty-eight hours, we'll be accepting online video auditions at 'superstar bam' dot com."_

In the Black Box Theater where the dance class was practicing, Trina shouted, "Yes! Yes! I so got this!" The rest of the class started chatting away, but the older Vega sister shouted out while throwing out her right hand and instantly quieting them, "Shut up!"

Mason continued while pointing to the camera, _"So... all you young performers out there. Who feel you have superstar potential... show us what you've got."_

Tori happily looked to Cat sitting beside her and commented, "That's amazing."

Sikowitz got up from his seat and immediately called out to get the attention of his class with his hands motioning his verbal instructions, "Alright, alright, settle down, cool your jets, _sit_. You can all work on your platinum music award auditions later, alright?"

The class started casually agreeing with him while still excited about the news.

Once the class settled enough for Sikowitz, he turned back to the whiteboard and picked up a black dry erase marker to start writing. "Now. I was talking about backstory. Now, when I played 'Loogie'... I made a list of character traits for each letter of the name. So, for l... I was... _lonely_. So then I thought I would be..."

He turned to see all of the students had left. He put the cap on his dry erase marker then waved out to the empty room as he called out, "Class dismissed."

Vega Residence

The time was early afternoon as of all things, the Vega living room was transformed into set up with a little stage of boat dock where Trina was dressed up in a green scaled mermaid costume being roped in as if she was a fish by two 'little people' dressed up as sailors. The lovely brunette with blonde highlights sung at too high a pitch as Robbie recorded her with a small handheld camera, _"I try to read your mind but I don't wanna waste your time and I don't wanna make you cry if it's time to say goodbye if you give me half a chance—"_

Tori opened the door to the living room and stepped inside, but stopped at the curious sight in front of her. She curiously asked while further entering the living room and dropping her brown bag next to the unused fireplace, "Hey, what's goin' on?"

"Oh cut! Cut it! Cut!" Trina shouted in outrage to Robbie. He cut off the camera then the boom box playing her background music.

She turned to her younger sister and continued her tirade with a whining sound to her voice, "Oh, you ruined my take."

Tori motioned with her left hand towards the set up as she asked, "What is all this?"

Trina threw out her hands and snapped back, "My audition that I'm sending in to the Platinum Music Awards."

"Oh," she dryly responded trying not to let a 'you're kidding' expression appeared on her face.

Robbie happily threw in while Trina walked around him to grab a drink from her bottle of water, "I'm helping Trina shoot her audition and then later she's gonna help me shoot mine."

Trina mouthed over his shoulder to her sister, "No I'm not."

Tori's mouth dropped open in shock that her sister would double cross Robbie in such a manner.

One of the sailor actors asked Trina, "Can we have some water?"

Trina flippantly questioned, "Did you guys bring water?"

"No," the one that didn't asked answer.

"Then I guess not," she answered with a false regret shrug of her shoulders.

She started walking in front of the scenery, Tori quickly asked, "Oh hey... will you help me think of a good song for my audition?"

"Nooo. This is a competition and I'm a'whatcha call 'in it to win it'."

Robbie picked up, "Anyway, Trina says it doesn't matter what song you pick."

"Right," she agreed with him as she handed him her bottle to sit down next to his spot on the outcropping of the fireplace. "'Cuz it's all about the razzle dazzle... You know, being a flashy performer." Trina smirked as she proudly pointed out, "I'm even changing my name."

Tori asked with a softly knotted brow, "To what?"

She happily announced, "P-zazz." She started up the stairs, presumably to her room.

"Wait!" Tori called out, "Isn't that a medicine that helps people stop wetting the bed?"

Robbie stood up and laughed off, "No, that's Pee-Zol and it doesn't work very well."

Both girls gave him disbelieving expressions that he would know such a thing about it not working very well.

He slightly frowned and snapped out as a moment of irritation got to him from their stares, "Alright, I had a birth defect with an underdeveloped bladder. For some kids it's their hearts, others it's their lungs, for me, it was my bladder, okay? But now I'm all better after Christmas like Cat's brother and André's grandmother. You should be grateful you were born fine, not all of us were," he finished with a snap of sarcasm in his voice.

The sisters looked to one another with shared embarrassed and shameful expressions.

Tori bashfully commented, "Sorry Robbie."

He nodded along accepting her apology.

Jadelyn 'Jade' West's Room  
West Residence  
Los Angeles, CA

Freddie was double checking the camera setup on the tripod, set to record Jade's audition for the PMAs, as Jade was finishing up her vocal warm-ups in the corner of her room.

Jade would usually just use her camera she did her 'What I Hate/Love' and 'Jade with Tots' videos, but for something this important, Freddie had brought out an old friend and setup one of his camera's that he used to use for iCarly. He had his PearBook set up to record and software up to filter out any background sounds for the recording since her bedroom wasn't necessary the most acoustic place to record her performance.

Jade let out a soft breath then walked over and gracefully took a seat and crossed her legs on the stool in the center of the room. Freddie had moved her chair and tables to the other side of the room to give her space to feel comfortable and relaxed to sing.

Freddie cracked a soft smile as he asked, "So, have your song?"

The green streaked hair girl returned with a soft smile. She nodded her head, signaling she was ready to begin. Freddie walked over to close the bedroom door then back behind the camera. A few keystrokes later and he nodded her head to let her know she could begin whenever she wanted to start.

The lovely girl took a soft breath than began, _"There is no upper hand, I'm giving you mine. It doesn't have to end up wasting your time. There's things that I could say, but hear it my way. I want to let you know that it's all okay…"_

Freddie smiled as she sang what had become one of their songs. He checked and rechecked the camera and the recording to make sure everything was running smoothly.

Once she finished her song, he asked, "Do you want another run through or are you happy with that one?"

She slightly tilted her head to the side and softly commented, "I think that's good? What do you think?"

He whispered out softly, "I think that was fantastic."

She bowed her head slightly then got up from her seat. She leaned forward and gave him a soft peck on the lips.

"So, I will double check everything, including getting rid of as much background and feedback noise that I can then I'll send it right off."

She nodded her head then commented, "But before you get involved with that—since I know you won't stop until it's done—we have the camera already setup…"

All of Jade's furniture was put back in its proper place and she was sitting on the edge of her burgundy chair with a heavy set young man wearing glasses. He was one of Freddie's co-workers at the Pear Store who had recently transferred down from one of the Seattle stores and had just dropped by to discuss something with Freddie.

Jade began, "Good evening or good morning or whenever you are watching this because I honestly don't care. Are you listening yet? Good," she finished rattling off the last bit quickly.

"So this is another one of these videos where I talk about what I love. Yes, I love a great many things including the fact that I don't have to make my own sign for this segment." She looked to her left at Freddie's co-worker. "Do you know why?"

"Know what?" he nervously asked.

"Why I don't have to make my own sign for this segment?"

"No."

"Because I can do this… MAKE ME A SIGN!"

He immediately jumped up from the shared seat and dashed out of view of the camera.

The scene cut back with Jade sitting in her chair alone holding the sign to her right displaying: 'What I Love'. The young man was nervously standing behind the chair as the dark brunette dryly commented with a hint of seduction in her voice at the last part, "I don't love this sign… but I'll use it anyway."

The scene cut to Jade sitting alone in her chair and relaxing. "I just love being mad. I just love it. A lot of people think anger is a bad thing, but those are the kind of people that say: the Sun is out, you should be happy. Do you know what I say to them? It's raining somewhere in the world so you should be sad." She slightly looked up to the ceiling and continued, "You know when it's really good to be mad? When lame guys try to talk to me, I get mad then they cry and life…" she blew out a soft breath, "…is good."

"I know, I really appreciate it," a soft laugh came from behind the camera.

She looked passed the camera and let a soft smirk play on her lips then looked back to the camera. "Guess what else I love? No don't guess, you'll just be wrong and then you'll be sad, which now that I think about it would make me happy. So why don't you guess, I'll wait. Done? WRONG! I love the color black. I love everything about the color black." She started counting off with her fingers of her left hand, "I love the way it looks, I love the way it feels."

"Even though blue is your color?"

Jade took a soft breath then slowly let it out. She put on a patient smile and commented, "It looks like my boyfriend wants make comments from behind the camera."

"I'm just telling the truth: blue is your color. We all know you can wear black, but you look fantastic in blue, especially in my blue plaid shirts, my blue bo—never mind," he cut himself off with a nervous chuckle. "I think I'll edit that part out."

The pale girl softly smirked as she was not going to argue with him. She really did look good in his blue boxers. She sniffed then asked, "My fantastic boyfriend Freddie Benson obviously has his opinion… that I'm _not_ going to argue with because I do look good in his blue shirts. Anyway… can you smell that? Can you smell the black? Go ahead and lean forward and try it. Come on, really get in there. What are you doing? Are you stupid?! You can't smell black. Even if you could, you couldn't smell it through a computer screen."

The scene cut once more and now Jade held a white and brown bunny in her pillow covered lap. "I love bunnies. Why you ask? Because look at him." A smile played on her face as she asked, "Who wouldn't love this face?" She looked down at him. "Who's a cute bunny? Who's a cute bunny?" She softly tickled his sides and laughed out, "You are, you are."

She looked up at the camera and softly smiled, "I love bunnies and I don't care who knows it… he was a very Happy Easter present."

The scene cut to her holding a piece of celery out in front of the bunny and he started nibbling at the end of it. "Oh my God, I love him." She didn't take her eyes off the bunny as a smile continued to play on her face and she whispered, "Thank you Freddie."

The scene cut again to Jade by herself in her seat. "I love that I can scare the wazz out of this guy without even saying anything. Watch."

Jade and the same fellow from earlier in the segment were sitting together on the end of the burgundy chair. Only the barest of a hint of a smile was worn on Jade's face as she stared at the guy, completely silent.

"What? What? Did I do something wrong? Please, say something. I don't like this game. Stop, stop. Please STOP! MAKE IT STOP!" He got up from his seat and dashed out of the room.

"I love that."

"I have to work with him on Saturday!" Freddie laughed out.

Jade smirked to him as he cut the camera off with the last line being picked up by the camera, "You know that look looked more like flirting expression to m—"

Neutronium Records  
Los Angeles, CA  
Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Mason was sitting in a comfortable chair in front of his desk, holding a purple stress ball in his right hand as his two sharply dressed assistants, Gwyneth, a lovely African-American woman and Chelsea, his assistant that presumably reminded him of home, sat on the rounded couch looking at the hung up flat screen monitor watching Trina's performance, _"I try to read your mind but I don't wanna waste your time—"_

Mason threw out his arms and asked the others in the room, "What have I done to deserve this torture?"

Trina continued to sing on screen, _"If you give me half a chance—"_

"Well, I can't take any more of that," he commented with a relieved breath then swiveled in his seat and tapped a button on a laptop resting at the end of his desk. "Click."

The next entry to appear on the screen was Robbie sitting in the truncated Vega patio with his guitar in his lap. _"It's fun to spray yourself with mace, it's fun to squeeze your mother's face, don't tell me no just tell me yes and then we'll break things made of glass."_

The producer commented with a genuine appreciative tone, "Nice."

He was behind his desk holding a Jet Brew coffee cup as he answered in annoyance at another entry, "No."

For the next audition tape, he was relaxing on the couch with a pillow over his abdomen and a glass bowl of 'Bibble'. "Maybe."

He was still lying on the couch with his arms behind his head as he watched the next audition tape of Tara singing, _"Give it up you can't win—"_ He dismissively commented, "Nah, pitchy."

Cat was the next performer as she sang in her room wearing an aqua colored dress. _"Since you've been gone, it's been so long, it seems like forever, baby, come on don't you know we were so _gooooood_?"_

Mason was back in his comfortable chair in front of his desk as he nodded along in approval, _"Excellent."_

The next audition was André sitting in the Black Box Theater playing his acoustic guitar, _"Oh, I'm flyin' oh, I'm flyin' to the land of... yeah ah, ah, ah, ah, ah…"_

The producer cracked a smile and nodded to Chelsea sitting next to him on the couch as another one of Mason's assistants, Marshall, softly chopped on his shoulders. Mason remarked, "Oh, yeah."

The auditions kept playing: one of the Hollywood Arts Barbershop Quartet and a young woman that looked like Miranda Sings, neither one impression him in the least.

They had finally reached Jade's audition tape. _"…shelter my eyes from the sun and wait for the birds to fly by…"_

Mason was sitting behind his desk with his elbows against the surface to allow his palms to support his head against his cheeks. He dropped his hands away from his face and nodded in approval as he commented with an impressed tone, "Like it."

The next couple of ones included Burf in a restroom stall at Hollywood Arts. _"Five fingers to the face."_

The graying producer looked to his assistants and questioned, "I'm not sure I get this one."

The next audition was Rex singing his favorite song, _"Move your body right next to mine, feel the beat and we're lost in time."_

Sinjin was the next audition tape, _"I came back home with a pocket full of tin. Oh, doo-dah day, hey!"_

Mason shook his head as another audition was brought up on the screen. Ava was sitting in the Hollywood Arts main music room behind the keyboard and softly song, _"…in the arms of the angel, fly away from here… from this dark, cold hotel room and the endlessness that you feel…"_ He gave a slight nod of his head and cracked a smile indicating that Chelsea, Marshall or Gwyneth should add her to the shortlist with Robbie, Cat, André and Jade.

Vega Residence

The time was getting pretty late in the evening as Tori sat behind the living room piano. She had her blue cased PearBook resting on top of it so she could watch herself play with a web camera setup next to it and a candle or two lit to set the mood. She softly started playing the keys and started to sing, _"Mmmmmm, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, ya. You get me out of my seat. It's like I've been in bed for a week. I've been slippin' and slidin' all over the place and nobody cares. I'm such a disgrace. You get me out of my mood. That's something only you can do. 'Cause I feel like I'm home when I'm in your arms and that's why I need you to cheer me up. C'mon dance with me and you take my hand. Oh, cheer me up, oh even if we're the only ones dancing. Whooo oooh. Please won't you cheer me up?"_

Mason watch from his office minutes later Tori finishing her song, _"Oh, even if we're the only ones dancing…"_ He smiled in approval to the rest still in his office.

Tori Vega: BARELY got my audition in on time last night. At school now—SO TIRED and NEED FOOD! At least TheSlap is somewhat working now. FEELING: Sleepy-Hungry :0

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Tori closed her locker and turned to Beck standing to her left. She ran a hand through the top of her hair and moaned out, "Oh man."

Beck asked with a concerned laced voice, "What's wrong?"

Tori complained with a tired breath, "I didn't eat dinner last night or breakfast this morning and I'm dying."

Beck dryly remarked, but with the slightest of hint of concern, "Hmm, dying is not cool." He reached into his book bag and pulled out a sandwich, "Here... I got a hoagie in my backpack."

The lovely brunette asked in disbelief, "A hoagie? Oh, I need a hoagie so bad."

The tall actor handed her the sandwich while commenting, "Here's a hoagie."

"Oh," Tori muttered as she eagerly took a bite out of the sandwich.

"Wow."

Tori mumbled through chewing her stuffed mouth, "I'm hungry."

Beck nodded along and tried to keep the smirk off his face from the hilarity of her eating the sandwich that quickly. "You're chewing that like it's your job."

Sikowitz called out from the entrance to the school as he led Mason and his entourage into the school and towards Tori, "Over there! Over there. There's Tori! With that large sandwich!"

Jade was at her corner locker towards the entrance and turned her head at the entourage passing her and catching her attention. She quickly joined the group to see what was going on.

Mason stopped in front of Tori and cheerfully announced, "There's my girl."

Beck asked in concern as he took a step back to stand by Tori's side, "What's going on?"

The graying hair producer happily laughed out, "Tori Vega."

She quickly held up a finger to stop him then started pointing to her stuffed mouth.

Mason raised his right fist over his mouth in the gesture of thinking while Beck threw out his cupped hands and demanded, "Just spit it in my hands! Come on."

The brunette turned her head and started to spit out the chewed sandwich morsel into his hands.

He put on a grimace and complained, "Oh God, it's warm."

Mason patiently asked, "Are you done?"

She quickly nodded in the affirmative.

The producer smiled and pointed both pointer fingers at her and started, "Tori Vega... how would you like to sing the opening number on this year's platinum music awards?"

Tori jumped for joy and hugged him with her free arm, "Yes! Oh my gosh, yes, yes!"

Gwyneth pointed out in concern, "What's that on her face?"

Marshall pointed out, "It looks like mustard."

Mason turned to the camera and shouted his various instructions, "All right, cut! Let's get another take, shall we? Wipe her face, somebody. Everyone, back to one! Outside... come on, come on."

They followed his command as they turned to head back outside then come in for another take at the 'spontaneous surprise'. Mason's assistant started wiping the strains of mustard off of her cheeks then turned away to catch up with the entourage. Mason walked back and took the hoagie out of her hand then started back to the entrance.

Beck softly grabbed Tori's left bicep and turned her to happily congratulate her, "Hey! Hey, hey, hey! Ya did it."

Tori jumped into his arms, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck, her thighs around his hips and shouted, "I did it!" She quickly dropped back down to her feet and rested her hands on his shoulders as she happily continued, "I am gonna sing on the Platinum Music Awards!"

"I know!" He pointed to the remnants of the sandwich that was once in her mouth in his left hand and asked, "Uh, do you want your sandwich back?"

She slapped the food out of his hand into the floor and jumped back into his arms in excitement. Beck desperately held on to the slim girl as she shifted her body weight in different directions as she continued to shout for joy. "Okay, all right," he complained, hoping she'd stop before he accidentally dropped her.

Jade remained a few paces away and slightly frowning as the hurt of losing out to Tori once again stabbed at her heart.

Asphalt Café  
Hollywood Arts High School

Tori was still ecstatic over the news of winning the competition as she joined her friends at the lunch table. Even though her friends had submitted and lost out to her, they were still happy for her. Cat was happy as ever, André was as supportive as ever to his friend, Beck wore a smile and Freddie kept a watchful eye on his girlfriend while Jade wore an even expression as she focused her attention on her lunch.

Ava had invited herself to sit at their table with Dusty silently agreeing with her wanting his presence at the table and no one said anything about not wanting her presence. The redhead may have worn her bright smile, but she occasionally spared a glance towards the pair.

Dusty knotted his brow as he honestly asked Tori, "How did you win it?"

Tori instantly frowned at him as she stopped in the middle of chewing a bit of her lunch.

He continued while ignoring the expression, "Cat's a better singer than you, Jade's a better singer than you…"He smiled to the brunette to his left and finished, "Ava's a better singer than you, so why you?"

The short brunette smirked at his supportive comment then continued on her lunch.

Beck joined with Tori in giving a disapproving expression to the former webmaster.

He rolled his eyes then looked up at the sky for a moment and waved out his hands in a purposely displayed over-dramatization, "Oh my God, _me_ thinking that _Cat_, Jade and Ava are better singers than you is coming completely out of left field; _no one_ saw that bias coming!" He softly started laughing as he looked to Tori.

Freddie had to cover his mouth with the back of his hand to try to suppress a laugh.

The brunette's frown started to crack as she quickly realized the point he was trying to make and that it wasn't personal.

Beck closed his eyes and shook his head. He questioned with a dismissive tone, "So it is just bias on your part?"

Dusty looked around to the rest of them and questioned with a confused expression, "Did he not get my overdramatic reaction?"

Jade was forced to let a soft smile appear on her face.

The Southern teenager looked back to Beck and softly challenged, "As if you could be totally objective in judging your friends' singing head-to-head… well except for Jade where you think she probably sucks now."

"Don't put words in my mouth!"

Dusty softly smirked as he answered in a toying manner, "I'm not; I'm just drawing an inference from your recent behavior towards her about how you could feel about her… I mean you thought her acting was only good enough to keep her on screen long enough so she could be shot in the head."

"Are you ever going to let that go?"

"Are you ever going to grow a spine, man up and apologize to her for being a petty little child?"

Beck frowned and glared at the teenager sitting on the other side of the table while Dusty unflinchingly matched it.

Freddie quickly spoke up with a bright smile and happy tone towards Tori to interrupt the pair's staring contest, "Back on topic… as Dusty's pointed out, of course some of us have quite understandable biases—" He accentuated his point by wrapping an arm around Jade and pulling her close to him in a side hug, momentary breaking Jade's sullen mood. "—that I hope you won't hold against us—but that doesn't mean we aren't thrilled and happy that you got it."

Tori snorted out a soft laugh at seeing his predicament and to an extent everyone's: almost everyone at the table had competed against each other for that one shot and rooted for themselves and in Freddie's case, his girlfriend. She glanced around the table, including Dusty, and saw that there wasn't any hard feelings even though Jade wore an even expression on her face was looked withdrawn from the group.

The tech-producer continued, "So, when are you going to see Mister Thornesmith? Get the show going?"

The younger Vega sister quickly answered, "Oh, I'm going to see him tomorrow afternoon and I want you all to come."

André laughed out, "Sounds like fun. Maybe we'll meet some other musicians."

Jade wore a bit of a sour expression as she commented, "Yeah, fun…"

Tori slightly frowned at the hint of jealousy on the darker brunette, but pushed it aside and started back on her lunch as the others started idly chatting and continued their lunch.

Ava looked to the former webmaster and softly inquired, "Did you put in an audition?"

"No, why?" he slowly asked with a confused expression.

She softly laughed out, "Because you were great at the Full Moon Jam."

He softly shook his head. "Thanks, but… I did have two very good reasons."

Ava raised an eyebrow, trying to entice him to continue.

He snorted out a soft breath then admitted, "One, I don't want to be a musician and two… my mother has the voice of an angel, so…" He chuckled out a laugh, "It wouldn't be fair for you mere mortals if I put in an audition."

Freddie put on a weary expression at over hearing the joke for a second time from his friend. He spared a quick glance to Jade who was already glancing to him. They shared a look as they both thought on her trip during Easter and the significance of Anna's appearance to the couple. He remained silent as he turned back to his food while he watched the pair converse.

West Residence

The time was early evening as Freddie and Jade were resting together on his bed watching television with her snuggled up on his left. He wasn't really paying attention to the old horror movie playing, but to Jade's detached expression. He kissed her just about her right temple then whispered, "Talk to me?"

She understood what he meant by the statement, so she remained silent for a few moments. She debated whether she was going to answer him at all and instead just watch the movie in silence. She finally uttered out in a hushed tone, "I lost out to Tori."

"So?"

Her softly knotted her bow and questioned, "So?"

Freddie replied with a sympathetic tone, "I know the history, but what if he had picked Cat, André, Robbie or Ava? Would you be upset with them?"

Jade snorted out a breath. "Like you said, there's history… it's not even history at the moment. I still have to do my own thing and Ava had to switch classes that it's so bad."

"And how does that have anything to do with Mason picking Tori? Everyone got their fair shot and she won. Do I wish it was you? Absolutely, but he picked her and I think we should be happy that _our_ friend got the spot."

She took a soft breath then lifted her head off of the inside of his shoulder and met his eyes. "You and I have never been ones to let things easily go?"

Freddie cracked a smile and puckered his lips to steal a quick kiss. "No we haven't… but we eventually did."

The pale girl let out a soft laugh then snuggled her head back in the crook of his neck to watch the movie in peace with the man that she loved.

Neutronium Records  
Los Angeles, CA  
Thursday, April 12, 2012

Mason and his assistants were in the office waiting as a laptop was open and playing Tori's audition song. He called out from behind his desk as Gwyneth walked inside and partially closed the door behind her, "Whatcha got?"

"Tori Vega's here."

He threw out his hands and happily commented, "Ah, brilliant, good, good."

The assistant pointed around her left arm to the door and regretfully continued, "She's got some friends with her."

Mason slammed his hand on the end of the desk in frustration, "Blarminy!" He took a calming breath and pointed to the others, "All right, we'll dispose of the friends." He waved to Gwyneth and instructed, "Alright, show 'em in."

She opened the door and stuck her head around the door frame to look further down the hallway and called out, "Come on in, guys."

Tori lead Cat, Jade and Freddie bringing up the rear inside the office and Gwyneth closed the door behind them.

Mason got up from his seat and happily called out, "Tori! Tori Vega!" He motioned for her to come closer to him and opened his arms up for her to hug him, "Come here, darling."

The brunette happily returned the greeting and gave him a hug, "Hi Mister Thornesmith."

He dismissively laughed out in good cheer, "Oh, now, now. None of that... You call me Mason."

"Oh, Mason," she nervously answered.

"And you've brought friends… _delightful_," he softly chuckled as he eyed the other teenagers.

Freddie's brow instantly knotted as his instincts sent a warning that his comment of approving that Tori had brought her friends was not genuine. He chalked it up to his experiences with Sam in the dishonesty department.

"How ya doin'?" Jade dryly commented as she crossed her arms under her chest.

The redhead happily greeted the musical producer, "Hiiii Mason."

Mason pointed to the two other girls with his left pointer finger and curiously asked, "Wait a minute, didn't you two girls send in auditions?"

Jade put on a smirk and commented with a hint of sarcasm in her voice, "Yeah, mine was the one you _didn't_ pick because you picked Tori's."

Mason chuckled, "Ho ho, we got a brassy one here."

Her smirk grew bigger as she flicked her brow up for a moment and retorted, "Yeah, I got a lotta brass."

Freddie smiled as he wrapped an arm around the back of Jade's shoulders and rested his hand on her right shoulder. "Oh, she certainly does." He gave her a soft kiss on her cheek that instantly brought a smile the foul mood girl."

Cat threw up her hand and waved while happily announcing, "Mine was also one you didn't pick!"

"Yes, well..." He finally took a good look at Freddie as the muscular teenager still had an arm around the pale teenager. "Wait a minute… aren't you—"

Jade interrupted with a proud smile, "Yes, he's Freddie Benson… _the_ Freddie Benson."

The producer's eyes widened in surprise as he questioned, "Freddie Benson? Of iCarly? You helped re-launch Ginger Fox's career."

Freddie smacked his lips as if he tasted something foul in his mouth. "Yes… she needed all the help she could get since… she can't sing and as Carly so eloquently put it, 'She dances like a diseased elephant'." He took a soft breath and regretfully finished, "A lot of creative camera work for that show… she started lip-syncing to the wrong song halfway through it."

Mason let out an awkward laugh, "Yes and put her on top… unfortunately." The older gentleman motioned a finger back and forth between Jade and Freddie. "And you two are together?"

The brown eyed boy grinned as he announced, "Yes, quite happily."

He looked between the pair and the gears in his head started turning, but before he could complete his thought, André rushed inside the office and quickly apologized, "Hey, I'm here. Sorry."

Mason turned around to walk behind his desk as the rest turned to him and Freddie slipped his arm away from Jade. Tori questioned André with a hushed tone, "Where were you?"

"Well, when I was in the men's room, I opened one of the stall doors... and sittin' right there... Bruno Mars."

Tori and Cat sucked in a breath of surprise, "What?"

"So I was all, 'oh my God, Bruno Mars, you're like one of my idols'… and then he says, 'Thanks, but I'm on the toilet. Could ya shut the door?' So I say, 'sure' and I shut the door... and then Bruno Mars says, 'I meant, 'Could you leave the stall and then shut the door?' And I'm like, 'bro, I know you're famous, but can ya just like...'"

Jade gently grabbed André's upper right bicep and whispered, "Hey, hey... maybe stop talking?"

Mason motioned toward the rounding couch and asked, "So listen, why don't you all come in, sit down, sit down."

Tori replied, "Oh, thank you," followed by Jade dryly answered, "I will," and Cat happily commenting, "Thank you," as everyone took a seat on the rounding couch. Tori sat at the end closest to the end followed by Jade, Freddie, Cat and André rounding out the end.

Mason walked around his desk and rested his behind against it while stuffing his hands in his jean pockets. He eagerly asked, "Now, Tori... are you ready to sing the opening number on this year's Platinum Music Awards?"

"Well sure. I mean, but I'm also pretty nervous," she softly laughed out.

Mason slightly tilted his head to the left and offered, "Have some bibble."

"What?"

André was leaning forward with his forearms against his knees as he questioned, "What's bibble?"

Chelsea quickly explained, "It's a British snack."

Mason pushed off the edge of the desk and motioned out with his arms wide while he questioned in mocked outrage, "You've never had bibble? Oh, that's a bloody crime!"

Chelsea commented with a disbelieving tone, "I don't understand it."

Mason popped a piece into his mouth then motioned to the small glass bowls resting on the table filled with what looked like popcorn. "Well, have some bibble now. There's some bibble and there and there and there."

Tori nervously commented, "All right, I'll have a taste," followed by Cat's agreement, "Okay."

Jade whispered out as she picked up the snack, "I'm on a diet, but okay."

Freddie looked to her in surprise and asked in concern, "When did you go on a diet?"

Before she popped the piece of popcorn in her mouth, she looked to him with a slightly knotted brow. She leaned over and whispered something into his ear.

He softly rolled his eyes and answered, "Oh? _That's_ what you mean."

Mason grinned. "Uh-huh?"

Tori mumbled with a nod of her head. "Mmmm..."

The record producer softly laughed, "Oh, yeah?"

Jade her right pointer finger to her mouth and commented, "Really good mouth feel..."

Cat laughed out, "I like it..."

Mason commented as he lazily pointed to them, "Tell ya what: Marshall, why don't you take 'em all down to Barney's Bibblery, get each of them a ten-pound sack of bibble."

Cat happily called out, "Oh, wow. Thank you," while Jade idly commented, "That's a lot."

Tori mouthed in disbelief, "Ten-pounds?"

André tried to brush it away, "No, that's cool."

Mason happily argued, "No, no, no. I insist... my treat… take the limo."

"Zeen?!" Cat shouted in disbelief.

"Indeed. Go on, off ya go. Come on."

"Thank you, Mason," Cat happily commented as everyone got up from their seats.

Tori nervously laughed out, "Wow, it's very generous."

Marshall started leading the teenagers out, but Mason called out to Tori before she exited, "Oh Tori, Tori, not you... We have some talking to do. Sit."

"Oh. Okay I'll sit," she answered as she retook her seat on the couch.

"Your dream of being a pop superstar is coming true. It is going to happen to _you_…" he pointed to her to emphasize is point, "…because I am gonna make it happen to you."

"Wow, cool. So what song should I sing?"

"I couldn't care less."

"Oh, great. Wait, what?" Tori turned direction in her reply as she didn't think she had heard the producer correctly.

He motioned with his open hands back and forth between them at the appropriate times of when he was talking about himself and Tori while explaining, "You see, all of this... it's all about you. Well, that is, it's about me re-creating you into something wonderful."

Tori knotted her brow as she questioned and expressed clear confusion on her face, "You wanna re-create me?"

He cracked a soft smile as he suddenly changed topics, "Are you thirsty? Did my bibble make you thirsty?"

"Yeah a little."

"Yeah? Gwyneth."

The lovely assistant got up from the seat she had took beside Tori when the teenager first sat back down and crossed the short distance to the small cabinet under the mini-bar. She handed the yellow colored drink to Tori.

"Oh, thanks." Tori looked back to Mason and questioned, "What is this?"

Mason smirked like a devil while he casually relaxed in his chair and offered, "That is citrus flavored juice, made by my grandmum... Mimsy. She sent it all the way from London, have a sip."

"Wow, okay." She flipped the metal level to the reusable top to the glass bottle and laughed out when it made a sound, "Oop! Pop! Ha ha." She took a quick sip, but instantly had to force the foul tasting liquid down her throat as she held the back of her right hand to her mouth. She finished swallowing then looked to Mason. "Mmmmm. Whoa Mimsy."

"Good yeah?"

Tori forced a smile on her face, "So good."

"That's not citrus juice from my Mimsy."

"Hmm?"

He laughed out, "You just drank tuna fish water."

She started coughing then looked to him in disbelief. "Whaaaaaat?!"

He threw out his arms out to his sides with his palms up while laughing, "But you pretended to like it because you wanted me to like you. You hated that tuna juice, but you put on a show."

"You actually juiced a tuna?!"

"See, the audience likes to see a personality, a character. Not music, pfff,..." He dismissively waved his hand and finished, "…whatever."

Chelsea continued, "Mason's saying that you must let us create an image for you."

Tori cautiously questioned, "So... you wanna like, give me a make-over?"

"Yes," with Mason picking up for her, "but you mustn't tell anyone we're putting you up to this."

Tori let out a nervous laugh for clarification, "Well, I can tell my parents and my friends, though, right?"

Chelsea raised her hand and dismissed the idea, "Absolutely not," followed by Gwyneth agreeing with her, "No one. No."

Mason sucked in a breath then continued, "Oooh. No, no, no, no. No. This is far too big... you can't trust anyone."

Chelsea smiled and motioned out with her left hand, "Except us."

Gwyneth quickly agreed with a soft pat on her lap, "Exactly."

The producer cracked a smile as someone selling snake oil. "And we'll never tell you anything that isn't true."

Tori looked down at the bottle of tune fish water then gave him a doubtful expression while Gwyneth looked way and absently scratched the side of her neck.

"Starting now."

Tori Vega: Um… I'm wearing a new outfit today. It's uh… different? FEELING: Snazzy? 8)

Hollywood Arts High School  
Friday, April 13, 2013

Tori cautiously walked through the front entrance as the first bell of the day sounded to the on looks of her classmates. She cheerfully gave a wave to a random student and said, "Hey."

She wore a black leather jacket with her chest was covered with a near form fitting metal breast plate. The rest of her outfit consisted of a flowing dark green skirt, black leggings and boots.

They started on their way to various classes as they continued to give her strange expressions while walked to her locker. One student whispered, "What is she wearing?"

Tori stopped at her locker just as Cat approached the oddly dressed teenager pulling along a child's red wagon with a large bag of bibble while nibbling on a piece with her other hand. "Whoa. Tori."

The brunette nervously laughed out, "Heyyyy Cat."

"Cool outfit."

"Thanks. Whatcha got there?" she questioned as she motioned the red wagon with a sack full of bibble.

"It's my sack of bibble. It's really heavy so I put it in a wagon."

"And you needed to bring all of it to school?"

"I can't help it!" she shouted in defense then popped another piece in her mouth. She finished with the piece in her mouth, "It's so good."

Tori walked around the wagon to the back to get a good look at the sack. "I can't believe Mason bought you this much."

Cat eagerly corrected Tori's assumption, "This isn't even the sack he got me."

"What?!"

"I finished that one. I went back and bought two more sacks. I think I might have a bibble problem," she finished regretfully and popped another piece into her mouth.

Tori idly commented as she reached to pick a piece, "Well, it is pretty good stuff."

Cat shouted as she slapped Tori's hand away, "Don't touch it!" The redhead grabbed the handle to the wagon and started pulling it down the hallway while commenting, "It's my bibble."

Advance Acting II

Tori was the last one to walk in the classroom and was quite timid in her steps as she took a seat next to Beck. The long haired actor put on a tight smile, not knowing initially how to respond.

André looked at his friend with a lost look on how to react while Freddie looked to her with his eyes nearly bulging out of his sockets.

Jade cupped her hands over her mouth to hide her laugh then rested her chin on her closed fits as she asked, "Oh I'm sorry... were we all supposed to dress stupid today?"

Sikowitz cut her off quickly, "Hey! Every student at Hollywood Arts should feel free to dress as stupidly as they choose."

Robbie spoke up, "One time for Halloween I wore my mom's dress and the other kids made fun of me."

Rex quickly spoke up to correct the record, "It wasn't Halloween... it was a random Tuesday in July after we got back from Yerba."

Robbie called out defensively, "I was experimenting!"

Sikowitz instantly turned to face the whiteboard as he lifted his right hand up to run across the top of his head. Freddie whispered in disbelief as he looked away, "Oh my God…"

André pointed out, "Cat, that is a lot of bibble."

Cat gave André a worried expression and threw her arms on top of the bag while she commented, "Yeah, please don't look at it... it's all for me."

Jade softly smirked and gently swayed while resting her left arm on her crossed hose covered right leg, "Cat, don't be stingy. You just give him a little nibble of the bibble."

The redhead shouted and literally jumped out of her seat to sit on top of the bag of British snack, "Nooo!"

Beck cleared his throat then asked with a cautious tone, "So, why are you dressed like that?" He quickly asserted, "Not that it's bad, just... why?"

"Just 'cuz," the oddly dressed teen muttered.

The dark brunette with green streaks mildly mocked, "Yeah, 'just cuz' she thinks she's a big star now."

"I don't think I'm... look, I just thought I'd wear something a little different today. I mean, this has nothing to do with me singing on the Platinum Music Awards."

Jade held her left fist to her mouth and coughed out, "Liar."

Sikowitz admonished, "Aw c'mon, Jade. That's not how you call Tori a liar through cough-talk. You do it like: Liar. Liar. C'mon, everybody try it."

The others in the class started doing their own impressions of someone calling another person a liar through coughing.

Tori shouted in outrage, "I'm not lying! Okay? Just regular ol' Tori on a regular ol' day. So, can we please just..."

The side windows of the classroom burst open with several men climbing through them with cameras flashing with various shouts, "Just this way! Tori! Tori! Miss Tori, over here!"

Sikowitz shouted in outrage, "Hey! Hey! You people! Paparazzi people! Out! Get out!"

One of the photographers called out excitedly, "Whoa! It's the voice of Plankton."

Sikowitz attempted to correct them with a tired voice, "No, I am not the..."

One of the random photographers called out, "Plankton, here."

The acting teacher relented and put on a grin and motioned out with his right hand. "I mean... Karen, I must have the secret formula for the Krabby Patties."

Jade rested her elbows against her knees, cupped her cheeks with her hands and rested her fingertips just at each outer corner of her eyes, looking in complete disarray as to attention they were directing at Tori.

Freddie shook his head in sympathy for his friend as she looked lost on the classroom stage.

"Nice, nice! Let's get a shot of plankton with Tori!"

Sikowitz took a step beside Tori and wrap an arm around her shoulders as he happily asked, "Oh sure sure... huh? How about this?"

"Nice, right?"

"Tori. Tori."

"Right here, Tori!"

The paparazzi was finally pushed out of the room and Sikowitz was able to cover some of what he wanted to teach that day with the presumption that they were going to have to work to catch up the next day.

The bell rang and the class started on their way out to their respective forth periods. Before they separated, Freddie shook his head as they made their way to fourth period. "So now we know why we were brushed out of Mason's office."

André gave him a curious expression. "What?"

Freddie absently thumbed over his shoulder. "We were pushed out to go get bibble while Tori stayed behind then the next day she's dressing like that?" He snorted out a laugh, "It's not that hard to figure out what they talked about."

Jade softly questioned with the obvious hint to Freddie's ears that she was just playing the Devil's advocate for discussion's sake, "Are you sure? Are you sure she's just not doing that on her own?

He looked to Jade and readily agreed with part of her point, "You're obviously right that Tori's dressing that way for the awards and I'm not arguing with that point, but Mason has to be putting her up to that." He looked to the rest. "This is Tori; is she really just going to flip a switch and become some diva?"

Beck was the first to nod in agreement with the tech-producer, both feeling strange that they were on the same side.

He looked back to his girlfriend and continued, "You saw how desperate she was trying to deny it instead of embracing it."

The green streaked hair girl slightly frowned as she was forced to agree with the point as she wasn't going to deny reality slapping her in the face with Tori's lame denial. She was quite aware of all to Tori's qualities, which is partially why she couldn't stand the girl for most of the time she had known her, so she knew that vanity wasn't a quality that Tori possessed.

André spoke up with a questioning expression, "So what are we supposed to do?"

The brown eye boy blew out a breath as he looked to his songwriting friend. "Play along? Maybe let her know that we know, but going to act surprise to help her keep up the act? I'm not sure."

Jade laughed out with a near mocking tone, "Wow, what a way to start her music career: as a lie."

Freddie and Beck actually agreed with a shared frown from Jade's damning point.

Mason Thornesmith's Office  
Neutronium Records  
Los Angeles, CA  
Monday, April 16, 2012

Marshall walked into Mason's office and announced, "Mason? Your four o'clock is here."

"Oh?" he commented as he got up from his seat.

Tori walked inside with Cat. The brunette wore a leather jacket with a very short skirt made of peacock feathers that barely covered her rear and red leggings. Her hair was a mess, being pulled to the left side of her head.

"Hi."

Mason happily called out, "Ah, Tori you're early... good, good."

Tori motioned to her shorter friend, "Yeah. Uh, my friend Cat said that she really needs to talk to you."

Cat quietly began as she played with an end of her red hair, "Mister Thornesmith, you know that store, Barney's Bibblery?"

"Mm-hmm."

"They won't sell me anymore bibble."

He crossed his arms over his chest and curiously asked, "Why not?"

"They think I might have a problem. Would you mind calling for me?"

"Sure, later, all right?"

"Noo! I need more bibble now!" she forcefully demanded as if she was really going through withdrawal over the snack.

Mason stood up straight and squared his shoulders as he retorted with a fatherly, yet stern voice, "Now, Cat… Tori and I need to have a little word in private." He turned to his desk right behind him and picked up a pair of sunglasses. "So why don't you just put on these dark sunglasses..." Chelsea quickly walked over to place a pair of large, white headphones over Cat's ears, "…and these headphones..."

"But I don't understand."

"Just listen to this very loud music, dance around a while... and I'll give you some bibble," he explained in a cheerful voice while tapping on the device connected to the headphones to start up a playlist.

"But I don't see why... Ooooo!"

He turned his attention to the peacock feather skirt wearing teenager and continued, "Now Tori... you are doing a magnificent job with the makeup and these outfits."

Cat called out, "I'm ready for bibble."

Mason popped in one piece of bibble in Cat's mouth then looked to his musician.

Tori desperately asked, "You really think I need to change who I am and be outrageous for people to like my music?"

"Oh, absolutely," he answered with Chelsea supporting him, "Hundred percent."

Mason continued as he walked around the teenager, "And see, we've already got you looking the part of the outrageous pop star..." Chelsea continued the line of thought, "…and now you've got to play the part."

Tori stuttered out with a worried tone, "I... don't..."

"Rebellious," Mason shouted out.

Chelsea the ever loyal assistant followed, "Dangerous."

"Yeah, the sort of wild girl who'd go to a posh restaurant in Beverly Hills, get furious with a server, flip over a table... grab a plate of ravioli... and dump that ravioli right down a policeman's pants."

Cat called out, "I'm dancing for bibble."

"A policeman's pants? Isn't that illegal?"

"Not a real policeman," Chelsea reassured her.

Mason happily continued, "No, no. A stuntman, but everyone will think it's all real."

Tori instantly complained while poking herself in the middle of her chest, "And people will think I'm a terrible person?"

"Precisely," the young assistant laughed out in approval.

"And _that_ will create buzz," he explained while resting a hand between her shoulder blades and motioning with his left hand. "Get everyone talking about you."

She looked between the pair and desperately asked, "Well, can... can I at least tell my friends that it's fake?"

Mason shook his head and wagged his finger. "Oh no. No, no, no, no, no, no."

Chelsea softly admonished the brunette as she rested a hand on Tori's upper right arm, "Don't be a silly person."

Mason followed up, "No one likes a silly."

Tori regretfully answered the pair, "I'm sorry. I don't wanna be a silly."

"Come on now, I'll take you upstairs... Katy Perry's up there cutting her new track."

"Wow…" she whispered in shock as Mason softly by the left hand and wrist. As they walked just passed the threshold into the hallway, Tori turned to Chelsea and asked, "Wait, ravioli down his pants?"

She softly reassured her, "It'll be a nice feeling."

Cat called out as she continued to dance all alone in the office, "Hello? Somebody bibble me!"

Tori Vega: Lunch with Andre. Nice restaurant. So fun. Um… yeah. FEELING: Nervous! :S

Chew Restaurant  
Beverly Hills, CA  
Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The pair of friends sat across from one another at a table neared the entrance of the restaurant as they waited for their food.

The waitress walked to the pair, carrying a napkin covered glass pitcher of water, and asked the pair, "Water?"

Tori nervously answered, "What?! Oh. Yeah. Water's good. Sure."

As the waitress topped off their glasses, André pointed out an older, well dressed gentleman enter the restaurant from over Tori's shoulder, "Hey Tori look... it's Bud Alderman... the astronaut."

"Uh-huh."

"He walked on the moon!"

She sipped her water and nervously looked around as she rubbed her left hand up and down her left thigh. "Yeah… walking is…" She paused for a moment as she looked off to André's left and further into the restaurant to see Mason, Chelsea and Marshall sharing a table and looking at her. "…great exercise."

The songsmith asked with evident concern in his voice as he picked up his glass of water to take a sip, "Somethin' botherin' you?"

"What? Nothing, wh-why would you say that?"

"'Cuz you seem all freaked out. I feel like I'm with my grandma when she was… you know."

"A-ha ha ha ha ha ha."

André picked up his water and commented with a dry tone, "That laugh seemed insincere."

The brunette frowned with a mixture of sadness and embarrassment.

The waitress returned with two plates to the table and announced, "Okay, we have a chopped salad for the gentleman..." She sat André's plate in front of him and he happily announced, "Ah yeah, that's some legit salad."

She turned to Tori and placed her plate in front of her as she finished, "…and for the lady... lobster salad with avocado."

Tori hesitantly looked around the waitress as she was seasoning André's salad to see Mason give her an approving nod for her next move.

The brunette looked down at her plate and shouted in outrage and jumped up from her seat, "What?! What is this?!"

The teenager's actions were caught by the other restaurant patrons and looked on curiously.

The waitress began, "Uh, well you ordered the..."

The others were already pulling out their cellphones to start recording the incident as Tori shouted, "Where's the manager?!"

"Tori, maybe you..."

"Stay outta this!" she shouted down her friend.

"Well," he huffed out in surprise and looked away.

"Ma'am, if you would rather have something else I'd be..."

Tori took a step forward and continued to shout, "No! What I'd rather do is see you get fired for being an incompetent pre-turd!"

André raised a finger and called out, "Check please."

Tori turned to her left and shoved the table over to the side with André complaining loudly, "My salad!"

The general got up from his seat and approached the table and began, "Excuse me, young lady."

Tori shouted in outrage, "Give me that ravioli!"

"There's no need to be this upset over some..."

The acting teenager grabbed the former astronaut by the waistband of his slacks an pulled them enough so she could

The general shouted in surprise, "Oh my stars! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!"

Marshall shouted in fear as he pointed to the skeptical, "That wasn't the cop! Where's the stunt cop?!"

Mason held back his laughter, but grinned then rested his hands on each of his assistants to reassure them, "No, no, no, no. It's all right. It's all right... this is so much better."

A police office—actually the stuntman dressed as a police officer—approached the scene and asked Tori, the waitress and the general, "Is there a problem here?"

Tori embarrassed answered as she assessed the scene, "I think there is."

* * *

Author's Note: And I leave it as a cliffhanger for next week. Sorry about that, but I hope it has wetted your appetite for next week's chapter. Oh, is it going to be dramatic.

Guest Star Charles Shaughnessy


	29. Chapter 29: Tori and Jade Go Platinum P2

Hello everyone! I hope you've had a nice week. I hope you enjoy my next installment to this epic. I'm going to be finishing my PMs to some reviews I've gotten behind in answering later tonight, so thanks for reading.

Jeremy Shane: Thanks and here is more.

Guest: Will they break up like that 'other' story? You'll just have to read to find out.

The Question23: Oh, you're about to read if Mason will get it in the worst way… you'd think people would realize not to screw with Freddie at this point.

Special Guest Appearance by Jennifer Connelly as Ruby Lynn West

Special Guest Star Charles Shaughnessy as Mason Thornesmith

Rating: T Language, Violence… yeah, you read that right.

* * *

Chapter 29: Tori and Jade Go Platinum Part 2

Advance Acting II  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The class was coming close to an end as Sikowitz fiddled with a connection at the back of the television still set up in the room. Most of the students were up on their feet in anticipation of seeing what was about to be put on the screen and wanting to be the first out the door when the bell rang.

Robbie eagerly shouted as he stood and held Rex, "Hurry, let's see it!"

Sikowitz looked back at the puppet holding teenager and regretfully questioned, "I don't know about this. What if Tori walks in?"

Beck was relaxing back in his chair with his hands stuffed in his jean pockets as he gave a lazy nod of his head and flippantly answered, "I wouldn't worry about that."

André motioned out with his right hand, "She's been skippin' classes all week."

Rex quickly agreed, "Yeah, 'cuz she thinks she's hot whazz."

Freddie shouted in defense of his friend, "It's an act. We _all know it's an act_." He looked around for support, but the rest of the class did everything they could not meet his gaze, either too afraid to face him in admitting he was right or too cowardly to stand by their respective assessments. He suppressed the slight feeling of disgust for all of them. He glanced to his girlfriend, but Jade was too focused on her PearBook in her lap trying to bring up the video everyone was eager to see to even pay attention in realizing that her boyfriend was speaking. Of all the people that would speak up in his support, it was Beck, "You're right Freddie; I know it's an act too."

The brown eyed teenage gave a thankful nod for the unexpected support while Beck didn't look all that comfortable giving it either.

Robbie suddenly shouted out as he pointed to Cat, "Sikowitz, Cat has bibble!"

Sikowitz softly admonished the childlike girl, "Cat..."

The redhead desperately whined, "No, it's not mine, I'm holding it for a friend!"

The eccentric teacher walked down from the stage and quickly took the small bag away from the desperate teenager. "But I need it! I mean, my friend needs it!"

André walked next to Cat's seat and held out a small box of gum. "Cat, here..."

"What's this?" she curiously asked while taking the package.

"It's a special gum. If you're cravin' bibble, just chew some of that. It'll make you feel better. See, just unwrap it, and then..."

She slapped his hand away and complained while fiddling with opening the package, "I know how gum works!"

Jade tapped a few more keys on her PearBook then looked up with a devious smile as she spoke, "Okay, here we go..."

The screen started showing the events of André and Tori's lunch where the brunette has shoved the food down the former astronaut's pants. The General started, "Excuse me, young lady. There's no need to be this upset over some... Oh my stars! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!"

Sikowitz commented in disappointment as he walked back on stage, "That is disappointing and shocking. It's disashocking."

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and softly laughed out, "And hilarious… it's disashockinglarious."

"Yeah, Tori has a big problem," Cat commented as she stuffed piece after piece of gum in her mouth.

Robbie commented with disappointment, "I can't believe the whole 'being famous' thing has already gone to her head."

Sikowitz rested his hand on the top edge of the television and spoke up in defense of his favorite student even if he wanted to choke on some of his words, "I think Freddie's right, she's probably caught up in some sort of..."

Tori walked inside the class with a heavily made up face, a platinum blonde wig, a fluffy pink jacket and loose black skirt.

The screen switched off from displaying SplashFace to the menu options for PearTV.

The acting teacher quickly continued with an awkward tone, "...And so in eighteen twenty-seven, the television was invented by... T.V. Smith... and that's why this television is here right now, there's no other reason, we certainly weren't watching—"

Tori sighed out, "Okay. I know you guys were watching that video of me at the restaurant."

Jade looked over her left shoulder and snapped, "You were literally, like, T.V. Smith-conceited."

Tori desperately whined as she awkwardly took a seat while trying to balance on her odd heeled shoes, "Can we please just forget about it?"

Rex answered with a softly mocking tone, "Good luck."

Beck lazily followed up while relaxing back in his chair, "It's the number one video on SplashFace."

Jade smirked as she softly mocked, "Yup. So the whole world knows what you're turning into."

"I'm not turning... it's just..."

Rex demanded, "Just what?"

"Complicated."

The dark brunette pushed on, "So you deny that you've totally changed how you dress?"

"No, but..."

"Do you deny throwing a tantrum in that restaurant?"

"No, I did, but... but..."

Jade mocked, "But, but, but."

Sikowitz spoke up, "Looks like someone's got a bad case of the buts."

Rex laughed, "Maybe she should see a butt doctor."

Robbie whispered out with a defeated tone, "I got a guy."

André pointed out in concern to the redhead, "Uh, Cat, maybe you wanna back off that bibble gum..."

Cat threw up her left hand and cut him off with an irritated tone while stuffing another piece of gum into her already filled mouth, "Don't tell me what to do!"

Jade turned her attention to her songwriting friend, "André... you were at the restaurant with Tori. What's your take on what happened?"

"Well, when the server brought her salad, Tori didn't like it and y'know... words were said... tables were flipped... and a great man who walked on the Moon got ravioli in his pants."

Tori shouted out, "But that's not fair!"

Jade pointedly retorted, "How's the truth not fair?"

A soft, figurative chill went through the room at how the point was so damning.

The pale teenager slightly turned her head as she continued to direct her smile at Tori. The bell rang and interrupted any kind of explanation Tori could form and deliver.

"Wait, but..." she finally started to speak out, but most of the class was already out the door.

Tori was able to stop her redhead friend before she could exit the classroom. "Cat... you don't think I'm obnoxious and awful, do you?"

Cat mumbled out her unintelligible answer.

Tori softly whispered, "You've got to take that gum out of your mouth."

The redhead pulled the glob of gum out of her mouth and dropped in Tori's right palm. She sadly whispered, "Byeeeeee." She turned and headed out the door.

Tori frowned and looked down at the glob of gum. "I deserve this." She was about to put it in her mouth, but a voice caught her attention, "No you don't."

She looked up to see Freddie standing at the doorway giving her a soft, supportive smile. She timidly whispered out, "I don't?"

His smile grew bigger and softly shook his head. "No, you don't." He motioned his head out the door. "Come on… if you're skipping classes, might as well skip one more… or I can just get a note from Lane. I think he owes you one… or five."

Jet Brew Coffee Shop  
7055 Sunset Blvd.  
Los Angeles, CA

Freddie opened the door for the on the cusp of being a musical sensation and let her walk ahead of him.

She gave him a worried expression as they made their way up to the counter as her appearance drew a number of people's attention, even in Los Angeles. He leaned over and whispered, "What are they going to do? Take a photo of us having coffee then say we're out on a date?"

She slightly frowned at him. The last thing she wanted was for him to be caught up in her mess. She answered with a worried tone, "Yes."

His mind wondered back to what Jade had told him of what she had seen of his counterpart's choice in girls then let out a soft laugh, "Risk I'm willing to take."

Freddie turned to the cashier and the pair quickly ordered their respective drinks. The cashier gave Tori an odd look as she filled the order and Freddie paid for the drinks. Tori quickly turned away to head for an out of the way table under the scrutiny.

The pair took a seat at a far end corner table, but they were still getting a few looks at the light afternoon traffic just after lunch. Freddie saw how it bothered Tori, so he got to his point, "So… how long are you going to keep up this act?"

Tori blinked in surprised as if she hadn't heard him correctly. "What?"

He softly laughed out as he repeated, "How long are you going to keep up this act?"

"Ho-how did you know?!"

He gave her a soft smile. "I think I've just been insulted."

The blonde wigged girl knotted her bow, which would quite an odd sight to see with her pink eyelash extensions.

He let out a quick laugh, "We all know it's an act—okay for some reason Robbie and Rex think you've went nuts and André's on the fence—but it's easy to figure it out… you're Tori. It's not any deeper than that. I figured that Thornesmith put you up to this after he got us out of the office with bibble. I know you can't be fooling your parents or Trina. I doubt you're dressing like this at home." He snorted out a laugh, "I doubt you can wear your cute glasses over those eyelashes."

She let out a relief breath as she felt he had lifted all her worry and weight off of her. She reached over and clasped over his left wrist and desperately spoke, "Oh my God, you have no idea how happy I am that you know the truth." She quickly let go of his wrist, shook her head and pointed out, "But I didn't tell you! I never told you I was faking. You guessed it!"

He softly agreed then asked, "Okay. Now why don't you just stop?"

She blew out a tired breath. "'Cuz if I don't keep acting like a 'bad girl obnoxious rock star' they might drop me from the show."

Freddie let out another chuckle. "How can he do that? It's in two days."

She looked down at her coffee and whispered, "I don't know. I'm scared."

He responded with a sympathetic tone, "Just stop, that's all you have to do. He can't make you do it and he can't take your chance away from you."

The brunette softly whined, "But…"

"Jade's right: you can't start your musical career as a lie. People have to see the real you: the fantastic person we all know and love."

Tori cradled her coffee and looked at the top of it.

Freddie silently and patiently waited as his friend struggled with her decision then realized he had one more card to play. He quietly pointed out, "There's another reason that you have to stop: you don't want to jeopardize your movie. You don't want to make them nervous about when to release it. You played a trouble girl in the movie; you don't want to be think it wasn't acting."

She finally muttered out, "Okay… I'll stop. I'll tell him tomorrow that I can't do this anymore."

The tech-producer cracked a big smile then took a sip of his smoothie. "You won't regret it."

She looked up and seeing the confident smile on Freddie's face, she finally felt better since she started her bad girl act. She snorted out a laugh and returned the smile.

The pair sat in comfortable silence as they shared their respective drinks, ignoring the occasional person taking a photo of them with a cell phone.

In route to West Residence

Freddie was in good spirits after dropping Tori off at her house and his guitar practice with André as he drove Jade and himself home. He softly commented, "I have some good news."

She raised her pierced eyebrow and asked, "What's that?"

"Tori admitted more or less to me that it's an act that Mason's putting her up to it. She's heeding _your_ advice about it being a lie and she's going to tell him tomorrow she's going to stop."

Jade softly teased, "So that's what happened on your 'coffee date' with her?"

"Date? Did you just use the word _'date'_ in the context of me and Tori?"

Jade softly laughed, "The video is already on SplashFace of you two in an intimate corner talking."

Freddie rolled his eyes. "She goes out to lunch with André, it's just lunch. She goes out for _a coffee and a smoothie_ with me and it's a date?"

She softly laughed at taking a little bit of odd pleasure at his predicament, "Yeah." It was an interesting feeling of getting to tease him into jealousy when he was the one 'out' with another girl, _especially_ the one he was with in another universe. She could barely contain her laughter at the irony of the situation from how things were just a year ago.

He slightly frowned then an idea hit him. "No… _we're_ going out on a date. Call your mom and tell her that she doesn't have to wait for us for dinner. Let's head to Nozu?"

The dark brunette smirked as she pulled out her phone. "You do know how to spoil me."

Vega Residence

As soon as Freddie dropped her off at home after their coffee stop, Tori stripped from all the outrageous garb and into a purple shirt with the words 'City of Angels' printed on the front, a matching purple jacket and blue jeans with finishing the relaxed ensemble by putting on her glasses.

She was just about to head downstairs and relax on the couch when her PearPhone rang. She blew out an irritated breath, but was quickly filled with worry as she saw the caller ID. She hesitated for a moment in answering the call, but she knew if she ignored it, he would just call back or maybe send one of his army of assistants to her.

She below out a dreadful breath then answered the call, "Hello Mason."

Mason happily replied, _"Tori! Tori! Tori! I love it! You're really embracing it now!" _

She knotted her borrow behind her glasses. "Love what?"

She heard laughter at the other end of the phone before the record producer continued, _"Oh, you don't have to be coy with me: you skipping school to go out for coffee with your 'friend' that has some notoriety of his own… that happens to be dating—_living with_—your high school rival. My, my Tori, that will catch the headlines."_

Tori's face fell in horror at hearing the news. People in a matter of two hours were already spreading the lie that she was out on a coffee date with Freddie. She quickly rattled off, "No, no, no. Freddie is just my friend. We are not 'seeing' each other—we are not dating."

Another round of laughter then Mason continued, _"I don't care. It's the headlines and buzz it creates. Just keep it up—and make sure to wear the squid dress and meat hat tomorrow. I got to go, later Tori."_

The other end of the phone disconnected and Tori closed her eyes and blew out a breath through her nose. She looked back to her phone and was tempted to dial Freddie's number to let him know what had happened and apologize, but the overwhelming feeling of shame of dragging him into her mess was too much, so she placed her phone on her vanity. She picked up her PearBook and headed down stairs.

Later in the evening, Tori was sitting on the couch closest to the door with her back against the armrest and legs stretched out on it, typing away on her blue cased PearBook resting on her lap.

Trina was in the kitchen preparing something on the kitchen island in a large glass bowl. Once she was done, she turned and placed it on the dining room table.

Tori turned in her seat at hearing Trina place the glass bowl on the dining room table then curiously asked her sister, "What is that?"

Trina took her seat with a large glass bowl filled with a thick white liquid rest in front of her. "A bowl of mayonnaise."

"For what?"

She blew out a tired breath and threw her head back for a moment then impatiently explained, "I read online that soaking your face in mayonnaise for ten minutes a day makes a girl prettier." She looked back to the bowl and dropped her face into it to soak.

Tori didn't have time or the patience to argue as the doorbell rang.

The actor called out from the other side of the door, "Tori, it's Beck."

Tori sat the laptop on the coffee table and got up from her seat to open the door. She softly smiled at her long haired friend as she allowed him inside.

Trina lifted her face out of the bowl to curiously see who was at the door. She took a rag and wiped the mayonnaise out of her eyes to see who was at the door then dryly commented, "Oh hey, Beck... I didn't know you were coming over."

Beck pointed to his own face and commented, "You got a little somethin'..."

Trina flippantly responded, "I know. I'm having a facial."

Beck frowned at the response and flopped her face back into the mayonnaise. He shrugged it off then pulled his black jacket off while delicately keeping his over-shirt in place. He folded his jacket over the backrest of the couch then took a seat next to the lovely, yet sad brunette.

He took a soft breath then commented, "Y'know... for a girl who's about to open the Platinum Music Awards in front of like a billion people, you don't look too happy."

Tori regretful whispered, "I'm not."

"Why?"

She whined out in a depressed tone, "Because I'm acting like a mean bad girl rock star who's now dragging her friend's reputation down with her."

The handsome actor's brow knotted up with expected confusion over the statement. "I don't understand."

Tori sighed as her fingers absently played with one another. "I skipped out of fourth period with Freddie to Jet Brew. He's concerned too and wanted to let me know it was an act—"

"We—_I_ know it's an act," he reassured her with a soft smile. "You wouldn't act like that unless someone was making you."

She let a small smile form on her face from the comfort then continued, "Thanks… anyway… he told me that I should stop acting and just be me, that the world should see the real me and not a lie because I am fantastic as he put it, but…" Her voice dropped to a sorrowful tone, "…people took photos and video and now Mason's told me that it's on the entertainment sites that we skipped out on school so we could go out on a coffee date together behind Jade's back."

Beck blew out an apprehensive breath then answered, "Freddie's a big boy and has made it quite clear that he'll face the downside of the choices he makes; he's done it plenty of times—he lives here now because of it—and I'm sure he'd say that you shouldn't worry about what they say."

Tori nodded her head in knowing that he was right, but a part of her irrational side couldn't shake the remorseful feeling.

Beck gave her his charming smile as he continued, "I know it can be tense at times with me and Freddie and we've had our problems as of late, but I completely agree with him on this one: The world needs to see who you really are 'cuz you're awesome."

An elated smile played on Tori's face then the pair met each other's eyes. A silence fell between them and the next moment the teenagers leaned forward at the same time with Beck ready to gently cup her left cheek, but… Fate stepped in with the front door opening and Mrs. Vega called out while holding a pink box, "Who wants pie?"

"Hi," Beck answered with a startled tone as he turned in his seat away from Tori and to the Vega Matriarch as Tori leapt from her seat turned and dropped her bottom down to the neighboring couch. She put on a forced smile and awkward laugh as she tried to look natural in sitting.

Beck quickly got up rattled off to mother and daughter, "I gotta go."

Mrs. Vega gave a knowing smile, if not somewhat disappointed one, to Beck as he bid a quick farewell with a soft pat on her upper left arm then rushed out the door.

"Okay, later," Tori called out as she got out of her seat and quickly ran up the stairs. She slowed down considerably at the first landing and stretched her arms above her head and faked a yawn which Holly wasn't fooled by for an instant.

She softly shook her head and muttered under her breath, "Why couldn't he have been Freddie?"

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Thursday, April 19, 2012

The day was a sunny one on the Thursday morning. André and Robbie were standing in the middle of the hallway, but the curious thing about the friends hanging together was that Robbie was massaging the songsmith's left hand.

André gave Robbie a curious expression as he asked, "What... I don't get it. What are you doin'?"

Robbie happily answered, "Just giving you a hand massage."

The more muscular teenager pulled his hand away and complained, "Well, stop it."

Cat walked up from behind André with a muscular African-American gentleman handcuffed to her or perhaps she was handcuffed to him.

André cautiously greeted his redheaded friend, "Uh, hello."

Robbie quickly greeted her as well, "Hey, Cat."

"Hiii," she answered with a sad tone.

André thumbed to the African-American gentleman. "Uh, who's the dude?"

"Oh. This is Oliver. My parents hired him to keep me away from bibble."

The songsmith softly laughed and again thumbed over to Oliver to ask, "So he's your bibble guard?"

Oliver snapped off quickly without any apology in his voice, "That's right. I used to have a bibble problem myself and now I help others."

"Can't I just have a little bibble?" Cat asked while softly palming over her stomach with her left hand.

"No, baby. You can't," he answered in a surprisingly sympathetic and gentle tone.

Robbie pulled out a small bag of bibble and offered it to his redheaded friend, "Oh, she can have a little bit. Here, Cat... Here's a bibble to tide you over."

Oliver palm shoved Robbie straight backwards to lay him out on the hallway floor.

"Oh!" Robbie shouted as he hit the floor.

Oliver sternly commented, "No bibble for Cat."

Cat whined out as she turned away to head down the opposite way, "No bibble for Cat."

André softly laughed out as he helped Robbie back to his feet, "You shoulda tried to massage his hand."

* * *

Tori and Beck rounded the corner facing the drink machines to reach her locker. The lovely brunette was dressed in her normal attired, but that didn't make the situation any better for her as her nervous came off of her in figurative waves. It was so apparent that Beck patiently asked, "Stop acting so nervous."

She snapped around and quickly corrected him, "I'm not acting, I'm super nervous."

He held up a hand in hopefully a comforting gesture. "Stop."

"Mason's gonna be here any second with his dumb camera crew to get video of me slapping a delivery man."

"Okay, then you'll just explain to Mason that..."

Mason shouted out as he and his camera crew entered the school and made their way down the hallway, drawing everyone's attention. "Tori!" he happily shouted then slowed down as he saw that she was dressed perfectly normal, "Tori..."

She held up her right hand and nervously returned the greeting with a bright smile, "Hey, Mason."

He angrily snapped back, "Hey, what? Why are you dressed like a pre-turd?" He turned to his assistants. "Did you send her the jellyfish dress... with the tentacles?"

"I did! I swear it!" Chelsea fearfully answered.

"Where's the dress?!"

"And why aren't you wearing the meat hat?" He turned back to his assistants. "Did you send her the meat hat?"

Chelsea snapped back and motioned with her pointer finger over her chest. "Yes! I... I cross me heart!"

Beck respectfully stated, "Tori doesn't wanna wear your jellyfish dress or your meat hat."

"Listen to me, young lady. We have a deal."

Tori desperately retorted, "Look, I don't wanna be your puppet anymore! I don't wanna wear stupid clothes and stupid makeup and I don't wanna be mean or flip tables or dump ravioli down former astronauts' pants!"

"You forgot one."

"What?"

He sneered out and thumbed back, "You're also not going to sing on the Platinum Music Awards. You're out."

The young assistant desperately pointed out, "They're tomorrow night."

Mason turned and snapped back, "I'm aware."

"Beck...?!" Tori turned to Beck.

"Sir, you're not gonna be able to replace Tori that fast."

"Ho-ho, won't I?" he laughed out to challenge that assertion. He turned to his right and caught sight of Jade. "Oh, yeah. You."

Jade's face dropped in surprise and questioned while subconsciously pulling the shoulder strap of her bag tighter on her shoulder, "Who, me?"

He continued with a smug tone, "You gave a rather fantastic audition as I recall."

Jade softly answered with a hint of nervous as she didn't understand why he was making the point, "Thanks."

He started confidently walking towards her and asked, "How would you like to sing the opening number tomorrow night at the Platinum Music Awards?" He turned with a smirk over his face to look at Tori, waiting for his answer.

Beck shouted out in disbelief, "No way."

Jade answered without hesitation or conscious thought, "Absolutely."

Mason offered his right arm for her to take and explained, "Come then, we have much to discuss."

The dark brunette accepted the invitation with a smile then started walking with him as the entourage followed, avoiding looking back at the pair.

Beck forced out a laugh as he looked to Tori, "See?!"

The Boomerang Theater  
1111 South Figueroa Street  
Los Angeles, CA

Jade was looking herself in the mirror after stepping from behind the changing screen to see how she looked wearing the red and purple skirt that Mason had she suggested she try on to wear. She should have felt elated, ecstatic and all the other overwhelming happy emotions at getting the chance to sing the opening number to the awards, but there was a figurative cloud hanging over the dressing room dragging her down.

The feeling was too much for her to take and she hissed out as she nearly felt her boyfriend brooding (and apparently deep in thought) as he sat on the armrest of the couch, "Stop it."

He lifted his head and softly questioned, "Stop what?"

She motioned a hand up and down towards him and snapped, "This… this brooding… for trying to make me feel guilty for saying yes."

He knotted his brow and gave her a genuine confused expression. "I don't want you to feel guilty… _I'm_ feeling guilty. I told Tori that she wouldn't regret being herself and now—"

"She got kicked off and it's tearing you up? That _Tori_ losing out is tearing you up?"

He knotted his brow in annoyance, apparently not appreciating the underlining accusation that he was picking Tori over her, then quickly retorted, "And that _bastard_ trying to twist your dream of being a professional performer into something you're not like he just did to Tori—to try to make you live the lie."

She sucked in a sharp breath as he had turned her words on her that she spoke days ago.

He pushed on, "He is going to try to use you just like he did to her for the last few days. I'm wazzed off that he's trying to use you as a pawn just to make himself rich like he just tried to do with Tori. I want people to see you like I do, like you made André see when you sang his semester song for him."

She slightly frowned in confusion from the turn in the conversation. "See me? André?"

Freddie took a soft breath then let it out, "When you sang to him, you dropped your guard and he saw what I see every day and for a day or two… he thought he fell in love with you… the girl in his song 'Three Hundred Sixty-Five Days' _is you_. He's talking about himself chasing after you. He was singing it _to you_. You made that kind of impression on him and I want everyone to see that, not this act that Mason wants you to put up."

"André wrote that song about _me_? _What?_"

"I confronted him after you and the others ran to get some spaghetti tacos because when he was singing it, he was looking straight at you a number of times. He admitted it and that's why he acted so odd after your recording. It's what I and Tori got in our disagreement about before the performance: she was trying to help him get over you before he let it slip out."

The dark brunette slightly frowned in confusion. "How could that make you mad at her?"

He snorted a soft laugh that caught her off guard then he continued, "I was told she dressed up and pretend to be you to convince André why he wouldn't want to date a girl like you… you can imagine how offended I was by that idea and why I wouldn't be happy with her. It sounded far too much like Sam and Carly."

Jade looked down to the floor and took several calming breaths as she processed that revelation and the point he was trying to make. The couple remained silent for what seemed like minutes, but were only scant seconds. She softly mumbled out, refusing to meet his eyes, "What do you want me to do then? You have no right to ask me to give this up no matter what Mason's trying to pull. I'm too close and that won't do Tori any good. Is that the right thing you want me to do?" She sucked in a sharp breath as soon as the words left her mouth. She had stabbed at his Achilles' Heel that she had accused Carly of taking advantage after New Year's: get his sense of right and wrong on the other side of who he loved then play both sides off one another… that's how you truly manipulate Freddie into doing what you want.

Freddie took a sharp breath then got up from his seat on the arm rest and walked over to her. He softly placed his hands on her upper arms until she looked up at him. "What I want is _both_. I want the right thing and you to be happy, but… I would not—I _will not_ ask you to give up this chance."

She looked up to him with a hesitant expression, "Then what do you want me to do?"

"For the moment… play the part until I figure out how I'm going to make this right for _everyone_. I got an idea for the moment, but…"

"But what?"

"It might not work, but here's the important 'but': however this plays out, I want you to promise me one thing."

She furled her brow and cautiously asked, "What?"

"You will be on that stage tomorrow night. Promise me; promise me you'll be up there to perform for the world to see, whatever happens over the next twenty-four hours and then we'll figure out everything after that."

The look in his eyes told her that he was desperate for her agree. She whispered in a near hallowed voice, "I promise."

He cracked a soft smile then lifted his chin so he could kiss her forehead. "That's the most important thing," he whispered as his lips were still pressed to her forehead. He pulled slightly back to meet her eyes and finished, "I failed you on New Year's Eve; I will not fail you again."

She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him into a deep kiss, catching the tech-producer off guard. He closed his eyes and returned the kiss. She pulled away and cracked a smile while looking in his eyes. "You've never failed me… you do what you have to do."

He snorted out a soft laugh then said, "I love you."

"I love you too."

He regretfully pulled away then headed out the door.

The pale girl let out a soft breath then looked back to the mirror to judge whether she liked the skirt or not… she was leaning towards not.

A few moments later, there was a knock on her door then Mason calling out, "Can I come in?"

"Yes," she absently answered while still looking in the mirror. She had decided that shade of red was not her color.

The door opened and Mason smiled as he happily spoke, "Ah, don't you look lovely?"

The green streaked hair girl cracked a forced smile and answered in a diplomatic tone, "If you think so."

"Well, there's another skirt that I want you to try on, the blue one. I think it matches your skin tone better."

She cracked a soft smile as she replied, "I've been told that once or twice." She nodded to his suggestion and continued, "I'll get Cat to get it for me."

He toned slacked into a more serious one, but still tried to carry with it a bit levity, "Good, because there's something else that I wanted to talk to you about."

"Yes?" she slowly questioned.

"It's about Freddie…"

Her pulse quickly quickened at him bringing up his name. "Freddie? What about my boyfriend?"

"Your _live-in_ boyfriend, that obviously plays up the image we need right now for the buzz about you and how rebellious you obvious can be with living with a guy at your age, but…"

She softly furled her bow and slowly questioned, "What?"

"I'm just saying that there will come a point where you might have to… ah shall we say… move on from him to protect your image. Despite recent events that I've read about him, he's still associated with a… 'kids'' show and you can't afford to let him drag down your more mature image we're going to create for you."

Jade clenched her jaw tightly shut to prevent herself from telling him that he could go straight to Hell. She took several calm breaths and remembered what she had promised Freddie. She forced a smile and answered with a sweet tone, "This has nothing to do with the fact that he helped Ginger Fox? Her being on a rival label?"

Mason let out a forced laugh, "Oh of course not. I'm just trying to protect your image and well… then there's the fact that he was just caught going out on a date with Tori. I'm obviously concerned with some divided loyalties."

The dark brunette grinned at him. "I've always been concerned she'd try to move in on my man… she hinted at it with my ex, but… Freddie isn't going to be living me with too much longer right? You'll obviously be moving me out to a better place? Where it's easier to manage my image?"

He smirked and nodded along, assuming that she was being far more willing to cooperate with him than had Tori second guessing him. "Right, absolutely. I plan to set you up in a fantastic place with you own recording studio if you want."

"What about my mom? I won't be eighteen for almost another three months; she might not be happy with me moving out."

He gave her a near sinister grin. "Don't you worry about a thing; I'll make sure your mother isn't a problem."

Jade forced the biggest and fakest smile in her life on her face to placate the producer in reassuring him.

* * *

Freddie cut through the back stage to head for an exit, but caught up with Cat, Oliver, Ava and Dusty. Cat had not been the only one to decide to support Jade instead of going to Tori's house. Ava had showed up with Dusty in tow or more likely he gave her a ride. No one questioned them arriving together, but Freddie had caught the briefest of moments of disapproval on Cat's face.

Freddie stopped as he saw while Cat was munching on a bowl of chips set out, Dusty and Oliver just stared at one another. He leaned over and whispered his question to the short brunette, "What are they doing?"

Ava blew out a quick breath through her parted lips and answered with a tired tone, "They're just staring at one another. They've been at it for the last fifteen minutes."

"Yeah, it's getting quite annoying," Oliver spoke up with an annoyed expression on his face.

Dusty quickly retorted, "Well I'm still trying to figure out why a grown man is handcuffed to an underage girl."

Oliver frowned. "I told you: I'm here to keep her away from the bibble."

"Yeah, but you're still a grown man handcuffed to an underage girl and not leaving her side. You don't see the problem with that? How does she go to the bathroom?"

Oliver frowned while Cat obliviously enjoyed the tray of snacks.

Freddie shook his head then turned to head out. It was that motion that finally caught the redhead's attention and she curiously asked, "Where are you going?"

He let out a nervous smile and answered, "I just have to run a quick errand and I'll be right back." He turned away and started head out of the backstage and towards one of the exits.

Dusty called out with a worried expression, "Freddie?" then jogged to catch up with him.

The more muscular teenager blew out a soft breath then met his friend's eyes.

The Southern teenager frowned as he cautiously continued, "You look like you're about to walk into trouble… you're not heading into some kind of fight are you?"

"No, I'm not planning to get into one, but…" Freddie slightly frowned then continued, "During Easter Break, Mary said that she didn't think we were really friends… that Jade and I only call you when we need something. She might be right, but…"

Dusty knotted his brow that tidbit of information, but quickly filed it away for another time as he let Freddie continue, "…I have to ask you for one more thing… something very important."

"Okaaaay."

"Whatever happens—whatever happens between now and when the awards show start, please make sure that Jade is on that stage to perform."

If possible, the Southern teenager gave even a greater look of concern. He took a deep breath and studied his friend for a moment then finally answered, "Okay, I will. I'll do everything I can to make sure she performs, but you do realize with how you are asking me this? You need to know that I'm assuming that includes me having to worry about you? That I'll stand in _your way_ if it comes down to it… that I can put you down."

Freddie cracked a relieved smile and whispered, "I'm counting on it if what I plan to do blows up in my face."

Dusty took a sharp breath then gave him a respective nod of his head. He quietly asked, "What are you going to do?"

Freddie answered with a resigned expression, "Hopefully the right thing."

The statement didn't reassure the slightly older teenager, but caused him to grow more concerned about his friend.

The former Seattleite turned and asked one last favor, "Dusty, could you say a little prayer to you mother for me too? It helped last time."

The corner of his mouth lifted and gave another nod as he reassured his friend, "Yeah, I will."

"Thanks," he answered as his farewell then headed out towards an exit.

Vega Residence

Tori was sitting at the end of the dining room table with a hotdog in her left hand while Trina sat to her left… with her face stuffed in a big glass bowl of mustard. The younger Vega sister regretfully commented, "I mean, obviously, I'm sad I'm not gonna be on the show, but I'm kinda proud that I stood up for myself and..." She trailed off as she looked to her sister. "…is that really helping anything?"

Trina lifted her face from the glass bowl of mustard and turned her face to Tori's direction. "They say mustard retards pimples."

Tori took the end of her hotdog and scooped off some mustard off of her sister's face. She took a bit of the mustard covered end of her hotdog.

The older sister snorted out a breath then took a towel to wipe off her face. Once she cleaned enough off of her face so she wouldn't be dripping a condiment all over the place, she continued, "I don't get it Tori. I told you it was all about the razzle-dazzle and he was doing all the work for you? Why give it up?"

Tori turned in her seat to directly look at her sister. "Because I wanted to be myself and people know me for my music, not the 'razzle-dazzle'."

"I thought it was about being a star?"

She answered with a soft, regretful tone, "At what price?"

Trina slightly frowned as she thought on her words then placed her face back in the bowl of mustard. That question rattled in her head as she soaked her face.

A few moments later the doorbell rang. The older Vega sister shot up from her chair and ran towards her room. "Oh God, people!"

Tori softly rolled her eyes as she stood up from her chair and headed for the door. She opened it to see the smiling face of André. "Hey."

"Hey, I brought you a present," he softly laughed out as he held out a stuffed doll dog.

She raised a curious eyebrow and questioned, "A stuffed dog?"

"A special stuffed dog. Check him out." He turned something on the stomach of the toy then sat it in the middle of the floor. The dog started rolling over, back and forth.

Tori commented with a frightful expression on her face, "That's truly frightening."

The songsmith looked down at the toy and quickly agreed, "Yeah, that's a sick toy, isn't it?"

The doorbell rang again and Tori sighed out, "Ulch. One sec." She walked over and opened the door again to see Beck holding a small, potted plant and Robbie with a small aqua colored bag.

Tori motioned for them to come inside. "Hello boys. Come in."

"Thanks."

Beck smiled as he held up a potted plant. "I brought you a plant."

Robbie quickly followed and explained as he pulled an item out of the bag, "I brought you a little chocolate leaf blower."

Tori pointed to it in disbelief. "That's chocolate?"

The ventriloquist softly laughed, "Yeah, taste it!"

"No!"

Robbie frowned in disappointment and lowered it away from her face. She shook her head and closed the door then looked to her 'boys' and commented with a tired voice, "You guys. Listen. I really appreciate you coming over here to try and cheer me up, but I'm fine."

The toy on the ground continued to roll and bark on the floor. André stooped over and picked up the toy from the floor and played with the controls on the 'stomach' of the dog. "Sorry. I'm not too sure how this puppy works..."

"Turn it off!" Tori quickly demanded.

"Right, uh."

"I got it." Beck took the stuffed animal from André and walked to the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and threw it inside then closed the door behind him.

Robbie pointed to the open PearBook resting on the counter. "Hey, Cat wants to video chat you." He clicked a button and the next moment a video chat window opened to show the lovely redhead's face.

Cat happily addressed her friends, _"Hiiiiii!"_

"Hey, cutie," Robbie replied with a smile.

"Hi, Cat."

"Hey girl," André followed up with a laugh.

"_You remember Oliver,"_ she introduced the muscular bibble sponsor.

The muscular gentleman gave a polite wave and answered, _"Hi everyone."_

Tori softly laughed, "Cat... where are you?"

"_Uhhh... I'm in the bathtub. La lala lala lala..." _

Tori let out a soft laugh, "Cat, you're not in the bathtub!"

Oliver leaned forward to get in the frame of the web camera. _"We're backstage at the Boomerang Theater." _

Tori whined out softly, "Cat, you don't have to lie. It's okay if you're with Jade helping her get ready for the show tomorrow night."

Cat asked with a sad tone, _"You're sure you're not mad at me?"_

"I'm sure."

"_Good. Bring me some bibble. You're my only hope." _

Oliver interrupted and demanded, _"No bibble!" _

"_Oliverrrrrrr!"_ Cat shouted in frustration.

Tori smiled as she answered, "Cat, I'm not getting you bibble. Anything else?"

"_No—oh! Jade said you guys are invited to come here and watch her rehearse." _

"Ah, no thanks," Tori answered with an embarrassed tone. She looked to her left and asked André, "You guys wanna go watch her?"

He cautiously asked, "Rehearse for the Platinum Music Awards? Noooo."

"Oh, no."

The songsmith reassured her, "Nuh-uh. We came here to hang with you."

Tori shrugged her shoulders and awkwardly commented, "If you wanna go you can go."

The pair looked to one another then each kissed her cheek on their respective side. They shouts mixed up, "Thanks! Yay!" as they dashed through the living room and out the door.

Tori shouted out, "Wait, you left your dog in the freezer!"

Robbie grabbed the bag with the chocolate leaf blower.

The brunette shouted out in disbelief as Robbie closed the door behind him (due to an editing error, the door closed behind him, the bag was still in its original place), "You're taking my chocolate leaf blower?!" She groaned out in annoyance and tumbled over the backrest of the couch onto it then rolled off to the floor.

* * *

Freddie tried his best to keep his nerves in check as he maneuvered his Charger through the Los Angeles' night. He was angry, heartbroken and confused and felt that one little misstep could cause his life to come crashing down around him just as it did the day Carly and Sam found him in Los Angeles and nearly so during New Year's. The feelings were nearly the same ones he felt as he left Jade during New Year's and would have been outright so if he didn't have the reassurance that at least Jade would perform one way or the other tomorrow night. It was the one shining hope in the chizz situation that he couldn't screw up Jade's chance. The only feeling he was missing for the moment was the sheer, outright rage he had felt at Nora's, but he felt that was going to bubble up soon directly towards Mason.

"Hi Freddie," Anna's voice softly called out from the passenger seat.

Freddie suddenly jerked the wheel and slightly swerved the vehicle in complete surprise before correcting.

The redheaded angel softly commented with a hint of a smirk on her face, "Smooth Freddie."

Freddie asked with a sharp and irritated tone, "Have you ever tried calling ahead?"

Anna cracked a soft smile as she answered, "I like the element of surprise."

He took several soft breaths to calm his nerves then quietly asked, trying to test an angel of all things, "I see you got your son's prayer?"

She softly laughed and looked out of the passenger window. The passenger window moved down on its own and the redhead stuck her hand out. She moved it up and down as her hand cut through the air. "I wanted to be here for some moral support."

"Moral support?"

"Yes. I can see your anger, confusion… heartbreak. I wanted to let you know that you're not alone."

Freddie remained quiet as he drove. Apparently the angel was content with riding in the passenger seat and her hand acting as an airfoil.

The brown eyed teenager finally whispered in a fearful voice, "How's this going to end Anna?"

She pulled her hand back into the vehicle and the window went back up. She took an unneeded breath then exhaled as she spoke, "I could give you some cryptic answer about how everyone's Freewill choice interacting with one another to bring about an unknowable outcome?"

"Isn't that what you just gave me?"

"I suppose so."

"But it really isn't a mystery for you is it?"

"No it's not."

Freddie took a soft breath then asked, "Just tell me that this is going to work out for Jade to be able to perform."

She softly challenged, "Why should she get to perform? After all, Tori was the one that was fairly chosen and should be up on that stage tomorrow night… and in your heart you know that's the right thing. Mason shouldn't be able to change his mind like that and take it away from her even if it is giving the opportunity to Jade."

He frowned as he gripped his steering wheel tightly. "To quote _your son_, maybe I want to 'throw away my faith just to keep her safe'? Maybe I don't give one damn about the right thing and just want this for her? That I want her dream to come true and to Hell with everything else?"

She turned her head and looked to him with a teasing smile, "Like everyone wanted you to do so you could date Sam?" Her smile faded as she asked, "But if you really believe that… why are we on our way to Tori's house?"

He let out a soft breath and his shoulders slumped as he barely paid attention to his driving for a moment. Fortunately for him in a sense, God was his co-pilot at the moment.

He sucked in a sharp breath and turned his attention back to his driving. He whispered out in a harsh tone, "It's not fair."

The redheaded angel answered in a comforting voice, "Life's not fair, but that's the price for Freewill. It's up to you and Jade on how this is going to turn out for the both of you and what each of you is willing to accept from the other."

Freddie contemplated on her words as he was less than a minute away from the brunette's house and the soft fluttering sound of air on his right signaling the angel's departure.

The Boomerang Theater  
1111 S Figueroa Street  
Los Angeles, CA

Ava and Dusty looked on as the redheaded argued with her bibble caretaker. The Southern teenager softly shook his head and idly commented to the brunette, "I don't get it, Mary eats it just fine and she's not like that."

Cat whined out again, "Can't I just have one handful?"

"The answer is no."

"But I just..."

Jade walked around the side entrance to the part of the back stage and called out holding up the purple and red skirt she had just tried on, "Cat."

"Oh hey."

She handed the skirt to the redhead and continued, "Take this. Now Mason wants me to try on the blue skirt."

Cat took the skirt and asked, "Why, he doesn't like this one?"

Oliver took it from Cat to examine it and commented, "I think this skirt is pretty."

Jade whispered out with an irritated tone, "Just go get the blue one."

"Come on, Oliver."

The gentleman complained, "First we had to get the red skirt now we gotta go get the blue skirt..."

"Life is hard," the redhead mumbled as she led the caretaker.

Jade walked passed them and ignored the other two's presence as she walked over to the makeup station and had a seat. She pulled out a makeup pencil, but stopped as she noticed that the laptop where Cat had been chatting with Tori still displaying on screen the Vega living room. Jade looked on with a curious expression at seeing Beck and Tori were sitting on the left handed couch closest to the door.

This also drew the attention of the pair and walked to watch with her.

Vega Residence

Beck spoke to Tori while the pair sat on the left handed couch, "I shoulda just kept my mouth shut."

"No, you and Freddie were right. I mean, if I'm gonna be successful, I want it to be 'cuz of my talent not for throwing tantrums and wearing meat hats."

"Well... can't you be famous for your music and wear a meat hat? Seriously, meat whenever you want." He softly laughed as motioned pulling something out of an imaginary hat he was wearing, "Just... right out of your hat."

"Right out of my hat?"

He let out a second soft and reassuring laugh, "Right out of your hat into your mouth."

"Simple as that?" the brunette nervously laughed out.

Beck gently answered while patting her arm resting on top of the backrest of the couch then he started to lean towards her, "So..."

"Yeah...?" she nervously asked as he started to lean in for a kiss.

* * *

On the other side of the computer connection, Jade's eyes opened up in shock at the sight.

* * *

Tori was about to say something, but the front door opened again and an outraged voice called out, "You son-of-a-bitch!"

Beck quickly turned then stood up from his seat to see Freddie looking at him in cold rage. "This is what you do? You try to take advantage of the situation by trying to get in her pants!"

The long haired clenched his jaw tightly then snapped back, "You have no idea what you're talking about."

Freddie laughed out, but it wasn't a jolly tone, but a disbelieving one, "Oh, I don't? It doesn't look like you're trying to put your moves on her right after she lost her place at the Platinum Music Awards? 'Oh Tori, I know you're upset, so why don't we make out so you can feel better'?"

Beck snapped back, "Just like you 'put the moves' on Jade while I was in Yerba? Are you sure you didn't fuck her while I was gone and it wasn't that first time when Carly and Sam showed up?"

The former Seattleite clenched his teeth then hissed out with a dark glare, "Walk away… before you have to be carried you away."

Beck softly shook his head. "No, you don't get to tell me who I get to pursue, so you need go Freddie… back to the theater, to Jade's or Seattle, I don't care right now as long as you butt your nose out of my business."

"That's not going to happen. I warned you not to emotionally take advantage of her, so no… I'm not walking away. You're not doing this today."

He took a step forward with barely any space between the pair and stared harshly at the taller teenager. "I have let things slide and slide and slide with you: you hurt Jade before and after you broke up and I did nothing; you get away with grabbing her and dragging her into the janitor's closet without her permission and I did nothing; you hurt Trina and I did nothing; you get away with posting a video of Jade pretending to get shot in the head and cost Dusty TheSlap and I did nothing… no more. I am not going to let you hurt one more person that I love… I'm not going to let you add Tori as another notch to your belt. So, walk out that door _while you still can_."

Beck slightly shook his head while he met the stare and dismissively retorted, "You're not pushing me around or _bullying_ me and you're not telling me who I can or can't see."

"Fine… have it your way."

Tori looked on in outright fear as she knew in her soul that this was it, they were finally going to settle everything between them. She felt that should try to defuse the situation, but her instincts told her to stay back just for her sheer safety.

They stared at one another for a few more moments then, whether it was one of them seeing something in the other's eye or just lost all his patients, both teens took a step back and swung hard at the other's face at basically the same time.

A fist collided on each of the teenager's right cheeks.

Freddie barely jerked his head to the side from the impact while Beck stumbled backwards a few feet before regaining his balance. The longer haired teenager clenched his fist tight to suppress the pain as it did hurt to punch the more muscular teenager. He realized for the first time that he stories about Freddie's durability were more than just stories.

He looked back to Freddie and the Seattle native clenched his jaw tightly and a soft growl came from his throat. He didn't look like he was fazed at all by Beck's punch.

Jade and Ava threw their hands up to cover their respective ears as Dusty shouted from the other end of the connection, "Keep your left up! Keep your left up!"

Whether Freddie heard him or not was irrelevant as he raised his left forearm and blocked the taller teenager coming at him and swing which he followed up with putting all his power into a right hook.

Beck spun in place, flinging blood about from his busted lip and staggered away towards the kitchen table. Freddie was on him in an instant and slipped his fingers into Beck's fluffy hair. He slammed Beck's face into the table and the actor's forehead smacked hard on the tabletop. Freddie yanked back hard and flung the leaner teenager towards the floor.

Freddie dropped on top of Beck just like Shelby did to her opponent in her championship fight and partly pinned his arms down with a shine and other knee then started swinging as hard as he could at Beck's face with each fist as memory after memory started flashing through his mind.

_Jade looked up with bloodshot eyes and makeup running down her cheeks. "I didn't want anyone cool to see me like this."_

He swung his left and blood went flying from Beck's nose.

_The bathroom was completely dark and it was only for the hallway light that he could see that Jade wrapped her arms around her shins and held her knees to her chest while sitting in the center of the bathroom rocking back and forth. Jade's eyes were completely bloodshot and looked like she had run out of tears with the puffiness under her eyes._

Freddie swung his right and ignored the sound of bone cracking as the strike probably broke Beck's nose.

"_Are you sure, because it was my understanding that the banana—" A pop sounded and Jade collapsed, gurgling out a sound from her throat to sprawl out on the floor as if she had been shot in the head._

_Beck turned away as Jade got up from the floor and asked, "How is it that I'm playing the dumb girl?"_

He threw another left and sent more blood flying from Beck's split lip.

"HEY!" Mister Vega shouted as he wrapped his arms under one of Freddie's arm pits and the other over his chest. He jerked backwards and pulled Freddie off Beck, all the while still swinging and kicking to try to hit the downed actor.

"Let me go! Let me go!"

Beck rolled to his side and faced planted on the floor as he coughed up blood onto the living room floor. Tori was immediately by the fallen actor's side, resting a hand on his shoulder and softly rubbing his back with the other.

The police detective latched on for deal life to the muscular teenager and shouted, "Enough Freddie, enough." He had to speak a silent prayer in hopes that Freddie would settle down as he realized he was in a losing battle with the struggling teenager.

Tori shouted, "Please Freddie! Stop!"

The shouting from his daughter apparently worked as Freddie ceased his struggles with him and the tech-producer took several calming breaths to try to come down from the adrenalin high.

"Okay, okay," Freddie shouted and raised his hands up.

Mister Vega waited a few moments then let the teenager go so that they could both stand.

By this time Trina and Mrs. Vega had reached the bottom floor as he asked the teenager while pointing to Beck, "What in the Hell is this about?"

Freddie raised the side of his bloody knuckled hand to his mouth then answered after a few more calming breaths. "He tried to take advantage of Tori."

The police detective was caught off guard by the explanation and in that moment Mrs. Vega spoke up, "What do you mean 'take advantage'?"

He turned to the matriarch of the home and calmly explained, "I walked in here and I saw him make his moves on her while she justifiably upset about losing her spot at the PMAs. I told him he wasn't going to do that, he didn't like it then we started throwing punches. _He lost_."

He took another deep breath then finished, "Mrs. Vega, I've had to watch him hurt Jade time and again and swallow it down without being able to do anything just to keep the peace. I had to watch him hurt Trina and get away with it too, but I couldn't do it again. I was not going to let him hurt Tori, like I've watched him hurt them. He hasn't changed not one bit and was just taking advantage of the situation of losing her spot to make his moves on her."

Trina bowed her head as she remembered the feelings of humiliation that Beck caused my making her look stupid in front of her father.

Beck pulled himself up to a sitting position with Tori's help and wiped the blood away from his mouth. His right cheek looked like it was already starting to swell as he uttered out in his defense, "I wasn't trying to take advantage of Tori. I was just trying to comfort and support her. Everyone else had left and decided to support Jade."

Freddie looked down at the sitting actor and snapped back, "Yeah, like when you saw her upset about Fawn, but just ridiculed her for it and didn't believe her? I'm the one that had to hold her as she completely broke down while you took it all as a joke. Or how about you dragging her into the janitor's closet before Easter Break without her permission? You may get pissed off with Dusty always bringing it up, but he's right: you still haven't learned the concept of a girl telling you no, so I'm not sorry I don't trust you not to hurt her. If I have to beat the meaning of the word into you, _I will_."

Beck took several breaths through his mouth as he glared up at Freddie.

Their staring contest was cut off quickly with Holly calling out in a stern voice to grab her husband's attention, "David."

Her tone was not a common one that he heard, so it concerned him immediately, "Yes?"

She motioned her head towards Beck and calmly stated, "I want him out of my house."

Mister Vega nodded his head, knowing that he was not going to argue with his wife over the matter. He slipped his arms under Beck's armpits and helped the teenager to his feet. He muttered out, "Come on, I'll take you to the hospital."

The lean teenager was about to protest, but the police detective cut him off, "You can let me take you get check out or you can leave in handcuffs… after I taser you; it's your choice."

Beck held up the top of his hand to his nose to try to steam the bleeding as an excuse not to argue. Mister Vega fortunately already had his keys on him, so they immediately headed for the door. Once the pair exited and closed the door behind them, Freddie looked to Tori.

The younger Vega sister looked at him in return with her conflicted expression while crossing her arms under her chest. He stated in a firm voice, "I'm not apologizing for trying to protect you and I don't care how mad you are at me right now, but you got to put that aside for right now."

"Why?" she snapped out in a far louder tone than she intended and immediately put on a regretful expression.

"Because I have an idea to beat Mason and get the last laugh for everyone."

All three Vegas looked to him with confused expressions.

West Residence

Freddie blew out a tired breath as he entered through the kitchen door about half an hour after his fight with Beck. He just wanted to get a good meal and just kill a few hours playing World of Warlords, however that was put on hold as soon as he was several steps into the kitchen; Jade was waiting at the threshold between it and the living room.

The dark brunette crossed her arms under her chest and just looked at her boyfriend.

He lazily asked, "What?"

She raised her pierced eyebrow and questioned in mild disbelief, "What? What? Is that all you have to say?"

He gave her a guarded expression and answered in a calm voice as he assumed she knew what had happened somehow even if he didn't understand how, "Okay, I kicked Beck's ass. I should have done it along time ago."

She asked in a quiet tone, "For Tori?"

Freddie slightly frowned, but calmly replied, "To stop him from hurting her… if I stood by one more time and let him do what I know he was about to do then I'm no different than Carly when she stood by and let Sam hurt me. You know he hasn't changed… you know he hasn't learned anything or he wouldn't have waited until right now to try something with her."

Jade took a step back and sucked in a breath.

The brown eyed teenager bowed his head and let out a weary breath. "Tori was just the straw that broke the camel's back. You caring about him is the only reason, _the only reason_, I haven't done it sooner for _all the pain_ he's caused you. I should have done it that night he said he had been talking to Carly the entire time." He pointed to the side of his head as he continued, "All those times he hurt you ran through my head as I was pounding his face." He growled out, "You get that say of letting it go with Beck, but you _don't_ get a say if he's going to hurt my friends. She was not going to be another notch in his belt." He finished in disgust, "I shouldn't have let him get away with it with Trina."

"He's right," Mrs. West spoke up with a soft laugh to her voice that caught the couple's attention. She walked up behind Jade and stopped next to her to continue with a pleasant tone, "I think he's been beyond patient in respecting your wishes. You can't tell him he has to give Beck a free pass on what he does to others just because you use to be with him."

Jade looked away from her mother and muttered, "You're just saying that because you don't like Beck."

The pale beauty answered with a short tone, "I'm your mother; I don't have to be fair to the boy that broke my daughter's heart… or to the boy that put it back together."

Jade cracked a soft smile then weakly responded to Freddie without meeting his eyes, "I wasn't necessarily complaining that you did it, just…"

Freddie tenderly asked, "What?"

She looked up at him and her blue eyes seemed so weary to him. "Why did it have to get to that point? How did it get to that point?"

Anna's words about their individual Freewills interacting came to mind. He answered with a solemn tone, "He made his choices since you broke up and I made my choices and I couldn't have made any different ones and still have been me… would you really respected me if I made any other choice? Would I have still been your Freddie?"

Jade cleared her throat and apparently dropped the matter as she asked with a calm and deliberate voice, "So your plan? You really think something that simple will work?"

He didn't ask how she had found out or why she dodged the question, but just ignored it for the time being and answered, "I don't know, but it does have the advantage of simplicity compared to some of the other crazy schemes that I've been apart of… unless you don't want to be a part of it? It really is up to you."

The green streaked hair girl took a soft breath then let it out slowly as she met her boyfriend's eyes.

Boomerang Theater  
1111 S Figueroa St  
Los Angeles, CA  
Friday, April 20, 2012

The attractive young woman stage manager walked across the stage to the right side back stage and called out over her microphone, "Check one. Check, check one. Twelve minutes away, people. Going live in twelve."

Cat and Oliver were backstage visiting with Jade before the show while still arguing over bibble. The redhead wore a cute pink sweetheart neckline dress with a puffy skirt.

Oliver desperately asked, "What don't you understand?"

Cat softly whined, "Why can't you just let me smell some bibble?"

"You can't even have a whiff of bibble. It's too sweet. It's too good."

André softly asked his redhead friend as he approached with Robbie, both sharply dressed in suits, "Hey, what's up Cat?"

Robbie quickly followed up, "Hey, little red thing."

"Hiiii."

The songsmith motioned with his right hand towards the redhead and asked, "So where's Jade?

Cat pointed passed the boys and eagerly answered, "You can't talk to her; she's over there getting ready."

Jade was dressed up in a sweetheart neckline feathery pink dress with a metal partial corset with a silver wrapping covering some more of her upper chest to prevent seeing any cleavage that extended to cover her left arm. The outfit was complete with a large pink wig and some silver geometric shaped headpiece.

"C'mon everyone. I'll take you to our seats." She turned and led her friends to the side entrance.

Oliver called out, "I get the aisle seat."

Cat happily offered, "You can have the aisle seat. For bibble!"

Oliver shouted in return, "No!"

"Dang it!"

The wardrobe lady politely commented as she tried to adjust the back of her dress, "I'm gonna go get some safety pins for you to hold that down."

"Thanks," she politely answered with a hesitant nod.

The wardrobe lady and her assistant turned away from the outrageously dressed teen and slipped to the side exit next to the makeup station. Jade turned and looked at herself in the mirror, absently playing with the strands of her wig with her nail extenders. She was so caught up in her thoughts about how ridiculous she looked, she failed to hear Tori and Freddie approach from the side entrance.

Tori laughed out, "Wow... incredible outfit."

The pale teenager kept her focus on the mirror as she answered, "I look like an idiot."

Tori nervously laughed out, "A... pretty pink idiot... with a... thing on her head."

Freddie cracked a small smile as he commented, "And you're still beautiful to me."

The made up girl returned the soft smile and whispered, "Thanks… both of you." She looked to Tori and gently asked, "You ready to do this?"

Tori's voice was laced with fear as she quietly asked, "Are you sure about this?"

She passed Freddie a quick glance then looked back to the brunette. She answered with just a fearful voice, "Yeah… this was supposed to be your night. This was your big chance, for me to go out there… I can't do that to a friend."

Tori and Jade shared a bashful smile and expression.

* * *

The stage manger walked out from the side entrance of the stage towards the announcer as she shouted, "Fifteen seconds!" She stopped at the well dressed announcer's podium and asked, "You ready?"

The announcer eagerly answered, "Waiting for my cue."

She quickly turned away as Jade walked up to behind the announcer and asked him with a grin plastered on her face, "Hey, Rick. Did you get the script change?"

He nearly panicked for a moment as he responded, "Script change? No."

Jade blew out an exhausted breath, "Ah, those guys. Give me that." She quickly took the pen and scribbled something then turned to walk to the side entrance. She took only a few steps before stopping and gave him a wicked smile. "Have a good show."

He looked down at what she wrote and answered, "Uh..." He turned to his left and finished as she continued on her way, "…you, too!"

* * *

The group of teenagers along with Mrs. West (dressed in an eye catching black dress and already mistaken for Jennifer Connelly several times) was seated in the first and second rows waiting for the show to begin. Cat looked around to the other audience members and called out, "Does anyone have any bibble?"

Oliver looked to his charge and desperately retorted, "No! You gotta stop chasin' that snack."

She whined out, "But it huuuurts."

Ava rolled her eyes at how ridiculous Cat was reacting to the lost of bibble. She idly commented, "You're really going through withdrawal?"

Cat looked over her shoulder and nodded to the brunette with a pitiful expression. Ava glanced to Dusty for help, but the Southern teenager (standing out from the others as he was practically wearing the same outfit he wore at Maestro's) was too busy desperately trying to hold back a laugh as he looked to Beck wearing a protective nose piece, a cut lip, bruised cheeks and two black eyes. _'Not so pretty now are you Pretty Boy?'_ crossed the lean teenager's mind that he desperately wanted to say, but Ava had to gently squeeze his hand to try to further encourage him not to say anything. Mrs. West unknowingly to the teenagers held the same sentiment and trying not to visibly take pleasure at seeing the boy that broke her daughter's heart had his face being broken.

* * *

The stage manager started counting down with her fingers, "We're live in five... four... three... two..."

Rick immediately picked up, "Welcome to the Thirty-Fourth Annual Platinum Music Awards! Live from the Boomerang Theater in Hollywood!"

The entire crowd started politely clapping then almost immediately ceased.

Robbie pointed out with a cheerful tone, "Jade must be so excited!"

Rex shouted out, "Hey, can I get a hot dog?"

The ventriloquist hushed the puppet, "Shh."

* * *

Mason excitedly voiced towards Chelsea, "And here we go..."

The announcer continued, "Ladies and gentlemen... for their first worldwide, live performance... please welcome... Tori Vega and Jade West!"

The screen parted to reveal Tori and Jade standing side by side. The brunette wore a nervous expression while the pale teenager wore a completely comfortable expression. Jade wore Tori's leather jacket with the feathery dress, but gone was all the silver arm and partial upper chest covering and the outerwear corset and replace with one of Freddie's grey Penny-Tees, _Penny Tease_, to cover her cleavage, upper chest and shoulders.

Mason shouted out in disbelief and anger, "What the chiz?!" He angrily pointed to the stage as he questioned the announcer, "What's she doing out there?"

"Uh..."

"Do you know who that is?"

"No."

* * *

André shouted, "Is that Tori?! Yeah. That's Tori!"

Rex shouted, "Oh my God!"

Cat cupped the side of her mouth with her un-handcuffed hand and shouted out, "Yay Tori!"

* * *

Mason shouted in outrage to Rick, "That's supposed to be just Jade West! What's she doing out there with her?!"

Rick stuttered out, "No, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no!"

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

* * *

Freddie took the empty seat next to Beck and gave him a trumpet smirk then looked towards the stage while Beck looked to him dumbfounded. Mrs. West gave Freddie a soft pat on his shoulder.

* * *

Tori started off, _"Got a one way ticket down a two-way street. Got the wind in my hair and there's dust on my feet. I'm just trying to make it in America."_

Mason loudly complained, "Script change?" He took the paper and tore it in half then balled it up and threw it at the announcer. "That's what I call a script change!"

Jade picked at the Penny-T with her left pointer finger and thumb as she sang the next line, _"Only thing to my name is an old t-shirt faded nineteen eighty-five from a Stone's concert and I'm dying to make it in America."_

Tori continued for her pale friend, _"And I'm singin' the words to my favorite song with the rag-top down and my glasses on and I'm drivin' straight through America." _

Mason put on begrudged expression and crossed his arms as he looked out onto the audience.

Both girls turned to one another to sing the next line, _"I wanna taste the sun 'cause baby, I'm born to run."_

The producer looked on in mild surprise at seeing the audience getting into the performance.

"_I've got a feeling that I'm not the only one." _They turned away to look at each side of the audience and continued,_ "And I wanna show some skin." _

The girls looked out to the audience with Jade immediately looking to find Freddie._ "Baby, I need the ocean and you can't stop me now. I've got my heart in motion. I... wanna make it in America, make it in America!"_

Freddie smirked at the ocean line since Jade wouldn't go into the ocean.

Mason laughed to his assistants, "I told you she was fantastic."

Marshall pointed out, "But you fired her."

"You're fired."

He answered with a resigned tone and handed his phone to Chelsea, "Copy that."

"_I can see my star Sunset and Vine. Gonna carve my name in the Hollywood sign. Yeah, I've gotta make it in America."_

Jade picked up was she walked to the right side of the stage from the audience's perspective,_ "See me wearin' a smile even if I'm broke. I'll be singing the words from a song I wrote and I called it _'Make it in America'_."_

The audience started to clap along as the girls picked up,_ "I wanna taste the sun 'cause baby I'm born to run. I've got a feeling that I'm not the only one and I... I wanna show some skin."_ Tori spun in place as Jade looked directly at Freddie when they got to the skin lyric and winked at him._ "Yeah, baby I need the ocean but you can't stop me now I've got my heart in motion. I... wanna make it in America, make it in America!"_

The audience stood up to give a standing ovation while Mason was off to the side and blowing them a kiss.

Cat shouted for joy, "Yay Tori! Yay Jade!"

The pair looked to one another and pulled each other into a quick hug. Their friends in the audience came rushing toward the end of the stage with Cat leading the charge, "Tori!"

Tori laughed out at seeing Cat's eagerness and knelt down to pull her into a hug. Jade soon followed to wrap her arms around the back of Freddie's neck.

He eagerly whispered into her ear, "You were fantastic my angel. I love you. I love you. I love you."

She closed her eyes as she felt the familiar sting behind her eyes and happily whispered in return, "I love you too." She opened her eyes and slightly tilted her head up and saw standing out from the rest of the audience the familiar pale redhead. She smiled to Jade and softly clapped while Jade returned a thankful smile.

Tori let go of Cat and turned her attention to André to hug his head and whisper in complete disbelief, "Oh my God." She let go of him then gave Beck a high-five.

Jade let go of her boyfriend and turned to her mother in an eager hug. Mrs. West was nearly crying for joy as she whispered, "My baby, my baby." She pulled away and cupped her daughter's cheeks so she could look her in the eyes and smile. Jade started softly laughing and tried to hold back the tears of joy as her mother kissed her on the forehead.

A minute or so later, the girls cleared the stage and headed back stage so the awards show could get started. They were immediately met with Mason smiling and happily shouting, "Tori, Jade that was a fantastic!"

Tori wore a relieved smile that Mason looked happy instead of furious and ready to have her thrown out or worst: sabotage any future music endeavors. Jade on the other hand was quite calm and laughed out, "Yeah we were. Did you like my script change?"

Chelsea softly bit her bottom lip and Mason passed a quick, embarrassing expression to Rick, but he was to busy announcing the first presenters for the awards show, then looked back to Jade with a forced laugh, "It was a surprise to say the least, but a good one." He looked to Tori and spoke with a smooth and self-assured tone, "I hope there are no hard feelings Tori?"

The brunette glanced to Jade to see what she thought, but the pink wearing teenager didn't get to voice an opinion as Freddie called out in a cold tone from behind them and walked up to slid his arm around Jade's waist, "I kind of have hard feelings over the matter. You tried to jank over _my best friend_ by using _my girlfriend_ as a pawn… that _pissed me off_."

As the others quickly followed Freddie to catch up with the girls, Dusty was able to laugh and thumb over to Beck's face, "And he took some of it out on not-so-Pretty Boy anymore."

Beck snapped his head towards the lean teenager and narrowed his blackened eyes towards him as Ava raised an eyebrow and gave him an expression questioning how he could seriously make that joke.

He laughed out at seeing the brunette's expression, "I've been waiting _hours_ to use that line."

Mrs. West smiled to the Southern teenager that she had been meaning to speak to for a while in approval then spoke up with a stern voice, "Or how I wouldn't be a problem for you if you tried to get Jade to move out and to wherever you would hold her up? I definitely have a problem with that."

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and followed up with a cool tone, "Or wanting me to dump my boyfriend to further my image after the show?"

Mason let out a nervous laugh as he was seeing that he was on the wrong side of his second choice protégé's mother and boyfriend, but also on hers.

The green streaked hair girl gave him a coy smile as she continued, "Tori may want to stay with you—because I know you want to keep us after that reaction from that audience—but I just played in front of close to two hundred million people too and I'm betting that there are plenty of other record producers that would be interested in signing me."

As soon as his words left his mouth, Shawn Quincy, the father of André's ex-girlfriend Hope and President of RPX Records, approached from behind with a finger raised and shouted, "Tori! Jade!"

The producer's face fell and quickly turned into a frown at one of his many rivals approached then looked to Jade. She was grinning in trumpet towards Mason and softly whispered out, "And there's the first one, so you may want to think of the offer you want to make to make it up to me."

The president of RPX records approached with a wide grin as he looked to the girls and happily greeted them along with offering his hand to his daughter's ex-boyfriend, "Tori, it's good to see you again. André. Jade isn't it?"

Tori laughed out, "Mister Quincy," while Jade returned his greeting with a nod of her head while the songsmith accepted the record owner's handshake. Quincy glanced over to his professional rival and greeted him with a far more professional and slightly cold tone, "Mason."

Mason crossed his arms under his chest and answered with a guarded tone, "Shawn."

Jade glanced to her friends then flashed a bright smile to the record president, "André, Tori, how about you introduce me to your friend?"

Quincy's grinned at seeing that Jade was apparently just as eager to speak with him while Mason looked on in horror as he realized that he was going to have to play hardball and grovel at the same time if he was going to hang on to Tori and Jade.

As if Mason's troubles weren't becoming bad enough, a man in his late fifties and white hair quickly walked up behind the group as well, accompanied by a taller African-American gentleman and inserted himself into the conversation, "Hello ladies, I'm Arthur Griffin owner of Rocqué Records and I'd like to speak to you about your future musical careers…"

As the three record owners started arguing among themselves to the amusement of Jade and Tori, Dusty leaned over to whisper into Ava's ear and took her hand, "Come on."

She looked to him with a knotted expression.

He grinned as he pointed out, "We are in an auditorium filled with celebrities and you want to be in the entertainment industry; this is what the college kids call 'networking'. Besides, I think Selena Gomez winked at me."

Ava softly laughed then started pulling him along back to their seats to enjoy the awards show with the intent to talk to everyone possible afterwards.

A few hours later when the awards show finished, Cat and Oliver were sitting behind a dumpster behind the theater sharing a bag of bibble.

Oliver desperately pleaded between mouthfuls of bibble, "You can't tell anybody about this."

"Neither can you," the redhead answered the tilted her head back and dropped bibble into her mouth.

Oliver eagerly nodded along in agreement as he stuffed more into his mouth.

She turned looked to him and asked, "How great is this bibble?"

"It is so great," he answered while stuffing more bibble into his mouth.

* * *

Author's Note: So, how did everyone like my Jade/Freddie interpretation of this episode? I bet you didn't see some of that stuff coming, but you had to guess the ending… I mean it is practically the title of the chapters. Freewill baby, Freewill. I'll have a new update for next week. I'm shuffling an episode or two in order to be able to cram everything in before they graduate in June, so the next chapter will be 'Cell Block' then 'Opposite Date' instead of the other way around. Take care of yourselves.

Special Guest Star Julie McNiven as Anna

Guest Star Matt Riedy as Arthur Griffin


	30. Chapter 30: Cell Block

Hello everyone! I can finally update! If you may not know, there have been a number of people (including myself) that hasn't been able to reliably get on the site since last Thursday and for me, literally minutes before this update was to be posted... ah well, I can finally do that now.

I have a new chapter for you that I hope is enjoyable. Thanks again for all the reviews from last week (I'm really behind in responding, but I am catching up.)

A little self-plugging (this time intentional Fanfic-Reader-88), I just got back to my Tori/Freddie story: 'iGuess We're Roomies' if anyone is interested. Also, I think you should check on the developing story 'iNeed a Change' by Subject87 if you need more Jade/Freddie and then of course there is PD31's update to 'A Place to Call Home'… (don't tell anyone, but I'm rooting for Jedi to win out in the end, but that is just between you and me).

Also, if you can, send a prayer to whatever Deity you believe in for the people of Boston and Texas.

Rating T: Language

* * *

Chapter 30: Cell Block

Black Box Theater  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Monday, April 23, 2012

The morning was bright and early for Sikowitz's class as they had met before school started to get in additional rehearsal time outside their class period for his new play. Tori and Jade may have been on the brink of stardom for after the Platinum Music Awards on Friday night, but they still had school for another two months (despite a stray comment from Mason that he could have taken care of that with private teachers and tutors).

The stage to the Black Box Theater had partially been converted to the interior of some kind of vessel. The eccentric acting teacher sat in the front row of HA's standard and ubiquitous grey chairs while Beck, Jade, André and Robbie sat in the row behind Sikowitz, mostly paying attention to their PearPhones than the rehearsal.

The long haired actor was still healing from two black eyes that had finally started to fade dark purple with surrounding yellow discoloration in the eye sockets over the weekend, the slight yellow discoloration of his bruised cheeks started fading and bandage over his nose was gone as fortunately for him, Freddie had only cracked it instead of outright breaking his nose.

A number of other students, including Sinjin were off to the side working on technical aspects of the play.

Tori, Freddie and Cat were gathered around an island in the middle of the set with Tori and Freddie on one side and Cat on the other, reading out their lines from thin soft cover green books already rehearsing their first scene.

Freddie whispered out channeling a little bit of 'Fredward Cullen' into his voice, "Well, you better look again."

Tori picked up for him, "Because there's been a murder."

Cat fearfully asked, "Murder? Where?"

Tori answered, "Right here."

"On this underwater submarine," Freddie whispered out in a cool voice.

Cat answered with a determined voice, "I better wake up the President." She walked over and to the left side of the stage to the audience and picked up a small metal bar that was chained to a box with a glass panel shielding a phone. She smashed the glass with the bar then let out a soft giggle with a sigh of annoyance from Sikowitz. The redhead picked up the phone and asked, "Give me The White House."

As the other teenagers of their clique were seated in various other seats behind Sikowitz, Jade laughed out as she looked at her phone, "Oh my God, that's insane."

The acting teacher turned to look over his right shoulder and asked, "Excuse me?"

André laughed out as he looked at his green phone, "Oh hey."

Sikowitz impatiently stared at them for a moment before Jade answered, "Oh uh, we were just watching a video."

The songsmith offered his phone to show Sikowitz and explained, "Yeah, these two horses are..."

The eccentric teacher with a curt tone instructed them, "Put your phones away. We are rehearsing a play."

Jade apologized, "Right."

André quickly agreed, "Our bad."

Beck quietly asked Jade over her shoulder, "Hey, send me the link to that video..." It would appear that any awkwardness from late last week of her boyfriend beating the chizz out of him didn't interfere with sharing a good video.

Sikowitz snapped back around in his seat, "Stop that!" He looked back to the stage and began, "Tori, let's go from your line."

However, instead of being ready to pick up from where she left off, the brunette was typing away at her phone.

"Tori!"

She looked up and answered, "Oh, sorry."

Sikowitz jumped up from is seat in frustration and shouted, "Gee-m'nee crackers! I'm trying to teach you kids something about..."

André's cell rang and he raised a finger as he spoke, "One second." He answered the call and replied to the person on the other end, "Uh, grandma, what is it?"

Sikowitz shouted, "Hang up that phone right now!"

Freddie spoke up, "Come on Sikowitz, his grandmother just miraculously recovered from full blown dementia a few months back. You don't think there's a little transition time in her trying to reorganize her life back?"

The acting teacher frowned at the tech-producer, but the former Seattleite held his gaze for a potential staring contest.

The tension was momentary broken with Cat softly laughing out from a seat on the steps of the set, "Redheaded angels."

Jade softly smirk and shook her head from her seat.

André whispered into his phone, "I'm in class grandma. I'll talk to you later," then pressed the end call button.

The teacher blew out an irritated breath, "I'm getting sick and tired of..."

Everyone's phones went off signaling that they each had received a text message.

Sikowitz shouted out, "Ah, what now?!"

Robbie laughed out while pointing to his own phone, "Oh, I just texted everyone a pic of me. That's my sister's shirt I'm wearing."

"Why?" Beck asked while looking at his phone.

"So weird," Tori laughed out while pointing to her phone.

The balding teacher shouted as he reached his limit, "All right. That does it. That tears it!"

Tori looked to the irritable teacher with a curious expression, "What?"

Sikowitz shouted, "You people are sick!"

Cat curiously answered, "I feel pretty good!"

The teacher sharply retorted, "I'm talking about your addiction to your stupid phones! I swear to Pete, you can't go two minutes without..." He motioned with his hands as if he was typing on a phone with the accompanying sound effects, "Plep, plop, ha, ha, ha, plep…" then started laughing.

Tori retorted, "Oh come on, I don't think it's fair to say we're addicted to them."

He happily challenged, "Ho ho ho ho. Very well…"

Jade angled her eyebrows down and put on the barest hint of a frown as she stared at the acting teacher.

"…then I challenge you all—"

"All right," Robbie smugly answered as he got up from his seat and pulled his shirt over his head and off then got up close to Sikowitz's right side. "Let's fight."

The acting teacher immediately brought his left hand up to the side of his head and rested his fingertips just above his temple.

André calmly pointed out, "I don't think he means a fight."

Robbie sat down in embarrassment as Jade rolled her eyes in disgust then Sikowitz continued, "I will give each and everyone of you... all 'A's' for the whole semester."

Tori cautiously asked, "If...?"

He raised his right pointer finger and swept it across in front of him as he answered, "If you can all go one full week without using modern technology."

The redhead quietly asked, "No phones?"

"No phones!" He started motioning his arms around in frustration as he continued, "And no laptops or PearPads! No electronic device made since I was _born_!"

Jade closed her eyes for a moment then looked away in mild disbelief at how childish he was reacting.

He looked around to all of them and asked, "Wanna take that bet?"

It took only a moment for Tori to walk around the counter and answer, "Let's do it." The pair shook hands as a few others randomly called out that they were joining in the bet.

"Great. Let's have your phones." He pulled up the hem of one of his shirts as a cradle for the teenagers to drop them in one at a time. However, Jade remained in her seat and Freddie continuing to rest against the center island.

Sikowitz looked to Freddie at seeing the tech-producer with a curious expression. He raised an eyebrow and questioned, "You don't want to take the challenge?"

He slightly tilted his head back and rolled his eyes. He let out a soft laugh, "There is no way you are going to be able to honor your end of the deal. You just can't give us 'A's' like that and even if you could… I can't; I work for the _Pear Company_. It's kind of hard not to use technology while working with them and my mother needs a way to keep in touch with me."

The blue streaked hair girl softly muttered, "It might do her some good to miss a week without talking to you… might do _me_ some good."

The brown eye teenager softly looked to his girlfriend in such a way as to question whether she had really spoken that sentence. She looked back at him trying her best not to laugh at him.

He looked to his right to the sitting dark brunette and playfully questioned, "Jade?"

She shrugged a shoulder and lazily answered, "You don't have final say over my grades, remember? You can't just give me an 'A'."

André knotted his brow and asked, "Wait, why?" The others joined his look of curiosity in her direction.

Freddie calmly answered, "Mrs. West doesn't trust Sikowitz to fairly grade Jade after threatening to flunk her over the whole Nozu date thing with Tori."

Sikowitz frowned and gave the teenager another cold stare.

Freddie looked to Tori and questioned, "Did you ever get an apology from him?"

The brunette shook her head and gave her friend a curious expression.

Freddie snorted out while giving a dismissive glance to Sikowitz, "Figures."

The eccentric teacher blew out an irritated breath then stated, hoping to avoid an argument, "And, the contest begins now."

The teenagers randomly shouted their agreement.

"Wait!" the blue streaked hair girl called out then coyly asked, "How will you know they're not going to use other people's phones?"

Sikowitz calmly replied, "Because I trust their honesty…"

Jade closed her eyes and gave him a smile with a smug expression.

"…and I'm going to have Sinjin and Burf spy on them."

The blonde curly haired teenager looked up at the catwalk to Burf and happily called out, "It's you and me, baby."

Burf raised his left thumb up then took a bite out of his yellow bell pepper.

Jade stared straight at Sikowitz and stated in no uncertain terms, "If he comes on my property again, my mother will have him arrested… or just outright shoot him." She looked towards Sinjin with a cold glare. "Don't try it."

The curly haired boy swallowed nervously.

Asphalt Café

After the morning rehearsal and first two periods of the day, the group was sitting at their usual table to eat lunch, sitting clockwise: Freddie, Jade, André, Tori, Beck, Robbie and Cat. They were not having a peaceful lunch as to Jade and Freddie, they all looked jittery and apprehensive. The tech-producer looked a little surprised at seeing how they all looked like they were going through the first stages of withdrawal, which for Cat was an additional problem as she was still weaning herself off of bibble. Jade was actually content that since everyone had their minds on their phones, everyone was ignoring the elephant in the room Freddie and Beck finally having it out and her ex wearing the proof on his face.

André randomly commented, "I don't even miss our phones. Do you guys?"

He was answered with a series of no's, but it wasn't too convincing as they sounded forced and Robbie actually twitched a few times.

Tori softly whined, "How long has it been since we had 'em?"

Jade casually answered between forkfuls of chicken salad, "A few hours."

Cat whined out, "It seems like years!"

Robbie tried to reassure her, "No, it's not that bad."

Cat shouted back, "Years!"

André tried to lift everyone's spirits by commenting, "Well, uh, one good thing, you know, about not having our phones is it makes us pay more attention to the world around us."

Jade took a moment to look over her right shoulder then comment, "Yeah, like I've never really noticed this before, but a lot of the kids who go to Hollywood Arts are really not very good-looking."

Tori laughed out with a bit of mocking in her tone towards Jade, "Well, I've noticed some things that aren't cruel to say out loud."

Beck inquired, "Like?"

The brunette turned to left and motioned behind her while answering, "Like... look, look, there's the Hollywood sign right there. We can see that from our school that's..." She finished with an unconvincing tone, "It's really cool," then popped a piece of chicken in her mouth. Beck gave her a reassuring pat on her back.

Robbie patted his left breast pocket. "Yeah and here's another cool thing. You guys know how I usually keep my phone in my shirt pocket here?"

Jade answered, "I don't care."

"Oh, yeah," André supportively answered.

He brought his right hand to the left side of his mouth and answered as if he was telling some big secret, "Well, now I'm using this pocket to carry cheese and my allergy pills."

Beck knotted his brow and pointed to his friend's pocket. "Won't the cheese melt in your pocket?"

The ventriloquist answered with a somewhat mocking tone, "No, I don't think the cheese will melt in my..." He started pulling the cheese out of his pocket and finished, "…Oh," as it had melted in his pocket and stringing out of his pocket. He dropped into one of the clear plastic tops of their carryout trays to the sound of his friends calling his name out and saying how grossness of the sight.

Beck politely handed Robbie a napkin as Cat shouted, "I miss my phone!" She rested her right elbow on the table and supported her chin with her hand as she dreamily asked, "What do you guys think it's doing right now?"

Tori happily reassured her redheaded friend, "Come on Cat, we can do this. Let's try to not even think about our phones."

The redhead started to whine in return, "Okay but..."

She was interrupted as Sinjin started running through the café and shouted, "Hey everyone! Look at your phones! Look at your phones! Look at your phones. There's a new funny video on Splashface!"

He started running to the other tables and grabbing the other students' attention, "Just go on Splashface and look up wacky donkey! It's hilarious!" He shouted again as he started running again, "Wacky donkey!"

Cat started making goat noises and jittering waving her hands out then grabbed the sides of her head.

Tori blew out a breath and tried to reassure everyone, "You guys, come on! It's just another one of those videos. You know, I'm sure it's not that funny."

As to refute her, the student filled tables on either side started laughing in unison.

Sinjin started laughing so hard that he had to lean over the trashcan and throw up into it.

Freddie rolled his eyes then finally put his two cents in, "Sikowitz might be right, you might be addicted to them."

Cat shouted in desperate outrage, "That's easy for you to say! You still have your phone!"

He calmly replied, "I'm going to chalk that up to you still going through the bibble withdrawal, but my point stands: it's just the idea of you not having them that is making you like this." He gave a quick glance over all of them and pointed out, "If you had your phones right now, what would you be doing?"

They were all about to answer, but he cut them off to continue his point, "You'd be eating lunch and we would be talking to each other, not _texting_ each other. One of us might be showing that new video then we'd go right back to talking to each other and eating."

The others looked to one another to reluctantly admit his point even if Cat was still giving him a death glare.

Tori laughed out, "Freddie's right. It's just the idea of not having them that is bugging us."

Freddie laughed out before taking a sip from his drink, "Yeah, you'd think you'd be more worried about just leaving your two hundred to four hundred dollar phones with Sikowitz than not being able to use them. That's just begging someone to steal them… I hope no one has any incriminating and/or embarrassing pics on them."

Everyone instantly looked to one another in worry about his point with Tori taking a particular interest in her food.

Vega Residence  
Monday, April 23, 2012

The time was early evening as Tori was sitting at her kitchen table with her back to the kitchen island and flipping through one of her textbooks doing homework. Her mother sat at the end of the table with her back to the glass doors and was texting away on her pear shaped phone.

The younger Vega sister asked, "Mom, what year did they disband the Soviet Union and start calling it Russia?"

She barely looked up from her phone as she answered, "I dunno, look it up on the Internet."

Tori shouted back in frustration, "I can't!"

She answered with a calming voice, "Okay."

Mrs. Vega's phone pinged and she let out a soft laugh while looking at the screen.

Tori smiled and curiously asked, "What? Who texted you?"

Her mother waved her off, "Oh, it's just Gary, your father's friend on the police force."

"What'd he say?"

She softly laughed, "Oh, nothing. I'll just delete this."

The doorbell rang before Tori could question further why she was texting back and forth with her father's partner and why her mother needed to delete the message.

Her mother waved at the door and politely asked, "Hey, could you get the door? I wanna watch this wacky donkey video again. It's hilarious, have you seen it?"

She whined out, "You know I haven't! Why are you killing me?"

The matriarch looked on her daughter in surprise as the teenager got up from her seat and headed for the door.

Tori opened the door to reveal a smiling Cat. The redhead held up the yellow phone chew toy and happily stated while squeezing out a squeak, "Look what I got."

The brunette curiously looked at her and asked, "What is that?"

"It's a dog toy that looks like a phone. Isn't it cool?"

Tori gave her a curious expression.

"I'm coming in now." She walked inside and waved to Mrs. Vega and happily greeted her, "Hi Mrs. Tori's mom."

She sweetly answered, "Hello, Cat."

The brunette curiously asked while walking up behind the red velvet hair girl, "Why'd you get a dog chew toy cell phone?"

"To help me get through the week. I mean, I know it's not like having a real phone but at least I can pretend," she finished with a soft giggle.

Tori began, "But what's the point in..."

The shorter girl snapped off as she held up the toy, "This is all I've got!"

"But it's not even..." Her face fell in a pleading expression as she gently cradled the toy. "Can I hold it?"

Mrs. Vega shouted from her seat, "Oh, you girls are pathetic. When I was your age, we didn't even have cell phones."

Tori quickly retorted, "Yeah, but you had stuff that we don't have."

Cat took Tori's previous seat at the table and happily agreed, "Yeah, like dinosaurs and Moses."

The matriarch eagerly countered while offering her phone, "Oh for corn sake! Sikowitz isn't here, so just use my phone."

The redhead whined out as her shoulders slumped, "We can't!"

Tori threw her left hand out to the glass doors behind her mother and shouted, "Sinjin is out there spying on us!"

Sinjin walked into view of the glass doors and asked with a muffled tone through the glass, "Can I use your bathroom?"

Tori shouted, "No!"

He turned his back to them and started unzipping his pants.

The brunette shouted, "No!" while her mother and Cat looked on in shock.

The curly haired teenager had the decency to zip up his pants and run away out of view.

West Residence

Freddie was relaxing in his desk chair as he watch Jade pace about the room trying to memorize her lines. Once again she got a supporting role in one of Sikowitz's plays, but at least this time it wasn't Tori, but Cat that had gotten the lead as the protagonist of the piece. However, she would have enjoyed playing one half of the duo villains of the piece as Freddie's wife/partner in crime, but the eccentric acting teacher had given that part to Tori. His casting choice still annoyed the pale teenager somewhat with him pairing them off.

The former Seattleite called out with a soft breath to interrupt her reading, "How do I do a stage kiss?"

She stopped her pacing and looked to him to soft laugh, "Oh, Mister 'I have more acting experience than the rest of you' Benson is asking _my_ help in how to act out a scene?"

She had fortunately stopped her pacing right in front of him so as he softly chuckled, he was able to gently grab her by the wrist and pull her down into his lap while she let out a surprised laugh. She quickly wrapped an arm around the back of his neck and rested her right hand on his heart while he let go of her hand to slip around the small of her back and rest the other hand on her thigh.

He quickly stole a kiss from her lips then smirked as he explained, "That was easy… I love you, but… I've never done a stage kiss and Sikowitz is calling for one with Tori." He snorted out a laugh and shook his head, "I think it's some form a payback for the whole Walter thing instead of having us play the diabolical couple."

She sarcastically commented, "Yes, of course it had to be Tori that you had to kiss."

He slightly tilted his head to the side and softly smirked, "Yes, one of the girls that I find quite pretty."

She lifted a corner of her mouth and her pierced brow.

"I'm sorry; I can't help that I'm surrounded by beautiful girls everyday, just like you're surrounded by handsome guys contrary to what you think about the lack of attractive people at school," he laughed out.

She closed her eyes and did everything she could to suppress a smile threatening to form on her face of him so easily turning it around on her.

Since she turned her face away to try to hide the smile, he took the opportunity to steal a kiss from her cheek. She looked back at him and gave him a coy smile while trying to give him the evil eye.

He just laughed and asked through it, "I obviously understand the mechanics of kissing, but I don't understand how you separate the emotion from it."

She softly shook her head then sweetly explained, "The emotion isn't any more 'real' than it is for any other scene you do with someone. You're angry in a scene, but you're not really anger unless you're method acting then you're just drawing from your own emotional reservoir. You're not going to have that with Tori."

He softly laughed out, "Really? I thought I held this deep seated burning passion to be with Tori that Sikowitz is hoping will ignite on stage?"

The blue streaked hair girl knotted her brow and frowned.

He vigorously nodded his head and opened his eyes wide while answering a dismissive laugh, "Yeah, I _really think_ he's that nuts to believe it and I'm not talking about the coco_nuts_ he likes."

He looked down and admitted with a tired breath, "I only had that with Carly and that burned out a long time ago… the romantic wanting to be with her, but not the love."

Jade narrowed her eyes on him and playfully asked, "We're talking about past tense right? The burning passion you had."

He smirked up at her and softly whispered, "If you were eighteen, I would physically express how much passion and _love_ I have for you _right now_."

Her eyes opened up wide and a hint of blush formed on her cheeks.

He softly chuckled at getting the exact reaction out of her that he wanted. He knotted his brow then continued with a somber tone, "Okay, back on topic, so I fake it?" He asked with a concerned tone, "Then how do you know if any other kiss is real? Is it really no different than other scenes?"

The dark brunette opened her mouth and was about to answer, but suddenly stopped as she really didn't have an answer for him at the moment.

He softly patted her thigh and flippantly stated, "It's alright. I'll just pretend I'm fifteen again and that she's Shelby and it'll be good."

Jade closed her eyes and let out a disbelieving breath through her lips before turning and stealing a kiss from him this time.

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

André walked down the main hallway carrying a record player in his left arm and met up with Robbie sitting on the floor in front of the row of lockers leading to the janitor's closet. The ventriloquist was barely typing away at a typewriter sitting in front of him. The songsmith called out, "Hey Rob."

"Hi."

"What is that thing?" André asked while motioning to the typewriter sitting in front of Robbie.

"It's some kind of prehistoric typing machine. And it takes me ten minutes to type two words!"

"That's slow," he answered with a sympathetic expression.

"I know! Oh, and guess how you fix mistakes?!"

"How?"

Robbie held up a small bottle of 'white-out'."With this! Paint! A little tiny bottle of white paint! Whenever I wanna change anything, I have to paint over it! Then I have to let the paint dry, and then I have to type over the dried paint!"

"Yeah, well ya know what it's like for me having to listen to music on this machine?"

"What is that?"

"A record player and the only records I got are the ones my grandma bought from nineteen fifty-one to nineteen sixty-six. You know what my grandma used to listen to from nineteen fifty-one to nineteen sixty-six?"

"No."

He led up a few records as he answered, "Circus music, Eskimo opera, and Chinese bee-bop. You ever listen to Chinese bee-bop?!"

"I have not."

"Well, I did, and now I got a rash. It might be a Chinese rash."

"Do you wanna go to my locker? I have creams and ointments."

André had to think for a moment at the offer, but then answered, "Nah. So why are you sitting on the floor?"

"Because I try to carry this stupid typewriter to study hall, but it weighs like nine hundred pounds!"

"It's really heavy?"

"Uh, yeah. I tried to put it on my lap and it almost squished my... Swimsuit area."

André just shook his head in sympathy.

Black Box Theater  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Tori was a little on edge as Cat quickly typed away on the chew toy, squeaking loudly with every push of her thumb. She cautiously walked over to her shorter friend and asked, "Who are you pretending to text?"

She smiled up. "My brother."

The brunette hopefully asked, "Can I pretend to text him?"

Cat allowed Tori to take the toy and start typing away.

Jade laughed out as she looked at her phone and walked into the theater with Freddie on her right side.

Tori curiously asked, "What are you watching?"

She excitedly answered, "On funnydanger dot com they're showing live a roller coaster getting stuck at Mystic Mountain and there's an old lady hanging upside down from it."

Freddie rolled his eyes.

"It's hilarious," she laughed out while she continued to look at the screen.

He closed his eyes, shook his head and let out a soft breath then commented, "And what if she slips out of her harness and plummets to her death?"

Jade's laugh immediate ceased and looked away from her phone to him.

The look in her eyes told him that she didn't appreciate him being a kill joy of her viewing pleasure, but he couldn't sugarcoat his position on moral grounds or perhaps worst if it turned out that the lady did get hurt and she didn't at least considered laughing was wrong if not outright accepting it was wrong beforehand… he didn't want her to become emotional distraught over it.

She heavily sighed and rolled her eyes to admit to his point then slipped her phone into her pocket.

Burf offered from behind one of the rows of chairs as he saw her annoyance, "Want me to rub your shoulders?"

She looked over her right shoulder and shouted, "Down!"

The afro wearing teenager immediately dropped to the floor in fear.

Freddie frowned as he didn't appreciate Sinjin's friend offering such a thing to his girlfriend. He didn't get a chance to voice his annoyance as Sikowitz walked in the theater carrying a brown cardboard box filled with the others' cell phones.

"All right boys, girls, and others," he briefly took a moment to see Burf still lying on the ground then walked around the island to explain, "Let's get this rehearsal started. We're gonna start with scene fourteen."

Beck walked in with scratches on his right cheek and what looked like remnants of egg yoke on his right side of his black over shirt.

Tori had turned away from Sikowitz to have a seat and instantly called out at seeing her friend's appearance, "Oh my gosh!"

André quickly joined in the surprise, "Oh man."

Robbie followed up, "What happened to you?!"

Everyone immediately started looking in Freddie's direction.

He raised his hands up in his own defense. "Don't look at me; I haven't hit him again…" He snorted out with a bit of disgust and offense, "…if I did, he wouldn't be getting back up."

Beck muttered out in annoyance and looked towards Sikowitz, who smiled back, "Jessica Baxter. She texted me about a hundred times last night and I didn't text her back."

Tori patiently asked, "Well, did you explain to her that you can't use a phone?"

"Yeah! Right after she threw this egg at me and scratched my face!"

Sikowitz mocked, "Aw, did Becky get eggy'd and scratchy'd?"

"Yes, yes he did'd."

Freddie curiously asked, "Did you hit her back?"

"No," he answered in disgust.

The Seattle native dismissively commented, "I guess that's why she thought she could get away with scratching you… and you proved her right. Thanks, now the rest of us guys have to watch out for her doing that to us."

Sikowitz blew out a tired breath and commented with a dry and disapproving tone, "You can't hit girls Freddie."

The tech-producer looked over his right shoulder to the acting teacher and spoke to him in a tone as he would a misbehaving child, "Sorry Sikowitz, I got over believing that nonsense a long time after the repeated assaults from Sam: breaking a tennis racket over my head, throwing me out of a tree house then landing on me, repeated punches and beat downs, a dislocated shoulder and last, but not least, the possible concussion. If a girl wants to throw the first punch like a man without any provocation, you can't let her turn around and hide behind her vagina. I learned the hard way… literally." He subconsciously started rubbing his right shoulder.

Sikowitz blew out a breath and shook his head. He didn't want to argue the point, so he continued his original point, "Listen, if you all wanna use your phones..." He tilted the cardboard box up and dramatically sniffed across the edge as he finished, "They're right here."

He tilted the box more towards them and smirked.

Cat threw her chew toy down and immediately jumped from her seat and shouted.

"Cat no! No!" one of the teenagers shouted.

The redhead desperately shouted, "I need my phone! I need my phone!"

Tori was able to grab her right arm and André her left one while Jade for some reason decided to jump in front of her. However, that was a very bad idea as Cat was able to get her right foot up as they pulled her back and kick Jade's upper left thigh, barely missing her crotch, and sending the dark brunette tumbling backwards. Fortunately from where Freddie was standing off to the side, she fell right into his arms.

"I need my phone! I need my phone!"

Cat was somehow able to throw Tori and André off of her arms and dash to the island. She grabbed the cardboard box and turned away from the island, Sikowitz grinning the entire time, just in time to hit Beck clear in the jaw and sent the actor tumbling to the floor. "I need my phone!"

Robbie grabbed the box and tried to pull it away from her, but she quickly released it as the struggle sent a few phones to the ground. She was able to grab one of the phones and stand up, but Tori, André and Jade were on her in a second.

She fiercely struggled against them as Jade was able to wrestle the phone away from Cat's left hand and Beck struggled with Cat's feet on his shoulders. Tori had enough sense to back way as the boys tried to wrestle her to calm down.

Jade quickly threw the phone back into the cardboard box Robbie had been able to throw back on the island then joined the others to bring Cat down back into a chair.

Cat shouted in vain, "No, no!"

Other randomly shouted out as Tori held her by the right wrist, André under her armpits and Beck by her legs.

"Stop! I need my phone!"

"Hold her! Hold her!"

They finally secured her in her seat while Sikowitz was laughing with delightful glee at the sight.

Freddie had remained off to the side of the struggle as he had nothing at stake if Cat got her phone, but more importantly he didn't want to hurt her as he could have easily done so with her level of struggling and his strength. However, he was not going to stand aside at Sikowitz's reaction and shouted at him in outrage, "Stop laughing like a damn hyena!"

The acting teacher immediately stopped his laughing at his student calling him out and frowned at the teenager.

The tech-producer unflinchingly met Sikowitz's stare.

André shouted in outrage, ignoring the potential standoff, "See?! I knew it! I told you the girls would crack before us!"

Robbie joined him in his frustration as he approached the acting teacher joined by Beck, "Yeah! And we guys don't wanna lose our 'A's' just because girls are _weak_!"

Tori was about shout with a furious response, but Freddie was quicker as his mouth dropped open and eyes shot open at hearing what his friends were saying and shouted in outrage, "Really? Weak?!" He looked straight at Robbie and demanded with a near growl in his voice, "Why don't you shove that sexism in the same place where you shove your hand in Rex: right up your ass?"

Robbie's eyes shot open at the suggestion.

Jade's mouth dropped open and looked at her boyfriend in shock at hearing the sheer vitriol in his voice. She did not see that coming.

Freddie looked straight at André and pointed towards Beck, "Did this moron finally poison your mind with his bullchizz view on women?"

Beck tried to respond with a challenging face, but his still discolored cheeks, yellowing with a still a hint of purple and blue under each eye, and still healing lip failed miserably in Freddie's eyes as an attempt at an intimidating expression.

Freddie growled out in pure disgust, "Don't try. You're not ready for a rematch and Mister Vega isn't here to save you."

The taller teenager sucked in a sharp and painful breath through is still injured nose.

Sikowitz walked around the island and raised his hands. "Okay, okay, calm down. Calm down everyone." He blew out a breath then asked with a tired voice, "So, you all wanna cancel the bet?"

Tori was the first one to shout, "No!"

"No!" André quickly followed up.

Cat shouted while throwing her hair behind her shoulders, "Possibly!"

André motioned towards the girls and answered, apparently not heeding Freddie's point, "We just don't want the girls to wreck it for us."

Robbie threw out his hands in agreement, "Exactly."

Beck agreed with a nod while still throwing a glare at Freddie. "Right."

Freddie was beside himself at the reaction from his male friends.

Sikowitz walked around the island to stand between the separated genders and suggested, "Okay, then let's change the bet." He pointed to each side with a respective pointer finger, "Boys against the girls. Whoever uses a phone or any modern technology first, loses the bet for their side." He partially knelt down and threw a fist down while making popping noise with his mouth."

André passed a quick looked to Beck, who nodded his head, then agreed, "It's on."

Tori quickly spoke up to accept for her and Cat, "It's on."

Robbie spoke up with a rising of his left hand and pointed between himself and André and Beck, "Just to be clear, I am on the boys' side?"

Sikowitz crossed his arms in front of him and answered, "Yes."

"Sweet."

Freddie asked with a hint of dismissiveness, "Are you sure about that?"

The glasses wearing teenager slightly tilted his head to the side and frowned.

The more muscular teenager gave a partial smile and raised his hands. "I'm just asking. You're the one that's experimented with wearing dresses and I don't want to offend you by using the wrong pronoun with you."

Robbie clenched his jaw tightly in offense.

Burf got up from the floor and timidly asked, "Can I get up now?"

Jade looked over her right shoulder and shouted, "No!"

He dropped right back to the floor in fear.

The blue streaked hair girl then turned her attention to her boyfriend in concern about his previous outburst.

He answered with a stressed tone while motioning his head to Robbie, "He pushed a button."

Jade folded her arms under her chest and hugged herself as Sikowitz shouted in the background, "Okay, can we finally get back to rehearsals?"

Asphalt Café

Dusty wore a weary expression as he sat at the blue grilled table across from a very sour mood tech-producer. The tech-producer decided to eat lunch away from the others and Jade respected that he needed some alone time, well at least from the others.

The Southern teenager casually commented, "To state the blindly obvious, 'you look pissed'."

Freddie clenched his jaw tightly and snorted out in irritation, "I am pissed. You know that bet their having about giving up technology?"

Dusty slightly frowned and nodded his head as he answered, "Unfortunately yes… Ava is… she's not happy that Van Cleef is going out most of the week spying on the girls."

Sinjin playing Sikowitz's spy again causing problems other than the girls had not even occurred to him. He remembered after the celebratory dinner for the play that he crashed that Ava was in a withdrawn mood. He had only flippantly lashed out at Sinjin at Nozu that night that he'd be on his own with Ava and apparently he hadn't learned anything.

"Are they really still together? It's been a good three weeks since she told me and Jade that she was basically in a holding pattern."

"I think she…" He shook his head and looked at the table. He muttered out, "I don't feel comfortable about speculating about their relationship."

The tech-producer quickly nodded his head. "I understand. You two seem like you've gotten pretty close, so…"

He snapped his head up and gave Freddie a cold stare.

Freddie politely answered the stare, "I'm not implying anything."

Dusty relaxed his expression, but continued wearing a slight frown as he asked, "Okay… so about this bet? What's the problem that it's gotten you pissed off?"

"They've turned it into a boys vs girls because the guys think that Tori and Cat are weak simply because they're female and will ruined it for the rest of them. I didn't realize I had such sexist friends."

Dusty let out a chuckle, "Hey, I've never hid my sexism. I've worn it on my sleeve this entire time."

He tilted his head to the side and retorted with a slightly impatient tone, "Not you."

The leaner teenager nodded along with an easy going smile then asked, "It sounds like it's a little personal for you."

"It is…" he muttered out as he played with his food with his fork.

"Well… my dad was never much into that touchy feely crap, but… my mom's good at it, so… you got an ear here?"

Freddie snorted out a breath through his nose and cracked a soft smile at his guess to his mother. He started with a somber tone, "I lost count how many times I've watched men take advantage of my mother growing up." He took a sip from his drink then continued, "Anytime something that needed to get done: a car repair, an appliance repair, something in the apartment that was the building sups' job… anything, they would always try to pull a fast one on her just because she was a single woman."

Dusty nodded along and replied with a sympathetic expression, "So you got to see the ugly side of sexism first hand. She's your momma, even as much as she annoys the crap out of you, she's still your momma and that's got to hurt. I can see another reason why not-so-Pretty Boy would piss you off… his looking down of woman."

Freddie took another sip and nodded along. "I really went off on Robbie. I told him he could shove it up the same place he keeps his hand with Rex… up his ass."

The former webmaster whistled out, "Man, I wish I would have been there to hear that. I'm kind of sad he thinks that way. He really earned my respect with willing to go two-on-one with the hambone dweebs."

"Yeah," Freddie regretfully answered and nodded his head. He looked up with a curious expression then questioned since they were on the subject, "You call yourself a benevolent sexist; what does that mean?"

The Southern teenager took a deep breath then slowly let it out before explaining, "Well… it's kind of an oxymoron term from this study about fifteen years ago where traditional things guys did for women was actually a form of sexism and physiologically harms them if we do it." He shrugged a shoulder then continued, "I wear it as a proud badge. I hold that there is a certain reverence to being a wife and motherhood. Those in turn would accuse me that I would want to limit woman's opportunities from my statement. They assume some kind of mutual exclusivity to being those and having a career." He motioned to Freddie, "Your mother balanced career and raising you."

Freddie nodded. "She's a nurse."

"See?" he nodded along. "Isn't Jade's mom some big wheel?"

"She's a VP for Schneider Advertising."

"There you go. My dad had to raise me on his own and had to balance that with work. Was it hard to do both? Yeah, but life isn't fair."

He took a sip from his drink then finished his last few points, "I think men have a duty to protect women which gets me accused of thinking women are weak, as puppet boy thinks, but that's not it at all. I see it as: 'you protect your wombs'. You don't have them, you don't have a species. You're not going to get an apology out of me from shielding Jade during that earthquake and I doubt you'll get one from Beck for doing the same for Cat. One decent thing I can say about the guy."

He took a few bites from his sandwich and a swish from his drink before finishing, "If I want to hold a door open for a lady or carry a heavy object for them because the average, not all, men are usually stronger than women then I'm going to do it. That's biology and physics, not dismissiveness and if feminists don't like any of my opinions or actions, they can kiss my rear end."

Freddie let out a laugh, "At least I'm balanced with my friends now."

Dusty raised his bottle of Peppy-Cola, "To balanced sexism."

The tech-producer let out a laugh and raised his cup and toasted with him, feeling a little better in taking a step back from the mess.

Vega Residence  
Hollywood Hills  
Los Angeles, CA

The sun had set hours ago and it would usually be a time to relax and unwind from the day, but Tori was busy literally sitting on Cat's back as she was laying across the couch.

The redhead shouted out in frustration, "Oh. Please get off me, please."

Tori shouted, "I can't! Not 'til Jade and Freddie get here."

The shorter girl stopped struggling and answered, "But I have to use the bathroom."

The brunette quietly asked, "Do you really?"

"Yeah."

"Are you lying?"

Cat sadly admitted a moment later, "Yeah."

A loud knock sounded from the door and Tori immediately called out, "It's open, come in!"

The couple walked inside and Jade called out while throwing her purse down in a chair to her right, "Okay, we're here. Why did you..."

The couple gave the pair an odd expression as Jade questioned, "Why are you sitting on Cat?"

Tori quickly answered in frustration, "If I let her up, she might try to grab a real phone and I don't know if I can stop her by myself."

Cat defiantly shouted, "I don't think you can. I'm pretty scrappy."

"Hey! Stop doing that!" Tori shouted as she started smacking Cat's behind with the redhead cheerfully laughing out from the contact.

Freddie shook his head and let out a soft laugh, "I never thought I'd see that: Tori slapping Cat's behind."

Jade slightly pursed her lips as she gave him a disbelieving expression.

He laughed out, "What?"

The singer pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment then mockingly asked Tori, "So I'm here to assist you while you rehearse with Freddie?"

"In a way." She pointed to herself as she stood up and explained, "We're on the same team as in 'the girls' team' even if you're not competing and you have a duty to help us show the guys that we're stronger than them."

Freddie laughed out, "That doesn't sound misandrist at all."

Tori closed her eyes and blew out a breath.

Jade slightly frowned from her point then pointed out, "Dude, you're going insane not using my phone and let's face it," she motioned a hand towards the redhead, "Cat is a disaster."

Cat had gotten up and had a seat near the center end of the couch. She shook her head and softly answered, "Such a disaster."

The pale singer continued, "There's no way she's gonna make it another five days without texting or using a phone for something."

"It's true. I'd do anything to text someone right now, and I mean _anything_."

The girl looked to her with a mixture of shock and curiosity.

Cat pointed to Tori and answered with a tone daring the brunette to challenge her assertion, "Yeah."

Tori looked away in shock to meet an equally shocked expression on Freddie's face.

The brunette blew out a tired breath and threw her hands up in the air as she had a seat on the end of the couch. "Okay fine, then let's just give up now."

Cat jumped up from her seat then lightly patted her hands on Tori's knees as she shouted, "Okay, where's a phone, I need a phone, where's a phone?!"

The shortest girl attempted to run past Jade, but the darkly dressed girl idly shoved Cat by the side of the arm and into a seat on the neighboring couch while shouting, "Wait!"

Cat shouted in return as she jumped up from her seat, "No!"

Jade was able to grab the girl by the shoulders and shouted to Tori and Freddie, "Help me!"

Freddie raised his hands up and took a step backwards. "I'm not putting my hands on her, I might hurt her."

Jade rolled her eyes in frustration while shoving Cat to lie on the couch and sit on her behind. Tori quickly joined her and took a seat on Cat's legs to help keep the girl down on the couch.

After a few seconds of struggling, Cat shouted, "Okay, I'm down."

Jade let out a breath then suggested, "Think about this, you know you can't win, but... what if _we_ can make the guys lose?"

Tori answered as it dawned on her what Jade meant, "Yeah. If they lose, we win."

The pale girl smirked. "Uh-huh."

Cat whispered out, "I'm not clear on the plan."

Tori patiently explained, "We're gonna trick the boys into using their phones before we do."

"Ooh, sounds great. Can I get up now?"

Jade asked the redhead with a doubtful tone, "You promise you won't run out and use a phone?"

"Promise."

The girls looked to one another and with a flick of a brow in acknowledgment from Jade, the pair stood up.

Cat brushed the end of her hair down then put on a pitiful expression.

Jade asked slowly, "Cat?"

"You better sit on me again."

The girls spared brief looks to one another then had a seat on top of Cat as soon as she lay prone on the couch. Tori looked up to Freddie and asked, "You're not going to tell the guys are you?"

"I'm not playing this gender game…" He cracked a smile as he finished, "…even if I am rooting for you girls."

Tori put on a relieved smile.

Freddie blew out a tired breath then looked to Cat and stated, "Cat, enough. They cannot sit on you for the rest of the night. Tori and I have to rehearse and you have no right to jeopardize our grade because you want to act like a child."

The redhead frowned at the muscular teenager.

"I know you're still dealing with bibble withdrawal, but you need to stop this right now. This practice is stressful enough for me without having to help them worry about you."

The younger Vega sister knotted her brow and gave him a confused expression as she asked, "How is this a stressful scene to rehearse?"

He looked away a bit embarrassed and Jade answered with a motion of her right hand, "Because you have a stage kiss and he's never done one."

Tori blinked then curiously answered, "He kissed you in the Walter and Nancy play."

The dark brunette rolled her eyes. "I'm his _girlfriend_. You really think that was a stage kiss?"

Tori opened her eyes wide and formed an 'O' with her lips. She hissed out a breath then embarrassingly commented, "Right."

"Oh, those are easy to handle," Cat laughed out. "Let me up, seriously guys, let me up."

The pair of girls looked to one another and reluctantly stood up to let the redhead up. She turned and smiled to the muscular teenager.

Freddie began, "Okay, how can you help m—"

In a blink of an eye, she cupped the back of his head and pulled him to softly place her lips against his lips. The contact barely lasted a second then she pulled away and laughed out, "See not a problem. It worked to get Robbie over it after his one with Trina."

He looked between Jade and Tori, both girls wearing shocked expression, then laughed out for a few seconds then commented, "Okay… I think we can rehearse now."

Jade leaned over and whispered over to Tori, "You better make him feel comfortable."

Tori's eyes shot open as that was not what she expected Jade to say.

The brunette stared down at the body (well imaginary one as one of Tori's teddie bears was being a stand-in) for a moment then gave her husband standing to her left a strange expression.

He raised a questioning eyebrow and asked, "What?"

She cracked a soft smile and casually commented as if they were discussing the weather, "As silly as this may sound under the circumstances… I feel we should hide the body."

He softly smirked to his lovely wife and slipped an arm behind the small of her back to rest his hand on her right hip. "I have the same feeling, but of course since we are on this underwater submarine, it would be a moot point to hide the body. It would simply be found in no time and not really further our plans. We are each other's alibis anyway."

He began to softly chuckle then stole a quick little peck from her soft lips while still having the nerve to go through the scene. He pulled back slightly and held the called for expression of the scene.

She broke character to give him a curious expression as the scene called for a passionate kiss from the husband and wife to celebrate.

He let out a chuckled, "Not believable?"

Tori took a gentle breath and put back on her smile to casually comment, "As silly as this may sound under the circumstances… I feel we should hide the body."

He took in a sharp breath and slipped right back into character to reply, "I have the same feeling, but of course since we are on this underwater submarine, it would be a moot point to hide the body. It would simply be found in no time and not really further our plans. We are each other's alibis anyway."

He started chuckling then pulled her tight against him and for a moment pictured her as Shelby and channeled his fan-boy crush from two and a half years ago. He dipped his head forward and gently captured her lips into a lip-locking kiss. Tori slipped a hand to the back of his neck as she gently returned the kiss.

The kiss may not have been as passionate as called for, but it was tender and genuine as they softly exchanged pressure with their lips and physically shared their mutual contentment of being in each other's presence.

The door opened with a soft knock on the outside as Mrs. Vega walked inside the room. She stopped in her tracks for a moment at seeing her daughter and Freddie in deep lip-lock. "Sorry," Mrs. Vega quickly laughed out and interrupting the pair's kiss.

The pair quickly pulled apart and looked anywhere other than between themselves or the matriarch as if they had been caught doing something they weren't supposed to be doing. Freddie quickly cleared his throat then let out a nervous laugh, "We're practicing for a scene Mrs. Vega…"

Tori joined him in his nervous laughter while her cheeks started forming a soft blush, "Yeah, Sikowitz cast us as husband and wife and there's a kissing scene."

The matriarch smirked, "Oh?"

Her daughter quickly nodded, "Yeah… we just… Freddie's never done a stage kiss, so we're having to practice a

He pointed over his shoulder and awkwardly commented, "I'm going to step out for a moment—I have to use the bathroom—and check on Jade and see if she needs any help with Cat. I'll be right back." He quickly walked passed the older brunette and into the hallway.

Mrs. Vega looked to her daughter and whispered out with an apologetic expression, "Sorry."

Tori knotted her brow and gave her mother a genuine expression of confusion as to why she should be apologizing.

Sikowitz's Classroom  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Wednesday, April 25, 2012

The classroom was empty before the class period and Robbie was taking the opportunity to continue to type on his paper. He was sitting in one of the colored chairs with his typewriter placed in the seat of a green seat as he typed at a snail's pace. He wasn't alone however as Rex was sitting in a neighboring seat.

Unbeknownst to the ventriloquist, Tori was looking through the small window of the door into the classroom. She opened the door and waved in Jade and Cat to follow her inside then made a sound, "Oh."

"No way!" Jade called out as she relaxed in place and held her coffee in her right hand. She continued with a disbelieving tone, "I can't believe your own sister would do that to you."

Tori ran a quick hand through the hair on the crown of her head and whined out, "I know, right?"

Cat asked with a raised voice, "Wait, what did Trina do?"

Robbie passed a quick glance over his left shoulder as Tori continued, "Okay, you guys know how I have that weird mole on my butt?"

The typewriter dinged as it reached the end and Robbie stopped to overhear the girls.

The pale teenager asked for clarification, "The mole shaped like a fish?"

"Right, so last night, my mom took a pic of it, to send to our doctor…"

Cat paused in her line, which Tori quickly motioned for pick up, "Oh. Go on."

"Well, you wanna know what my evil sister Trina did?"

Cat asked, "What?" followed by Jade, "Yeah."

The brunette spoke loud enough to make sure that Robbie could overhear her, "She copied the pic of my butt mole and posted it on The Slap—" Cat and Jade sucked in horrified breaths then Tori continued, "—and now anyone with a phone can just go on The Slap dot com and see my butt mole!"

Robbie sat up in his seat and pursed his lips then softly bit his bottom one for a brief moment of lust.

Jade asked with a loud voice to double check to see if she heard correctly, "Shaped like a fish?"

Tori agreed, "Shaped like a fish."

Cat shouted out, "Outrageous."

Robbie turned his attention to the girls as he picked up Rex from his seat and slipped his hand into Rex's back.

The brunette suddenly said, "Hey. Let's go check our makeup in the girls' room."

Jade agreed, "Good call."

The redhead laughed out, "I'll follow you both out."

Rex mumbled, "Mmm hmm," as the girls exited the classroom.

He stood up and idly commented to Rex, "Wow… a pic of Tori's butt mole. I sure would like to see that."

Rex pointed out the obvious with Robbie being kind enough to turn towards the stage of the room to see the cardboard box sat against the back wall, "Well, there's the box of phones, right over there."

The glasses wearing teenager laughed out, "No, I can't use my phone. If I do, I'll lose the bet for me, André and Beck."

"Nobody's gonna know. We're alone."

Robbie looked around to see that they were in the room alone then meekly responded, "I dunno."

The puppet galled him, "Come on Rob. You deserve to see that pic. I mean, what else do you have to live for? It's shaped like a fiiisssh."

"Oh," he moaned out and looked around to make sure no one was not around.

Rex nodded along, "Mm-hum."

"Okay," he answered then quickly sat Rex back in his chair with a weird shout, "Eh!"

He quickly dashed to the cardboard box just as Beck and André entered the classroom. They saw him just as he was picking up his phone and ran towards them shouting, "Rob no! Don't!"

Beck tackled him to the ground as André wrestled Robbie's right wrist down, all the while the ventriloquist shouted, "No, no, I have to check The Slap! No, there's a pic of Tori's butt mole. Lemme go, lemme go!"

The long haired actor shouted in return while holding down Robbie's left arm and left leg, "There's no pic of Tori's butt mole on The Slap!"

"But they..."

André shouted back, "The girls already tried that on us!"

Beck quickly followed up, "They tried to trick you."

Robbie hissed out as they helped him up on his feet, "Those _wenches_."

The lean actor motioned between the three of them and stated in an eager tone, "Uh-huh, but we're gonna get 'em back."

The songsmith laughed out, "Oh yeah. The game is on."

"It's way on."

"On like Billy Kwan," Robbie laughed out as he pulled the hem of his shirt down.

They gave him curious expressions in which he quickly explained, "He's a boy I went to camp with from Asia. Good kid, you guys would like him." He started on his way back to Rex while Beck picked up his book bag and dropped Robbie's phone back into the cardboard box.

Vega Residence  
Wednesday, April 25, 2012

In the early evening, the three girls and the former Seattleite were in the Vega living room. Tori was sitting on the couch towards the door while Jade and Freddie were seated on the couch towards the kitchen. The trio decided to practice their lines for the play with Cat opting to play with her chew toy.

The redhead was leashed against the metal handrail of the Vega's stairwell as if she was some animal. She was typing away at the chew toy with the occupying squeaks every time she pushed it. She got up from her seated position next to the stairs and called out while trying to pull away from the railing, "Ooh, I'm pretending I got another text! It's from Robbie's friend Billy Kwan, all the way from Asia!"

Jade looked up from her play book to Cat and sympathetically whined, "It's kind of sad watching Cat go mentally insane. I always thought it would happen more gradually."

Tori nodded her head in sympathy while Freddie responded, "I still think this is just her acting out her withdrawal from the bibble."

The blue streaked hair teenager nodded her head in his direction as an acknowledgement of his suggestion even if she didn't necessarily agree with it.

"I texted Billy back! I said, 'yay Asia!' Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" She shouted out in frustration, "Oh my God, I wish it were real."

The door bell rang and Tori whined out in frustration as she got up from her seat, "Who is that?"

Tori opened the door to reveal a dark redheaded younger teenager with a fearful expression on her face. The brunette curiously asked, "Hello."

The younger teenage girl cried out as she fiddled with the cross strap of her satchel book bag, "Will you help me? I'm lost."

"You're lost?"

She fearfully nodded her head. "Uh-huh. Will you please call my mom and tell her where I am?"

"Uh, sure I'll call your mom..."

Jade idly called out, "It has to be a trick from the guys."

Tori's brow knotted as she looked over her shoulder to Jade.

Freddie rolled his eyes and commented, "Lame trick then."

The various shade brunettes both looked to him with a confused expression.

He relaxed back in the couch cushion and crossed his arms over his chest. "I can use my phone, you can use yours and we can always use the landline. That didn't count for his bet, so it's a pretty lame attempt."

"I just got lost. I took the wrong bus," she cried out to get their attention.

Freddie called out, "Just let her inside."

Tori slightly frowned as Jade's point had wormed its way into her head, but she wasn't going to argue with him. She smiled back to the girl and waved her inside.

The middle schooler laughed out in relief at finally getting a good view of Freddie, "You're Freddie Benson? From iCarly?"

He smiled warmly at her as he stood up from his seat. "Yes I am." He waved her over to follow him into the kitchen and reassured her, "Let's call your mom."

As the three were distracted with the middle schooler, Cat started chewing on the pink leash until finally it snapped, even to the redhead's surprise.

Tori shouted out in disbelief, "Cat!"

Jade shouted out in complete disbelief, "She chewed through her leash!"

"I'm free!" she shouted in triumph.

"Come here," Jade shouted as she started chasing her friend to the kitchen, just being one step behind her in jumping off the small platform. Fortunately wore black clothing under her militia skirt as it flare up when she jumped as to not really flash anyone.

Cat shouted out, "I'm free!"

Tori ran to the other entrance into the kitchen to try to cut her off, but she ran right past the slim girl.

Cat continued to shout as she rounded around the couches and ran in front of the television, "I need a real phone! I need a real phone! No! No! No!"

The shortest girl crashed right into Jade and she was able to tackle her to the ground with Tori jumping on top of Jade a moment later.

The younger redhead looked on in confusion at the behavior of the older girls. She looked up to Freddie with a curious expression.

He softly laughed out, "I have some strange friends and girlfriend… but I love 'em."

The middle schooler nodded along just as he passed her his phone and the other end of the phone answered.

Black Box Theater  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Thursday, April 26, 2012

Tori and Cat were on set while the others sat in the audience watching the dry run of the scene. The brunette was on the left side of the island from the audience's perspective while Cat walked down the right side stairs.

The redhead shouted out with a determined voice, "I'm in charge of this underwater submarine."

Tori teasingly asked, "Your point?"

Cat reached the other side of the island and pointed an accusing finger at the brunette and shouted, "You and your husband are accused of a very serious crime. Now, where is he?"

Tori mockingly answered, "Right behind you."

Cat suddenly turned just in time to see Freddie raising a prop knife in his right hand and grabbing her right shoulder. She sucked in a shocked breath just as Freddie's character was about to bring the blade down.

However, Robbie shouted as he entered through the back entrance of the theater to interrupt the scene, "Here I am!"

They turned to see the ventriloquist dressed in pink tights with large fairy wings on his back. He wore a cap with goggles on top of his head and a toilet seat around his neck. He also wore a pink tutu with matching pink flippers.

Jade looked on in complete shock and called out, "Oh my God."

Sikowitz questioned in equal confusion, "Why are you dressed that way?!"

"Because I'm the scuba fairy! And I'm here to grant all of your underwater wishes!"

André wagged his finger at Robbie and commented, "That is an embarrassing costume!"

Beck was eager to agree with his own wagging of a finger in the direction of his ridiculously dressed friend, "Really embarrassing!"

"Yeah!" Robbie shrugged his shoulders, held out his hands and laughed out, "So nobody better take a picture of me and post it online!"

Cat laughed near hysterically, "I have to take a picture of him and post it online!"

Tori whispered out harshly and motioned to the guys, "No! That's what the guys want us to do so we'll lose the bet!"

Jade laughed out as she motioned a hand to Robbie, "Who cares?! Look at him! This is too good!"

André and Beck started pounding the top of the headrests of the chairs in front of them and chanted in time, "Take a pic! Take a pic! Take a pic! Take a pic!"

Sikowitz got up from his chair and shouted, "Stifle! Stifle! Stifle!" The students paused for a moment as he had successfully caught their attentions and continued while walking to the island to sit the cardboard box on it, "I am a teacher and I'm tired of this nonsense! Here, you want your phones?! Take them!"

The teenagers paused for the briefest of moments before dashing to the box and pulling out their phones. The guys headed back to their seats as Robbie continued dancing about for their entertainment.

Jade decided to pull out her phone and snap a picture while shouting out, "Smile Robbie!"

Cat held up her phone and snapped her own pictures. She yelled to get his attention, "Turn around."

Tori joined in taking pictures and shouted, "Hi scuba fairy! Yes!"

During the entertainment from Robbie, Sikowitz had walked to the back of the theater. He banged a gong and the sound reverberated throughout the entire theater, obviously catching everyone's attention. "That's it everybody! The boys win!"

Jade gave him a confused expression as she questioned, "What?!"

Tori shouted, "Uh-uh, no way! You said the contest was over!"

Sikowitz smugly pointed out, "No, I believe I said, 'if you want your phones, take them'."

Beck smugly pointed out, "He didn't say anything about the contest being over."

Freddie gently pointed out as he felt his blood pressure rising as his mind was putting the pieces together to a puzzle he knew he wasn't going to like, "He said he was tired of this nonsense, implicitly stating the contest was over just like when he got tired of you and Tori method acting and went ahead to bed."

Sikowitz's jovial expression partially broke at Freddie's point.

Tori desperately shouted and pointed at the guys, "Freddie's right and you guys all got your phones too!"

Beck blatantly ignored Freddie's point and held up his phone to show that his screen was off and happily commented, "Off."

André held up his phone and answered, "Off."

Robbie held up his phone, "Off."

The songsmith picked up, "You girls turned yours on."

Sikowitz held out his hand for the guys to slap with Beck shouted out for joy, "Boo-jah!"

Cat shouted while she pointed to her acting teacher, "Sikowitz!"

He smugly and teasingly asked, "Yes?"

Jade asked in disbelief, "You were in on this with them!"

The brunette asked with shared shock, "You helped the boys trick us!"

He crossed his arms in front of his chest and laughed out, "I absolutely."

"But why?"

Sikowitz blew out a breath and calmly took a step towards the girls. "Look, this turned into a contest between the boys and the girls. Now, I may be an educator and I may be your friend, but first and always, Erwin Sikowitz... is a boy."

They started chanting and walking around the girls in a circle, "Boy power! Boy power!" They started heading out of the theater, but Freddie shouted, "You stop right there you bastard!"

The four males stopped in their tracks and turned to look at the tech-producer wearing a cold stare at them all. He softly whispered out while looking directly at Sikowitz, "No, no, no, it does not end this way. You're not pulling this stunt and just giving them 'A's'."

The teacher walked back to Freddie with his arm crossed and retorted with a sharp tone, "Freddie, you will show me the proper respect as your teacher."

"No, I'm not. You said it yourself: 'you're a _boy_' so I'm going to give you that level of respect… _boy_."

The balding teacher had clearly lost all patience with Freddie and snapped out, "I'm giving you a week's worth of detention for your blatant disrespect of me."

He snorted out, "I'm not going to any of it."

"Then we're going to the Principal's Office right now where I'm going to recommend you be suspended for a few days."

Jade's eyes shot open and she sucked in a sharp breath while the others looked just as stunned at the escalation between the pair.

Freddie actually laughed out, "To see _Helen_? What are you going to tell our _female_ principal _who doesn't like you_?" Freddie softly shook his head then continued with his disdain for Sikowitz in his voice, "I disrespected you after you openly bragged about being a sexist and when there's a disagreement between your male and female students, you're going to take the males' side simply because you're a guy? That you just rigged a contest for the boys to give away a free grade for the _entire semester_? Or how about you running around shouting 'boy power'?" Freddie rolled his eyes and laughed out, "Yeah, that's _really_ going to go over well with her." He slightly tilted his head to the side and softly commented, "I wonder how long it will take her to replace you as our teacher?"

Sikowitz deeply frowned as he tightened his arms across his chest.

Freddie continued with a tone that showed that he was just as fed up with Sikowitz, "So this is how it's going to work: they're not getting A's for the semester and you're going to drop this whole mess and if I sense a hint of you trying to jank over my grade for this play… we'll be getting a new teacher before we graduate."

Beck started, "Freddie, this is getting ridiculous—"

"Oh shut up you piece of chizz," he snapped at his girlfriend's ex having lost all patience with the boy.

The longer haired teenager clenched his jaw and took a step forward.

Freddie snorted out in complete dismissivness at Beck as a threat then looked to the other two and spat out, "You should all be ashamed of yourselves… because I certainly am of you. Where's your damn sense of right and wrong? You had to get Sikowitz to cheat for you?"

André and Robbie had the decency to look away in shame.

Beck shouted back, "Oh get off your high horse! They tried to trick us first with that fake butt picture of Tori!"

"Which you guys started on a purely sexist premise of thinking they're weaker than you because of their sex—which is hilarious with Robbie calling them weak when he has to use Rex to talk for him—then you responded by rigging it with the 'judge' of the bet." He laughed out as he realized something, "You kind of just proved that they are better than you. You had to get him to side with you based on his genital to beat them."

The former Seattleite looked back to Sikowitz and stated in no uncertain terms, "I'm playing for keeps Sikowitz, just ask Sam, her life is pretty much emotionally in tatters, or Nora or Nevel, they're both in prison or Mason, who's practically on his hands and knees to sign Jade up after his stunt… or not-so-Pretty Boy as Dusty is calling him for the moment who's still healing up after pushing me on too many times… so if you want to do this… _then cross the line_ and we'll see what happens."

Freddie outright glared at the acting teacher as Sikowitz several calming breaths as he matched Freddie's expression.

Sikowitz broke the staring contest with responding with the coldest tone any of the students had ever heard from their teacher, "Don't threaten me Freddie."

The Seattle native whispered in return with an equally cold voice, "Then don't try to fuck over _my girls_."

Jade swallowed nervously as she watched the standoff and actually said a silent prayer that Sikowitz would back down because she knew in her heart that Freddie would not let it go as it was a matter of right and wrong for him.

After several tense seconds, Sikowitz licked his lips and stated with a stressed voice, "Let's take a few minutes then back to our places… we have a play to rehearse." He was quickly making his way out the door before anyone could say another word.

Beck and Freddie shared a quick glare before the longer haired actor turned to head out of the theater for a few minutes followed by shamefully expression André and Robbie (presumably for him to go change).

Jade walked over and rested a hand on Freddie's upper left arm.

He let out a stressful breath with his shoulders slumping and whispered, "I don't know if I can put up with him for two more months."

She pulled her hand away and replaced it with her other one so she could wrap an arm around his shoulders and rest her cheek on his right shoulder.

In the background, Tori looked at her phone and checked her messages. She laughed out, "I got forty-three text messages… several from Quincy and Mason."

Cat had walked back around the island and brought up 'Wacky Donkey' video. She immediately started laughing out, "Look at the wacky donkey!" She waved Tori over and Freddie gave Jade a soft smile and motion of his head towards the redhead to suggest she join her friends.

The dark brunette took his nonverbal suggestion and walked over to the island to join them while he continued to stare at the exit. They all started to laugh as Cat held up the phone with the shortest girl laughing the loudest, Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

However, her laughter was too much and the next moment she leaned over to throw up a little into the cardboard box.

Jade shouted as a laugh, "No!" then shouted out in joyful shock, "Oh!"

Freddie cracked smile at hearing all his girls, romantic and platonic, laughing and it took some of the weight off of his shoulders.

* * *

Author's Note: Did you expect that ending? I hope you appreciate a little more insight to Freddie's psyche and understand why he would respond so aggressively. Also, I hoped you liked my twist in casting for the play when in the episode it was Jade and Robbie playing husband and wife... sorry Rade fans. Next week should be a very important chapter for a certain pair: Opposite Date. Take care of yourselves.


	31. Chapter 31: Opposite Date

Hello everyone! I hope you don't mind if I post this chapter early. I'll be busy this weekend (my birthday), so I thought I would get this posted while I had the chance.

Thank you all again for your reading and feedback. I'm still catching up with answering some reviews, so please forgive me.

Shameless plug, but after you read this, you might enjoy PD31's update of A Place to Call Home. I'm about to read it my self, so read this, review then read and review his story.

Thanks and on with the story!

Rating: T Language

* * *

Chapter 31: Opposite Date

Asphalt Café  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Friday, April 27, 2012

First lunch had started a few minutes ago on the sunny Friday and the students of Hollywood Arts were enjoying it with the Asphalt Café being packed with students. A number of them had commandeered a table and jamming to whatever tune came to their minds with a girl playing her acoustic guitar, another boy playing his electric guitar and a third banging on his bongo drums.

André, Tori, Beck and Robbie (in that order clockwise) were sitting at the group's usual blue lunch table enjoying their meal before their free third period as Sikowitz decided they needed a break from rehearsals (and possibly avoid having to deal with Freddie after yesterday's heated exchange to put it lightly). The discoloration around Beck's eyes had mostly faded, but still a hint was noticeable, and the bruising of his cheeks had faded to a slight yellow discoloration.

Tori looked to André on her right and asked as he held his green Mark II PearPad in front of him, "Did you find it?"

"I'm looking."

Beck rested his forearms against the table and suggested, "Just search 'Gargantosaurus'."

The songsmith answered with a hint of annoyance, "I know what to search."

The long haired actor looked to his friends and asked, "You sure we all want to spend our Saturday night at a museum?"

The brunette eagerly retorted, "It's a new discovery, the third biggest dinosaur bone ever found in California."

Robbie happily offered to the conversation, "I hear it's a femur… that's a leg bone."

André finished his searching and read off his PearPad, "Okay, here we go. I got it. The Gargantosaurus femur bone will be on display tomorrow night from seven to eleven P.M. at the Museum of Large Bones."

Tori happily shouted while pointed to André and Beck, "Yes, this is gonna be great!" She threw down her half eaten baby tomato down towards her tray, but missing it as she shouted, "Great!"

As Tori had her little celebration in looking forward to seeing the bone, Robbie was reading off her aqua colored PearPhone then shouted, "Oh, my gosh!"

André curiously asked, "What about your gosh?"

The ventriloquist eagerly answered while reading off his phone, "To celebrate the launch of the new PearPad three, The Pear Store at The Grove is giving away three new PearPads."

Tori quickly asked, "How do you win one?"

Robbie motioned to the brunette as he continued to read, "By making a video showing how much you want one. The best video makers each get a PearPad three." He softly laughed out, "I got to work on this all weekend."

Tori desperately pleaded him to change his mind, "No! What about the dinosaur bone?" She smiled while pointing at her glasses wearing friend, "It's a femur."

"I got to work on my video!" He looked across the table to André and asked, "André, you want to do it with me?"

The dreadlock musician held up his PAD and happily answered, "Nope, I've got a Pear Pad."

Robbie laughed off with a brush off of his left hand, "Yeah, a two."

Beck curiously asked before popping a French fry into his mouth, "What's so great about the three?"

"It has a slightly better screen."

André happily retorted, "I don't care. I'm cool with my PearPad two."

Robbie raised his hands palm up and slightly nodded his head then crossed his arms to rest against the table.

* * *

Two younger teenagers were hiding behind rusty green dumpster just outside the parking lot of school, one wearing a grey T-shirt holding a pair of binoculars and the other in a blue plaid shirt holding a sophisticated looking slingshot. The slingshot wielding teenager commented to his friend, "Man, I love this slingshot. See anything for me to hit?"

His friend raised his binoculars and scanned around until he spotted the backside of André with a clear view of the musician holding his PearPad. "Yeah. See that kid at Hollywood Arts holding the green PearPad?"

"Yep."

* * *

"Anyway..." André started, but he was immediately interrupted as a rock went clean through his PearPad, sending little pieces of shrapnel about the table and causing the others to jerk away in surprise.

"Ow!" Tori shouted while André agreed, "What the... Oh!" He turned and shouted just in time to see the kids dash away from behind the bin, "It's those slingshot kids again!"

Tori whined out in frustration, "Oh, I hate those slingshot kids!" with Beck quickly agreeing, "They're a menace!"

Robbie smugly commented, "Well, now you do need a new Pear Pad."

André stuffed his broken PearPad into his book bag and casually asked, "What kind of video should we make?"

"I'm not sure yet, but check the weather." He licked his right pointer finger then lifted it up in the air while his other finger pointed to his temple, "A brainstorm's coming."

"Uh, maybe this is a bad idea."

He waved off his doubts and answered, "No, no, no. It's gonna be awesome. Come on."

The pair got up from their seats and Tori called out, "Wait! So neither of you are coming with us tomorrow night to the museum of large bones?"

"Nope," the glasses wearing teenager answer as he turned his back to the brunette while André followed up, "Enjoy the bone."

Beck looked to the brunette and casually commented, "So, tomorrow night, I guess it's just you and me."

Tori hesitantly answered, "Yeah... I can't go. I'm uh..." She picked up her phone off the table as she finished, "Busy."

"Busy? You were just talking about the museum."

She held up her left hand and retorted, "Dude, I can't go with just you."

He answered with a confused tone, "Why not?"

She nervously laughed, "Because if it's just the two of us, then it's like... _a date_."

Beck blew out a tired breath as he quickly realized her hesitation after last week of misreading her and Freddie rather forceful way of interfering. He calmly replied, "I'm not asking you out on a date. I'm just saying I'm not backing out on going with you like the others. If you went with just André or just Robbie or just… _Freddie_, (nearly choking on the name) you wouldn't consider that a date, so why are you considering it one if it's just us?"

Tori gave him a bashful expression and paused in answering him which he took as a bad sign, so he quickly continued in an effort to dig himself out of the hole, "If it's because of last week, I'm sorry. I misread you and the situation and I'm sorry if I crossed a line. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

She held up her left hand and whispered, "Y-you didn't."

He knotted up his brow in confusion of apparently letting him off the hook.

She patted his forearm and continued, "You're right; it isn't like a date. Just because André and Robbie don't want to go—and maybe you don't want to spend your night looking at a bone either—it doesn't change anything about going other than they can't make it."

The long haired actor questioned as he got up from is seat, "Right, so I'll pick you up at about six-thirty?"

She got up from her seat as well while commenting, "Yeah, I'll see you at six-thirty."

The next moment another stone went flying at the table and struck bottom half of the partially drank red Wahoo Punch… and inexplicably transmuted the plastic bottle into glass and sent the broken shards flying.

Tori shouted in outrage as she held up her right fist and shouted, "Oh!"

Beck quickly agreed, "Oh, those slingshot kids!"

Hollywood Arts High School

Cat eagerly approached the brunette and greeted her taller friend as Tori was looking through one of her three ring binders at her opened locker, "Hi."

She happily smiled back to her friend and answered while closing her binder, "Oh, hey Cat."

The redhead rested a hand over her stomach as she realized what she had said, "Hi. Oh wait, I already said that."

"It's okay," Tori softly laughed out as she put away her binder.

"So you guys are all gonna go see the big bone tomorrow night?"

Tori wore a disappointed smile as she pulled out another binder and answered, "No, André and Robbie decided they want to make a video to try and win the new PearPad three."

Cat happily offered, "Oh, I hear it has a new screen." She softly laughed out, "Slightly better, yeah."

Tori dryly commented, "It's very exciting."

"So you don't have any plans tomorrow night?"

"No, I do um... Beck and I are gonna—"

The redhead whispered out to interrupt her, "Ooh!"

"Stop, it's not a date!"

"Oh, right," she playfully answered with an over exaggerated wink of her right eye.

The taller girl snapped out in frustration, "Stop doing that with your eye! We're just hanging out, you know, friends, just like if I was hanging with André, Robbie or Freddie." She turned to head for the library, but Cat called out innocently, "Oh, so I can tell people you're going out with Beck?"

Tori stopped, turned around and patiently corrected her friend, "We're not going out."

"So you're staying in with him?"

"No!" she shouted in return, quickly losing patience with the girl.

She playfully mocked, "I see you, girl."

Tori shook her and she tried to calm herself just as the bell rang over head and Cat quickly dashed away shouting, "Bye."

André and Robbie were waddling down the main stairs in yellow pear costumes while Sinjin filmed encouraged them, "Come on. Oh, yeah. Oh, just like that. Oh, this is great. Oh, yes, more of that, more of that. Really feel it. Okay, come on, smile now. Smile. Look fruitful."

Tori walked up to Sinjin's right and laughed out, "Whoa! You two are quite the 'Pear.'"

Robbie softly retorted, "These are the costumes for our video."

"To win the new PearPads," André picked up.

"So what's the video gonna be?"

The songsmith answered, "Oh, we're gonna go outside, get on the roof and sing a song."

"About how much we love PearPads," Robbie finished while resting his hands on the stomach of the costume.

"Cool and you're shooting it now?" she hesitantly questioned.

"Nah."

Robbie finished, "Tomorrow."

André rubbed up and down his chest and smoothly answered, "We're just getting the fruity feel of these costumes."

Jade exited through the door of the shortcut hallway behind the lockers then passed in front of Tori and Sinjin and idly greeted them as she made her way to her locker.

Jade stopped at her locker and twirled her combination into the built in lock as her redhead friend approached her from the left. "Hi, Jade."

"Hey," she casually answered while opening the locker.

"You want to do something fun with me tomorrow night?"

She rested her right shoulder against the Rex's locker and crossed her arms under her chest as she answered, "Sure, what?"

"I don't know. I figured you'd pick because you're bossy."

"Don't say I'm bossy!" she shouted back with a hurt tone.

"Okay!" She whispered out, "But you are…" She raised her left pointer and thumb close together as she finished, "…a little bit."

Jade rolled her eyes and replied, "Whatever. Yeah, let's hang out tomorrow night."

"Okay, but we can't invite Tori to come with us because she's..." Cat suddenly gasped and turned the corners of her mouth and showed her bottom teeth.

The pale girl knotted her brow and cautiously asked, "What's Tori doing tomorrow night?"

She looked away and hesitated for a few moments before admitting, "Tori and Beck are going out together."

The dark brunette blinked in surprise then hesitantly asked, "What?"

"But it's not a date. They're just hanging out as friends like she would with André or Robbie or Freddie."

She nodded along with a guarded expression, "Okay." She pulled out a single subject black notebook from her locker then closed it. She quietly commented, "I'll pick you up around six." She turned and headed for the library to spend her free period.

"What are we going to do?"

"Whatever you want!" she shouted in return as she continued walking.

Vega Residence  
Hollywood Hills  
Los Angeles, CA

The time was approaching eleven that night when the doorbell to the Vega home rang and drawing Mrs. Vega's attention from her place on the couch. She got up from her seat from watching television and walked over to open the door.

Mrs. Vega opened the door and saw Freddie standing on the other side wearing his Hollywood Arts Letter Jacket and his Pear Store red shirt. He awkwardly smiled and commented, "Hi Mrs. Vega."

The matriarch smiled brightly at the Pear Store employee and returned the greeting, "Freddie, this is a nice surprise."

He slightly bowed his head and let out an awkward laugh, "Thanks. I'm sorry it's so late, but could I talk to Tori; it's important."

She nodded her head and waved him inside with a pleasant expression, "Of course." Once she closed the door behind her, she said, "She's up in her room." She let out a soft laugh, "You do remember where it is?"

Freddie turned to face the lovely woman and let out another laugh, "Yeah, I remember where it's at."

She playfully waved him off towards the stairs, "Well then, I'll let you go."

"Thank you ma'am," he answered with a nod then headed towards the stairs.

* * *

Tori was at her desk with only the desk lamp on as she figuratively had her head buried in a textbook and her laptop on the side. She rubbed her forehead above the top rim of her glasses as she tried to commit what she just read into memory. She usually wouldn't be putting this much effort into studying this late on a Friday night, but she was going to busy tomorrow night and she didn't know how quickly her time would be eaten up in the future with working on an album… whether she signed with Mason or Quincy.

Freddie's playful voice coming from the partially open door pulled her out of her studying, "So, I hear you're going out on a date with Beck tomorrow night?"

She turned in her seat to see him resting a shoulder against the door frame and gently smiling to her. She let out a breath and closed her eyes for a moment along with her shoulders slumping realizing that Cat couldn't keep her mouth shut. She opened her eyes and retorted with a tired voice, "I'm not going out on a date with him. We're just going to see the 'Gargantosaurus' bone tomorrow night. André and Robbie bailed on us to work on a video to try to win some PearPad Threes."

"Oh the threes, we're just getting them in now. It's not worth the money to get a new one, but don't tell anyone I told you that," he finished with a soft laugh.

Tori cracked the faintest of smiles for a moment then dropped it to continue giving him a pitiful expression as she continued, "Look, it'd be no different than if you and I went out somewhere to just hang out."

Freddie lost his smile and pushed off the door frame to walk over and have a seat on the edge of her bed. He blew out a breath then met Tori's eyes to answer with regretful, but determined voice, "Yes it would be; I haven't made a pass at you during an emotionally vulnerable state."

She bowed her head and rubbed her hands together for a moment before looking back up at him and cautiously retorted, "You don't know how 'vulnerable' I was."

He slightly frowned and knotted his brow before getting up from his seat and walking towards her to knell in front of her. He rested a hand on top of her hands on her knees and whispered in return, "From the moment I heard Mason replaced you and was using Jade as pawn until I told you my plan, I was emotionally cut to pieces and I know I wasn't necessarily thinking the clearest, so I have a fair idea what you were feeling. I also have experience when I briefly dated Carly after my accident… even if I hate to admit it, Sam was right." He snorted out a soft laugh, "Like I told you before, you're not getting an apology for trying to protect my best friend."

She met his eyes and returned a small smile. She pulled one hand away to rest on his shoulder to balance herself to lean forward and place a soft kiss in the middle of his forehead then pulled back to softly admit, "Well, however emotionally hurt I felt at the time, I was thinking clearly enough to about to turn him down before you showed up and went all Shelby Marx on him even if I…" She trailed off and lowered her eyes as she realized what she was about to admit to him.

He raised an eyebrow and softly questioned, "Even if you would… _what_?"

She nervously swallowed down her apprehension and looked back up to meet his eyes. "Even if I might have wanted to say yes to him."

Freddie eyes widened and his lips slightly parted by his jaw slacking. "Oh?"

She looked down again and let out a soft snort of a laugh, "Yeah."

The brown eyed boy bowed his head and took a few moments to think on her admission then looked back up and asked with a hint of fear lacing his voice, "Then… why don't you want tomorrow to be a date?"

Tori met her friend's eyes and answered, "Because… because of Jade."

The brown eyed teenager knotted his brow. He looked to her with a completely perplexed expression as he slowly whispered, "Because of Jade?"

The glasses wearing brunette softly nodded her head and answered with a struggling voice, "Going out with your friend's ex-boyfriend? I can't do that to a friend."

Freddie stared at her for a moment then snorted at first then broke out into a full blown laugh that caused him to pull a foot out from under him and dropped to his bottom.

Tori's eyes shot open and her mouth dropped open in complete shock to his reaction.

He raised a hand and tried to calm himself as he explained, "I'm sorry, I didn't—I didn't mean to laugh, it's just…"

She asked with a curt tone, "What?"

He took a few calming breath as he bent a knee up and rested his right forearm on it. He looked up to her and answered, "If Sam had thought that way in regards to Carly before she kissed me at the lock-in… my life would be completely different right now. I wouldn't be here and my life would have just gone on in Seattle."

The brunette blinked and quickly understood his initial reaction. "Oh?"

He licked his lips and nodded his head. "Yeah… anyway… okay you like—or could like Beck, but you won't go out because of Jade."

"Right."

"You're going to let other people determine who you can and can't date?"

She awkwardly answered, feeling a little embarrassed, "I guess in a way, yes."

Freddie looked at her for a moment then stated bluntly, "It's none of Jade's business who Beck dates if anything, she's made it quite clear she doesn't care who he dates and actually wants him to be happy since we started dating and she told him from the start."

She tilted her head partially to the side. "But you saw how she reacted when she found out about Meredith, but with me… I accidentally spilt Beck's coffee on him on my first day of school and when she saw me try to help, she dumped one on top of my head. Do I have to explain how she might react if I went out on a date with Beck?"

"I'm familiar with the coffee being dumped on your head… I just never understood why you just didn't slug Jade right then and there."

Tori raised a surprised eyebrow.

He lifted a corner of his mouth as he explained, "Catfights were not abnormal at Ridgeway… and surprisingly most of them weren't from Sam. Anyway, yeah, I guess she was always worried that he would leave her for you and that's part of the reason why she didn't like you for so long, but that's in the past. The only ones that need to be making that decision are you and Beck."

She furled her brow and cautiously asked, "So, you're giving me your blessing?"

He vigorous shook his head and laughed out, "No, no, no. As your friend, I think you can do much better and I have plenty of reason to believe that he might hurt you. I think you'd be happy with André, but…" His voice dropped to a more somber tone, "…in the end, it doesn't matter what Jade says or I say. You don't need anyone's permission or blessing to date him if you want to try."

Tori looked away and to the floor as she thought on his words.

He softly patted her on the hand then stood up. "I'll let you think on it, but… you're on your own with your sister if she still wants to try with him."

She looked up and gave him a soft smile. "Thanks Freddie."

He nodded in response and bid farewell, "You're welcome. It's getting late and I need to get home for some sleep; work tomorrow. I'll see you later."

"Later," she whispered out as he exited her room.

West Residence

The time was after eleven thirty as Freddie was picking through his drawer to grab a fresh athletic undershirt after already changing into a pair of pajama pants.

Jade was relaxing in his desk chair and curiously asked with an underlining sense of worry, "Do you think she could have liked him all this time? Since her first day at Hollywood Arts?"

He found a shirt then pulled his athletic shirt over his head then pulled the hem down as he answered, "Does it really matter?" He turned and gave her a genuinely curious expression as he remarked, "The first time you broke up with Beck, she helped you get back together and now almost a year later, this time she still didn't want to even attempt to try. If I hadn't shown up last week, she would have turned him down. If there was ever a piece of him that wanted to leave you for her, it wouldn't have matter; she wouldn't have accepted him. She's too loyal to you."

She looked down and rested her forearms on her knees.

He walked around his bed and had a seat on the edge and just watched her for a few moments.

The dark brunette snorted out a soft laugh as she commented, "All that time I was afraid he would leave me for her and she would have turned him down… for me."

"It gives everything a whole new perspective, uh?"

She looked up at him and gave him a soft smile. "It really does."

The couple stared at one another for a few more moments before Freddie asked, "So are you good with it if she does eventually want to try with him?"

She took a soft breath then let it out. She did her near trademark licking of her bottom lip and running her tongue over her top teeth then answered, "Meredith hurt because it made me really doubt him about when we were together not that he was dating again… I told him to be happy and I meant it. I don't have a right to… _put conditions_ on him who he can and can't date. I certainly wouldn't accept any from him."

Freddie smirked and lightly commented, "I hope not. I'm not exactly his favorite person right."

She took a deep breath then let it out as if she was exhaling a burden she was carrying. She got up from the seat then walked over to give him a kiss on the cheek. She whispered, "Time for you to go to bed; it's already late enough for you."

He smirked as he softly replied, "'Night then."

"'Night, I love you," she answered as she turned away and headed out of the room.

"I love you too," he answered as he slipped under his covers then flicked the light switch off of his lamp.

Asphalt Café  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Saturday, April 28, 2012

The time was a little after ten in the morning as André and Robbie stood on the second floor of the café while Sinjin looked up at them from the parking lot, camera in hand at the ready. He shouted up at them, "Okay, you guys ready to shoot one?"

Robbie shouted down, "One sec!" He looked over to his partner and asked, "You know all the lyrics to the song I wrote?"

André slightly frowned as he pointed out, "Uh, yeah, but you know that the words 'PearPad' don't rhyme with 'hair bag'."

The glasses wearing teenager laughed out with a rising of his arms, "Close enough."

He furled his brow and answered with a slightly impatient tone, "It's really not."

Sinjin called out as he looked down at his PearPhone with his free hand, "Oh, my God!"

Robbie looked away from his friend and down at Sinjin and called out along with André, "What happened? What?"

Sinjin shouted, "I just got a text! They found my mom in Mexico!" then started walking to his scooter/bicycle hybrid.

André shouted down, "What's she doing in Mexico?"

He turned to answer, "We're not sure. She's been into some pretty funky stuff lately," then hopped on the hybrid.

The ventriloquist shouted, "Wait! You can't leave!"

André shouted in annoyance, "You got to shoot our video!"

"Next week!" Sinjin shouted over his shoulder then started pedaling and shouting, "Mother, your Mijo is coming!"

Robbie shouted while waving about his restricted arms, "No! The contest will be over by next week!" In his shouting and awkward movements, he started falling backwards and shouting, "Whoa, André, help, I'm falling."

On his way down, he bumped André and fell backwards with him.

The glasses wearing teenager muttered out, "We fell."

"Yes, we did."

They both started waddling about trying to pick themselves up. After several seconds of struggling to no avail, Robbie commented, "Well, this is a predicament."

André took a calming breath then spoke, "Come on, we can get up. On three. One, two, three." On three, the pair started their struggles again for a few seconds, but as before, they were still stuck on their backs.

Tori Vega: Hangin' out with Beck at The Museum of Large Bones. FEELING: Dinosaury :)

Museum of Large Bones  
Los Angeles, CA  
Saturday, April 28, 2012

Beck wore a soft smile as he shook his head and saw the excitement on Tori's face as they went to exhibit after exhibit. They had been there for about half an hour and they still hadn't reached the main exhibit they were there to see in the first place. He had a feeling she was taking the slow route to build up the anticipation before reaching the main event.

If she was doing such a thing, he had no complaints as he was enjoying the casual walk and company. He was surprised and quite curious in the turn of her attitude when he picked her up from hesitation yesterday to her normally cheerful and comfortable self.

The lovely brunette finally finished her slow walk and reached the main attraction with a respectable number of other patrons gathered around. Tori laughed up a storm as she saw the dinosaur bone. The femur was prominently displayed and was about a yard and a half long (~one and a half meters long).

Beck's eyes opened up wide and jaw slightly slacked before muttering, "Wow, that's a big bone."

She laughed out again and playfully punched his arm. "I told you."

He laughed out, "Yeah, you told me."

Tori navigated between the other patrons to get a better look then to get into the impromptu line of people to pose with it as the museum was allowing that kind of photography of their exhibit.

The younger Vega sister got her turn and Beck quickly snapped a few photos with her phone, but after the third one, his phone rang. He gave her an apologetic smile and handed her phone back as he pulled out his own phone. He took the call while Tori conversed with one of the other people and sharing the excitement of the find.

After about a minute or so, he blew out a regretful breath then gave her a forced smile as he explained, "That was my aunt. She asked if I could take her dog to the animal hospital. It's kind of an emergency."

Tori slightly frowned, but quickly nodded, "Okay, it's an emergency, so let's go."

He put on a bright smile at seeing her understanding then motioned to let her lead the way.

Blue Robin Restaurant  
1187 Glendale Galleria  
Glendale, CA

Cat quickly led Jade through the entrance of the more family accessible restaurant known for their gourmet burgers and towards a table near one of the hanging flat screens playing cartoons for the kids, which allowed the parents with the smaller children to enjoy their food in semi-peace.

Halfway through their maneuvering towards one of the tables, Jade noticed a familiar pair sitting at one of them. She hesitated to make a mention of it, but Cat noticed the direction of her friend's gaze. Cat tried to suppress her frown at seeing Dusty and Ava sitting across from one another apparently enjoying a meal.

The redhead quickly pulled Jade along to meet up with the pair. She playfully greeted the pair with a wave of her hand, "Hiiii, this is a surprise."

Ava looked up and smiled to the pair, but her smile faltered when she saw the expression on Cat's face as she could see right through it.

The Southern teenager snorted out a breath and laughed, "Hey."

The redhead wore a blatantly false smile to Ava's eyes as she asked, "So, are you two out on a date?"

Dusty slightly knotted his brow and raised a corner of his mouth as he looked on his ex-girlfriend.

They lighter brunette slightly narrowed her eyes on the redhead, but answered with a casual tone, "We're all out grabbing a bite to eat."

Cat voice was laced with confusion as she questioned, "All?"

Dusty motioned over to a man in a beige overcoat and dark suit with his top button of his white dress shirt undone and blue tie loosened sitting on a stool at one of the taller tables watching the cartoon on the flatscreen. Jade recognized him from one of the pictures in Dusty's room and oddly enough to Jade's eyes, he looked as if he was wearing the exact same outfit as he was wearing in the picture.

"That's my Uncle Cass… he's visiting for the weekend. He _loves_ his hamburgers and he has a soft spot for the cartoons. My dad accidentally got him hooked on them years ago, so… I thought it was the perfect place to bring him."

Cat let out a loud and relieving laugh while the pale girl snapped her head back to the sitting teenager and opened her eyes wide as her memory instantly recalled a remark Anna told her during her last visit: _'As my brother _Castiel _likes to say, 'Good things do happen'…'_

She was snapped out of her thinking, Ava laughed out, "Odd because he seems so… stiff?"

Dusty laughed, "He's very… _devout_ to his work, so… he doesn't enjoy life as the rest of us."

Jade hesitantly asked, "What does he do?"

"He's ah… holy accountant."

The pale girl knotted her brow and slightly frowned in bewilderment of his answer.

Dusty softly laughed out, "Don't kid yourself, the church is a business and it still needs to be managed as one or you can't keep the doors open." He relaxed in his chair as he further explained, "The electric bill needs to be paid, upkeep needs to be paid… the minister/preacher/pastor needs to be paid to eat. Someone has to manage the books and do the nity-gritty stuff."

The green streaked hair girl nodded her head.

Cat curiously asked, "Can we join you?"

Dusty calmly motioned to the free chairs. "Take a seat."

Ava's friendly smile faltered again and it did not escape Jade's attention as the pale girl walked behind Dusty to have a seat on the side of the table where she would be on his left and Ava's right. Cat eagerly took a seat across from Jade and flashed a smile to Dusty.

The waiter walked over and quickly took the girls' orders. As he walked away, Jade noticed the disappointed look in Ava's eyes as if they were really interrupting a date.

The waiter was surprisingly quick with returning the order and the girls started to catch up with the pair in eating and just sharing some idle conversation in catching up over the last week. Jade could see that Ava's hesitation of their presence disappeared and replaced with excitement that could rival Cat's on a good day as she talked about how she had met and conversed with a number of celebrities during and after the PMAs.

Dusty joked that he could remember that night and the after party, so for that reason he chalked it up to a good night. The brunette immediately countered with joking about how much it looked to her that he had gotten under Bieber's skin when talking with Selena. However, as much prodding as Ava did in front of the girls, she couldn't get him to admit whether or not he got Selena's number.

Jade subtly admitted that she was letting, even a week later, to let Mason and Shawn continue to fight with one another to offer her the better record deal and had completely disregarded Griffin out-of-hand as her instincts told her that he was more of a slime ball than Mason… _the devil you know…_

Cat ate very quickly as she listened to the others, but didn't finish her meal before already wanting to have some desert. Jade went ahead and handed her a few bills to buy something at the counter/display, figuring that once it was well established that her ex-boyfriend wasn't on a date with Ava, Cat wasn't too concerned about leaving him alone with the fellow petit girl. She wasn't exactly sure how she should feel about that. The pale girl glanced over to the main counter to see what was taking Cat so long to return then saw that she had taken a seat next to Dusty's uncle and watched the cartoons as she enjoyed her ice cream while he continued on what looked like his third hamburger.

The Southern teenager took a sip from his drink and calmly questioned, "I heard Freddie tore Sikowitz a new hole on Thursday?"

Jade snorted out a breath and looked down at her food. "He certainly did. He didn't like Sikowitz taking the boys' side in tricking them just because he's a guy. He clearly let Sikowitz know what he thought and wasn't going to let him give them A's."

Dusty shrugged a shoulder and took a sip from his drink before commented, "I guess some things didn't change for Freddie by moving here."

Jade angled her bow down in a questioning manner to the teenager.

He quickly supplied, "Freddie may have moved onto far greener pastures, but all that did was have him face deadlier wolves."

The green hair extension girl raised her glass to her lips to hide her frown in realizing that the uncomfortable truth that Freddie may never find any true peace with someone always wanting to mess with him even in Los Angeles.

The lean teenager continued, "I also heard through the grapevine that Vega number two and not-so-Pretty Boy are out on a date tonight?"

Jade slightly frowned and took another quick look across the table to see Cat still enjoying the cartoons and her ice cream with the overcoat wearing man still eating. She wasn't sure what her friend was up to with apparently spreading that interpretation of Tori and Beck's evening, but she would have to deal with it later. She calmly responded, "They're not on a date. They're just hanging out for the night. André and Robbie were supposed to go with them, but they decided to work on a video to win a new PearPad."

Ava smacked her lips as if she tasted something foul on her lips. "Yes, Sinjin mentioned that he was going to spend his day with them filming."

Jade noticed that Dusty was giving the lighter brunette a sympathetic expression.

"Van Cleef's lost," Dusty muttered out in a disapproving tone then went back to his meal, but a few moments later sarcastically chuckled before taking another bite out of his hamburger, "Oh Freddie must be thrilled with that."

Jade slightly frowned as she eyed him with confusion.

He shrugged a shoulder as he finished chewing then answered her expression, "I mean he does love her and he can't be happy with them hanging alone, especially after last week."

The dark brunette looked on to see his innocent expression while he took a bite out of his hamburger. He finished chewing his morsel and casually commented, "You're with a Christian. It's a tenant of the faith: love. You're going to have to put up with it."

Jade thought on that as she remembered Freddie making it a point to Sikowitz that she, Cat and Tori were 'his girls'. She picked at one of her French fries and softly commented as if she was drifting off into her own little world, "Yeah, love… platonic love… in another life that love could have been different…" She oddly shrugged a shoulder as she quietly finished, "…it could have been more for them…"

Dusty laughed out, "Yeah and in another universe you got with Freddie much later… say somehow after the Full Moon Jam. In another one, he's married to Carly before they even graduate high school. There's another one where you're still with Pretty Boy and going to move in together with Freddie and Vega after you graduate to share rent while everyone is working on school, acting and singing. Oh, then there's one where all three of you are together in threesome relationship. In another one, some random guy in Canada is going to be the next Pope… quantum mechanics is freaky that way."

She snapped her head and slightly frowned at how flippant he was remarking about her confession.

He rolled his eyes and pointed out, "You can't let that get to you or it will drive you insane. You got to face the fact that you're dating a guy that has close female friends."

* * *

The odd pair of a red velvet haired teenager and well dressed business man continued to slightly look up to watch the Looney Tunes cartoons with the current one being a Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner short.

Cat idly commented, "I like the one that's like 'meep-meep' you know, like how the bird does it in the cartoon?"

Cass curiously asked with a deep and rough voice, "The roadrunner?"

"Yeah, but I don't like him. He's so mean to that dog."

He gently pointed out, "That 'dog' is a coyote."

The redhead sucked in a breath and covered her mouth with her right hand, "Oh my God, was that racist?"

The overcoat wearing gentleman let out a soft laugh, "Perhaps specieist in being unable to correctly identify his correct species. However, if it makes you feel better, coyotes and the domestic dog are members of the same genus, canis."

Cat nodded along to his explanation then Cass calmly continued, "I like the cartoon because I find it hilarious. The bird represents God and the coyote is Man, endlessly chasing the Divine but never able to catch Him."

Cat looked to him for a few moments then to the screen to watch Coyote fail once again to catch Road Runner then back to the overcoat wearing gentleman. The redhead started to laugh and nod along to show she saw his point then the pair looked back towards the television.

* * *

Ava casually asked the green streaked hair girl, "So how do you feel about their trip turning into a date? Or the next time they go out it will be a date?"

Jade paused for a moment, not really sure if she wanted to really get into her feelings on the matter

The lighter brunette calmly explained, "Your ex possibly about to start dating your biggest rival, you got to feel something?"

The green streaked hair teenager blew out a soft breath from her nose then answered with a quiet tone, "Okay, Tori haunted me because for a long time I thought that he would leave me for her because he was always so friendly with her and was either neutral when I got into it with Tori… or took her side the last time, but he is my ex and I have no place telling him who he can and can't date. I certainly wouldn't put up with it if he attempted to tell me who I could date." She softly shook her head and commented, "More importantly, even after all the chizz, I want him to be happy and if he's happy with her… then that's fine."

Ava asked the obvious question for herself, "Then why doesn't it bother you that she and Freddie are so close? I'm honestly not sure I would be comfortable with my guy having that close of a friendship with another girl… that he wasn't related to."

Jade passed a quick glance to Dusty, who pointedly ignored her and enjoyed his hamburger, then back at Ava to reply with a soft smirk, "I know one option you may have just eliminated in a future guy."

The shorter brunette slightly frowned as she knew exactly what matter the pale girl was referring.

The pale teenager continued, "I trust Freddie and he loves me. Unlike Beck, he's never made me think he's wanted to be with anyone else. He's done everything to reassure me of my… apprehension about trust in a relationship after Beck."

Ava knotted her brow as she quickly asked, "Even during the whole PMAs? I could see it bother him when Tori was kicked out of it then he goes over to her house and just… beats the chizz out of Beck to me looked like he did it for her."

Jade shook her head. "No, because he made me promise him that no matter what he did between him leaving and the start of the show that I would be up there to perform. He put me first. I was always his priority. He was just trying to make it right for everyone."

Dusty spoke up, "She's right. He was counting on me as his ace-in-the-hole."

The girls looked to him with equally curious expressions.

He lazily answered, "I was to make sure you were on that stage for the opening performance… even to the point of stopping him from interfering with whatever plan he was cooking in his head if necessary."

He popped a few fries into his mouth then took a sip from his soda before continuing to both girls, "But going back to Freddie and Vega, you have to remember something about Freddie: the last couple of years before he got here, his 'best friends' were two girls… okay the allusion of friendship. True, until the taco accident it was a one way love for him and Carly, but before and after, he was use to the friendships in his life to be platonic relationships _with girls_." He glanced to Ava as he continued his point, "So you—some of us—might see it as odd to be that close for a guy to a girl that he's not dating or related to, but for him, that's _normal_."

The lean teenager took another sip from his Peppy-Cola then looked to Jade to finish commented, "This might be a little personal, but I'm betting other than you, the closest he's to is the Vega sisters and Cat than even Harris and Shapiro and I'm guessing you would have noticed him having to take time to get used to having male friends."

She softly smiled as she looked back and forth between the pair and the thought of Freddie calling her, Cat and Tori 'his girls' came to mind again. She started to explain, "You're right. He really didn't have guy friends in Seattle at least his own age—I'm not knocking Spencer. The closest thing was Gibby for a little bit then he was kicked out of all his clubs because of the whole Fred/Lucas thing."

Jade snorted out a breath as she recalled a story from Seattle. "It was actually the need for guy time one too many times they wanted to do something 'girly' that got him originally into fencing. He told me the story that Spencer offered to take him fencing when they wanted to go to 'Build-a-Bra'."

Ava snapped her fingers and commented with a hint of excitement in her voice, "I know the place. Every time up in Seattle, I go with my sister. If you ever take a trip up there again, you need to stop by it, because I can _guarantee_ you will walk out of that store with one feeling absolutely comfortable—no pulling, no digging."

Jade wore a completely serious expression and nodded her head, indicating that she would follow Ava's advice.

Dusty cleared his throat to grab the girls' attention and pointed out, "Mixed company ladies."

The girls looked to one another for a moment then both let out a soft laugh, partially at Dusty's expense.

He softly rolled his eyes then continued with a question, "So wait a second, he turned down going _bra shopping_ with them… and he was _in love _with one of them at the time?"

The pale girl calmly answered, "Yeah."

"Oh my God… you're dating a freakin' saint angel girl. It doesn't matter what anybody says… particularly from a long hair boy we all know and would be completely self-serving… that boy's going to be faithful to you and no one is going to be able to seduce him away."

She warmly smiled as she almost smugly commented, "I got a good man."

Asphalt Café  
Hollywood Arts High School

The sun had set hours ago and André and Robbie were still on their backs looking up at the sky. They desperately shouted out for anyone to help them, "Help! Help us! Anyone! Please! Help! Help! Hello, help! Help!"

They finally stopped shouting and André complained, "Oh, I'm so hungry."

Robbie whined out, "I have to tinkle."

"How long have we been here like this?"

"About nine hours."

"Man, I can't believe we did this to ourselves just to get a stupid PearPad three."

Robbie idly pointed out, "Well, it does have a slightly better screen."

"Robbie?"

"Yeah?"

The songsmith calmly stated, "You say that one more time, I'm gonna grab your head and pull it right off your body."

Robbie grinned and started chanting while André immediately started slapping the side of his friend's costume, "Slightly better screen, slightly better screen, slightly better screen, slightly better screen!"

Premiere Theater  
Los Angeles, CA

After finishing their meals and conversing for a bit longer, Ava and Dusty had departed from the others so they could continue their evening with a movie. His uncle decided to spend a little more time at Blue Robins watching cartoons with Cat and accepting a ride from Jade. He had finally understood that being a third wheel in human interactions was not a good thing.

The pair openly seemed to have enjoyed the movie as they exited the theater and into the lobby. They conversed idly about the movie that partially turned into an analysis as it was second nature to do such a thing from going to a performing arts high school.

However, Dusty could pick up when that underneath the liveliness, there was a sense of somberness. He was debating whether he should bring it up or not, but she spoke first with a surprising question with a hint of hurt in her voice, "Why won't you make one pass at me?"

He stopped in his tracks and took a deep breath. He slowly let it out and answered with a hint of irritation in his voice, "Where do I start? You having a boyfriend or the assumption that I'd be interested in you?"

The brunette turned to him, frowned and glared.

He retorted, "A glare isn't an answer."

"Do you enjoy being a smartass?"

"Enjoy? Not necessarily, but I see the advantage of being one over a dumb one."

She bowed her head and snorted out a breath. She turned and started walking away.

He casually called out, attracting the attention of the other mingling patrons to the theater, "You know the silent treatment isn't going to work on me?"

She stopped in her tracks and slumped her shoulders. She turned and walked back towards him and took him by the hand. She quietly asked, "Would you just walk with me?"

He turned his hand that she was holding so he could lace his fingers with hers and the pair started walking in a leisurely pace.

The L.A. immigrant took several calming breaths then spoke what he knew he was going to regret, "You need to make a decision about Van—Sinjin."

She whispered out while continuing to look forward, "Not as easy as you think."

"I didn't say it was easy, but you can't keep spinning your wheels like you've done for nearly the last two months and putting your life on hold for him to start admitting what he's done is wrong… because you certainly aren't moving on with me. I've wanted to give him a good swift kick since Easter Break, but it's not my place to get him to reconcile with you."

They continued to leisurely walk for the next few moments until Ava quietly spoke, "Do you mean that in present or future tense? Moving on?"

"Present. We're talking about the here and now."

She stopped walking and slightly turned to her as she responded, her voice thickening with every word, "You… it's not out of malice on his part. I just don't think he understands. He's so odd I'll admit, but… he's sweet in his own way… the way he understands it, but… I can't do this anymore." She shut her eyes tightly trying her best to hold back the tears. "I can't fix something he has no interest in fixing."

He wrapped his other arm around her and pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry," he whispered then softly kissed her forehead.

Asphalt Café

Robbie started eulogizing with a remorseful voice, "I realize we'll probably die up here... Hungry... Thirsty... Alone on our backs, dressed like fruits, but at least, I'm gonna die with my good friend... you."

He reached out and clasped André's then the songsmith whispered out with a determined voice, "We're not gonna die like this, Rob."

"We're not?"

"Nope. We're gonna live. We have to live."

"Why?"

"So we can get out of here and I can hurt you with my own bare hands… or maybe a baseball bat." André started laughing as he spoke and swung an imaginary bat in his hands in Robbie's direction, "Yeah, a bat. I'd like that."

In route to Hale Residence

Cat idly looked out the passenger window as Jade drove the three to Dusty's house through the L.A. night. The dark brunette could tell that the redhead wasn't as happy as she was before Dusty and Ava left to go see a movie together—alone. She briefly thought that she should have a talk with Cat in regards to Dusty. Despite her behavior not noticeably changing since their talk over Spring Break, she wondered since Cat was able to admit the act to them, perhaps she could do the same with Dusty and try again before things did become serious with Ava.

However, she'd have to wait to have that conversation as she glanced in her rearview mirror to look at the overcoat wearing gentleman which she held deep suspicions to his possible _true_ identity. He wore a soft smile as he looked back and forth to the left and right passenger windows.

The dark brunette worked up the nerve to casually ask a pointless question, "So you're Dusty's uncle?"

He looked to the rearview mirror answered with a graveled yet still friendly voice, "Yes, on his mother's side."

Jade sympathetically whispered, "I'm sorry."

He slightly furled his brow and asked, "About what?"

"Your sister."

He asked with a clearly confused tone, "What about my sister?"

"You know… her passing on."

He looked wide eyed then nodded his head as he wore a bewildered expression on his face. He awkwardly commented, "Oh yes… very tragic. It was very tragic."

Jade cleared her throat and turned her full attention to the road as it was clear to her that he was uncomfortable talking about his sister. Cat idly looked about as she was not blind or deaf to the conversation, but couldn't offer anything constructive and an uncomfortable silence fell in the car.

They continued to ride in silence for about a minute before Cass innocently spoke up, "This silence is very uncomfortable. Am I making you feel uncomfortable? I sometimes have that effect on people with misreading social cues. Sometimes my 'people skills' get rusty."

Cat let out a tension relieving laugh and instantly broke the uneasiness.

Jade let out a breath and cracked a hint of a smile as she answered, "No, it's I wanted to give my condolences even after all this time without it seeming forced or disingenuous."

The overcoat wearing gentleman raised his brow and answered with a mildly surprised tone, "Oh… well I knew you were being honest with the sentiment even if you have your doubts that she is dead."

Cat knotted her brow and looked to Jade with a confused expression while the dark brunette kept her focus on the road and attempted to suppress her own surprise at him saying such a thing.

Cass looked to the review mirror and saw the reflection of Jade's uncomfortable expression. He quickly apologized, "I'm sorry. I would appear that my people skills _are_ rusty."

The redhead spoke up in confusion, "Why would you think Dusty would lie about saying his mom was with the angels?"

Jade rested her elbow against the driver's door so she could support her head and drive with her other hand. She didn't have a clue how to explain that she didn't think Dusty lied about such a statement that without laying out her and Freddie's suspicions and sounding nuts even within the context of what Freddie had already told the redhead during Spring Break.

Cass leaned forward and rested his right hand on Cat's left shoulder.

Jade would swear she could have heard a jumble of whispers a moment before Cat yawned and smack her lips before suddenly drifting off to sleep. She spared a quick glance over her shoulder to catch Cass' blue eyes with a questioning expression.

He innocently commented, "I guess she was far more tired than she let on."

The pale girl softly answered with a hesitant tone, "Yeah."

The well dressed man relaxed back in his seat and commented, "Thank you for the ride. Ava was thinking I was their third wheel."

Jade slipped into a casual tone with the ignoring of Cat suddenly falling asleep and the obvious advantage of saving her from an awkward answer to Cat, "You're welcome. Being a third wheel for a date is not a good thing."

He flicked an eyebrow up and commented, "It usually is a good thing. A third wheel adds extra grip, greater stability, but I've learned that isn't that case with human interaction. However, they weren't on a date even if Ava wanted it to be one or thinks she does… she's very torn about the whole affair."

Jade refrained from asking how he knew such a thing and the ambiguous use of the word 'affair', so she asked the next obvious question to her, "So how does Dusty feel about it? He's been by her side since her and Sinjin have been on the outs."

"From what I've observed, he's not happy with the curly haired boy and Ava… 'spinning her wheels' with him."

She wasn't sure what possessed her to ask such a question, but she asked it anyway, "Do you think he likes her more than a friend? He hasn't been with anyone that I know since Cat."

The blue eye man passed a quick glance to Cat then commented, "I can't say. He's keeping his thoughts and feelings to himself, but Dean seems to be taking childish amusement in teasing him about it. He thinks Dustin should have made it a date tonight if the strange boy is going to be so neglectful. However, Dustin takes more after his Uncle Sam than his father when it comes to the ladies, so I think that has something to do with it."

Jade snorted out a laugh, "Good thing or Dusty might have an unexpected kid." She quickly shut her mouth in realizing how tastelessness of her comment in light of the circumstances of how Dusty was conceived.

Cass chuckled for a few moments then commented, "I might have to point that out to Dean. I don't believe he's ready for grandchildren."

The green highlighted girl let out a soft laugh and her tension immediately left her. She asked with a casual voice, "What do you think Dusty should do?"

Cass paused for a moment then delicately answered, "I wouldn't presume to tell him to do anything."

"That's not what I asked."

The business dressed man thought for a moment then answered, "I would tell him to do what I already know he's going to do."

"And what's that?"

"What's best for Ava regardless of the consequences."

Jade took a soft breath and found herself nodding along with the sentiment. She passed a quick glance to her sleeping friend and wonder if one of those consequences would be her friend getting her heart broken.

The rest of the ride to the Hales' Residence was a quiet one as Cat enjoyed her nap, Cass enjoyed the passing scenery and Jade let her mind wander about the surrounding relationships (or lack) of her friends.

Pet Mergency  
Moonpark Road  
Los Angeles, CA

The nurse held open the door back to the lobby and smiled at Beck and Tori as the long haired actor held the dog by the leash and the nurse commented, "So don't worry. He should be good as new by next week."

"Thanks," Beck politely answered.

The nurse pointed the blue seats at the center of the lobby and finished, "Just have a seat. As soon as his ointment's ready, I'll bring it out."

Tori smiled in returned as she answered and patted the top of the dog's head, "Okay."

The pair walked around the row of plastic chairs and the long haired actor spoke up with an apologetic tone, "I'm sorry we had to cut short the visit to the museum. I finally understand how much that really means to you."

She maintained her bright smile and waved him off with a playfully sarcastic tone, "It's okay… I think this is the perfect way to end the night: waiting for dog ointment."

He let out a chuckle as he retorted with an equally playful tone, "Hey, actually we're gonna have an even more perfect ending."

They had a seat as Tori asked with a confused expression, "What do you mean?"

"Applying dog ointment to the affected area," he laughed as he held up his right thumb to her and motioned it in a circle.

The pair shared a quiet laugh then relaxed in their respective chairs.

Beck blew out a tired breath then broke their comfortable silence with a soft comment, "I'm sorry about the way I acted about the bet… about the whole tricking you thing."

Tori looked down at the floor and put on an awkward smile. "I think we both let the bet get out of hand. We did try to trick you first because we knew Cat couldn't handle it for another five days."

He chuckled then answered with a relieving breath, "Yeah, with a picture of your butt—"

She raised a finger to his face and quickly corrected, "I didn't say it was my butt, just a mole."

He playfully retorted, "Yeah, but on your butt… you had to know what we guys were going to think."

She slightly blushed and looked down for a moment then looked up and rallied her nerve to counter with a hint of indignation, "Yeah and you guys were tempted—especially Robbie."

The HA heartthrob let out another laugh and pointed out the obvious, "Of course we were… you were counting on it."

Tori crossed her arms under her chest and frowned. However, the soft smile from Beck and the absurdity of the situation caused the lovely brunette to let a smile form on her face then she started to laugh. Once she settled her laughter, she softly commented, "I'm glad we could just hang out together tonight."

He nodded along and forced his voice a bit to keep the jovial tone, "You're welcome."

A voice called out to Beck's left in a curious tone, "Hey, is that a dog?"

Beck turned and looked to the overweight and balding man holding a small hamster container and answered with an awkward tone, "Uh, yeah."

An older African-American lady sitting at the end of their row of chairs rested her crossed arms over her brown purse and questioned, "Are you two brother and sister?"

Beck motioned his hand between himself and Tori as he answered with a question, "Us?"

Tori let out a soft laugh as she picked up with a slightly confused tone, "No, no. We're not brother and sister. Why do you ask?"

"Because I heard you say you were just hanging out date and you're both so attractive and you got a similar bone structure, so I figured if you're not on a date, you must be brother and sister.

Tori shook her head and answer, "No."

Beck leaned forward to look past Tori and motioned between them, "We're just buds."

The brunette brought up to elaborate, "See, he used to date this girl, Jade."

Beck offered, "My ex-girlfriend."

Tori cleared her throat as she suddenly felt her throat being constricted as she answered, "And she's my friend, so you know, it'd be weird if he and I dated."

The gentleman sitting to Beck's left curiously asked, "Why would that be weird?"

Beck once again motioned between himself and Tori as he answered, "Because we all hang out together."

The older lady curiously questioned, "So?"

A Hispanic gentleman with dark hair and goatee sitting on the far wall to the senior lady's right raised a hand and spoke up with a motion of his hands to the pair, "Um, if I could chime in, I think what she's saying is, maybe his ex-girlfriend um..."

Tori supplied, "Jade?"

"…Jade maybe she still likes this boy with the hair."

The African-American lady pointed a finger at him in signaling her support of his statement.

Beck nervously laughed, "No, she's… she's not." His smile soon faded and answered with a slightly irritated voice, "She's moved on with another guy." He subconsciously rubbed one of his still slightly discolored cheeks.

The older lady asked while pointing towards his face, "What happened to you?"

"I got into a fight last week… with my ex's boyfriend."

Tori timidly spoke up, "It was all one big misunderstanding."

Beck turned his gaze to Tori and gave her a confused expression. She returned with a nervous smile.

The heavy-set man curiously asked, "He hit you over her?"

Beck blew out a longwinded breath then tiredly answered, "In a manner of speaking… and that I ah… showed my interest in Tori," indicating the brunette, "but… he didn't appreciate the timing and he thinks I'm just going to hurt her, so—"

The goatee wearing gentleman asked, "So, he pummeled your face?"

The long haired actor frowned as he was forced to admit, "Yeah."

A young girl with pigtails was sitting against the back wall with her mother spoke up, "It sounds like this guy likes her and doesn't like you moving in on his girl."

Tori turned in her seat and vehemently defended her friend, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Freddie does not like me like that way! We're best friends and we care about one another, but he absolutely loves Jade!"

Her response caught their attention and they glanced to one another, nonverbally sharing their belief or lack there of for her response from her fierce denial. Beck looked on her with a guarded expression at her description of her relationship with Freddie.

A leather clad man with stringy blonde hair sitting one seat from the Hispanic gentleman scooted over to sit beside him then spoke to everyone while looking to Tori, "I think we're ignoring the obvious question: Do you have feelings for Beck or Freddie?"

Tori looked over her shoulder and shouted, "Is our dog ointment ready?!"

The older African-American lady asked, apparently uninterested in the question the dark dressed man had asked, "So why did you let Jade go?"

The Latino gentleman quickly followed up with the same curiosity, "Yeah, why'd you let her go?"

Beck defensively shouted then threw up a hand midway through his answer, "It's not that simple—you know what? I really don't want to talk about this here."

The gentleman holding the hamster container pointed out, "He's afraid to face his feelings."

The others instantly agreed with him, "Um-hum."

He pointed in the direction of the elder lady and the two gentlemen sitting to the far wall as he answered, "No! Okay? Look... I'll always love Jade and when she was my girlfriend, she was... she would always freak out over every little thing and… I would never do anything to discourage." He took a quick breath then let out with his regret, "If anything I encouraged it at times. I knew it bothered her, but I ignored because I enjoyed getting a rise out of her." He shook his head. He regretfully finished, "I made a lot of mistakes while I was with her and ignoring them the first time we broke up and not trying to fix them when I had the chance… it eventually led us to break up… and I've made plenty more after we broke up."

Tori looked to her friend with a sympathetic expression and softly patted his upper right arm.

The pigtailed girl commented, "So you ignored the times she would freak out when was scared inside?"

Before Beck could respond, the older lady added, "We need a man to make us feel safe… just like it looks like this Freddie does for Jade what you wouldn't or couldn't and apparently he's done for Tori too if that's what your face looks like even a week later."

Tori raised her hands and quickly defended Beck, "Whoa! Whoa now! Trust me. Jade isn't scared of anything and as much as I appreciate and touched by Freddie wanting to protect and look out for me, he didn't have to do that."

The tween retorted with a smirk, "Your denial seems way too forced. You probably just want Freddie for yourself. I wonder which one he thinks is prettier: Jade or you."

Tori snapped around to look over her right shoulder, "I do not want Freddie for myself!" She turned back in her seat and explained with a slightly impatient tone, "Look, Freddie and I are just friends, all right?"

The goatee wearing man asked with a near sarcastic tone, "So then Jade knows what Freddie did for you and knows that her ex-boyfriend is taking you out on a date?"

Tori looked down embarrassingly down to the floor and answered with a hesitant tone, "Yes… but I haven't really talked to her about it… how she feels about it, but Beck and I are not on a date."

The stringy haired man slightly lifted his chin and he commented, "Uh-huh."

The tween girl smirked and inserted her opinion, "Interesting."

The brunette snapped around, pointed to the girl and shouted, "Okay, you know what? You listen to me! Freddie's a good guy and he's a great friend and any girl, including me, would be lucky to have him, but don't you dare besmirch him for caring about me just because I happen to be a friend that is _a girl_ when none of you know anything about him. He loves Jade and I happen to like Beck."

Beck looked on her in surprise as the others were taken back by her fierce defense and admission.

She took several calming breaths then looked to him and nervously laughed out, "Surprise?"

He cracked a soft smile and softly questioned, "Surprise?"

The Latino gentleman quickly spoke up, "So now you think it's alright to go out with your ex's boyfriend?"

She looked back to him and took a moment to gather her thoughts before answering, "Okay, it could be a little weird, but… Freddie's right: Jade just wants Beck to be happy and gave her blessing for him to date who he wants… okay she may have gotten a little upset when one of the girls hit on him while they had been together, but if he likes me and I like him then it's alright. I'm not betraying my friend."

The others quickly looked away as apparently they accepted her explanation.

The next moment, the nurse stepped out and offered the tube to the actor. "And here's your ointment for Buster."

The pair stood up and Beck took the tube. "Oh, thanks."

"Thanks," the brunette politely followed up.

The nurse continued, "Every four hours, just rub it right around..."

"We get it."

Tori put on an awkward grin and answered, "We know."

Beck nodded his head and looked to Tori with a hesitant smile. "I'll take you home. I don't think I should subject you to having to help me put ointment on him."

"Thanks. To be honest, I wouldn't want the last thing I remember on our first date being putting ointment on this fellow," she commented with a bashful expression and patted the head of the dog.

Beck snorted out a laugh and gave a nod of his head.

Hale Residence

Dusty unlocked the lock then the deadbolt then pushed open the door to enter while pulling the key out of the deadbolt. He shut the door behind him and locked it back up.

Mister Hale and Cass were sitting on the couch watching television. The Hale Patriarch was relaxing and sipping on the end of a beer bottle while the overcoat wearing man wore a confused expression as he watched the television. Mister Hale laughed out as he caught sight of Dusty walking passed the living room on his way to is room, "How'd your date go?"

Dusty turned and gave his father an impatient stare as he answered with a little annoyance in his voice, "It wasn't a date dad… she's probably going to finally break up with Van Cleef." He softly shook his head as he finished with a regretful tone, "It's not something to laugh."

The Hale Patriarch immediately lost his jovial smile then embarrassingly took a sip from his beer.

The Southern teenager looked to Cass then hesitantly asked, "If you could… could you keep an eye out for her… at least for the next little while… when you can?"

Cass nodded his head. "I'll pass an eye over her ever once and a while."

Dusty lowered his eyes and whispered, "Thanks… I appreciate it." He turned and headed up the stairs.

Mister Hale looked to his could've been brother-in-law and idly commented, "He takes way too much after Sammy. I know at his age I would have ran over that little weirdo and got the girl."

Cass retorted, "I think it's refreshing. Would you really want him to be like you were at that age?"

The forty-something year old took another sip of his beer and rolled his eyes. He pulled the bottle away from his lips then flippantly commented, "Enjoy your television."

Cass looked back to the screen and gave it an awkward stare. "This movie is quite sad…"

Asphalt Café

The pair of pears still looked at the night sky as it was approaching midnight.

Robbie cried out, "This is so sad."

André was near the point of tears as he commented, "We're stuck here on our backs like turtles."

"This is so terrible!"

The songsmith was near the point of being delirious, "And all for nothing. Just a dumb PearPad three!"

The ventriloquist was crying, "It has a slightly better screen."

André whined out as he tried to smack Robbie, "Shut up! Shut up! Oh! Shut up! Shut up about that screen!"

* * *

Author's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed my interpretation of this chapter and my choice in the direction of one of the subplots of the story with a certain couple that I felt Dan dropped the ball in exploring one way or the other even if you're not a fan of it (I honestly don't care either way about the pairing). I'll admit I dropped a few Easter Eggs in there for certain fans and I just couldn't resist using the joke. I appreciate the feedback, so don't hesitate.

I hope you enjoy next week's chapter: 'Four Girls and a Moose'.

Special Guest Appearance by Jensen Ackles as Mister Hale

Special Guest Appearance by Misha Collins as Cass


	32. Chapter 32: Four Girls and a Moose

Author's Note: Hello everyone! I hope you are doing well. I'm thrilled that you liked that last chapter.

I have gotten so far behind in answering reviews, so let me answer them in story:

**Zero Masamune**: I hope my PM answered those questions.

**PD31**: Yes, I did plug your stories and hoped people understood that… I just wish someone had written a Tori/Jade/Freddie story just to explore how that would work.

Bori needs to be explored simply because the characters have the feelings and stopping it is to just put something artificial in their way. I don't like the idea of coping out of a storyline. As a reader, I have my doubts about him. He's always been a flat character canon wise, but let's see if he can finally grow up some.

I can't believe Dan actually created the scenario to make the comparison to Sam and Tori in the canon when 'Tori Goes Platinum'. The only way Sam isn't painted in a bad light is that in the show (in this manner only) is Carly magically became their cheerleader (and have you scratching your head about why Carly got so mad about the hidden kiss back in iThink They Kissed), thus waiving 'Girl Code' for Sam.

**EnchantingNightmares**: I have a soft spot for the actor.

**darck ben**: Yes, it is quite the coincidence of them playing characters with similar if identical names. I wonder if that means anything?

**Agent-M-0167**: Thank you for the birthday wishes.

We'll see if they survive the next chapter.

It is quite interesting that the Alpha Couple is doing well instead of one of the Beta Couples and they being the ones that are in trouble. Ava I would say as a reader is a girl that is quite torn in that she cares for Sinjin, maybe even love him, but she can't figure out how to fix things nor can she figure out how to move on. She really is in limbo.

Unlike Dan, I didn't think it would be believable if I simple brushed it under the rug and have Tori hide behind 'Girl Code', especially with Freddie right there when Sam not respecting it got him there. I really thought it was a copout on Dan's part to not properly address something he laid the foundation for in episode one of the series. I thought it made the Bade reunion even more ridiculous in that at least to me, Beck only got back with Jade because Tori turned him down twice not that he realized that Tori wasn't for him and he really did love Jade.

Actually it is Cass telling Cat that metaphor for the cartoon and she's the one that is getting it. I never called that character Castiel, Jade made a connection, but there is no confirmation that is his name.

Dean, Sam, Castiel? I know not of these characters :P

**Fanfic-Reader-88**: Well Dusty has come out and said that they have been making inferior products for a while (and that's why he has stuck with a phone that is two/three generations older in comparison to the other characters) and Mrs. West has implied that it is due to Steve Jobs' death.

Tori basically got accused of liking Freddie in a romantic way, so she had to shoot it down (whether it is true or not is up to the reader). She is one of the most mature of the teenagers, but she does like Beck in a romantic way (I believe she truly did in canon and Dan just chickened out in at least exploring it to resolve it) and she does have the more opened minded view of her friends.

If you watch iCarly, Freddie only had close female friends (with the Build-A-Bra example from Season 1 being the anvil to the audience) throughout most of the series with Gibby being a latecomer and not much of one, so I think it is only natural that he would gravitate more towards his female friends than male ones. He simply doesn't have experience in that type of relationship.

I thought Beck needed to at least admit that before being able to move on since in canon, he outright blamed everything on Jade and I thought was the most shocking thing was that he would not say that he loved her as a girlfriend. Canon!Beck quantified his love for Jade as a friend and nothing further. I truly wonder how canon Jade would have reacted to hearing that those time he said he loved her, he didn't mean it as her significant other, but just as a friend… or wait, I have TWO stories to explore that in: 'A Coffee and a Smoothie' and 'iGuess We're Roomies'. Obviously in this trilogy, Beck is different than Canon!Beck in that he did love her as a girlfriend.

Thank you for the Birthday Wishes.

**Challenge King**: The chapter was a way to examine 'Girl Code' from basically a male's perspective. Sam completely disregarded it without second thought and we got the Seddie arc because of it. Jade realized that should would basically be a hypocrite if she really disapproved of them dating as she wouldn't/didn't let Beck have a say in her dating Freddie.

Dusty and Ava… things will be addressed in this chapter in a possibly unexpected way.

**Twilight Warrior 627**: And you can stick to that theory about Anna, but to add to that theory: I don't know how verse you are with iCarly, but it turns out that store owner across the street from Bushwell Plaza in 'iStakeout' looks identical to Metatron (not Megatron) and think that nephilim are abominations and have no problem with cutting their hearts out. Just some food for thought.

In regards to Beck, some characters just take a lot longer, a lot longer, to progress and grow up. Look what happened to Carly in this story to get her to grow up.

What will happen to those secondary/tertiary characters? You're about to find out.

Okay, on with the story.

Rating T: Language (some foul) and possibly trigger words and heavy use of common sense.

* * *

Chapter 32: Four Girls and a Moose

Nozu  
Los Angeles, CA  
Monday, April 30, 2012

A number of the Hollywood Arts group of friends was split between sitting at two tables enjoying eating out for lunch with Jade, Freddie and Cat sharing a table while André, Robbie and Rex shared another. However, there was a noticeable absence of Tori and Beck.

André was relaying the story about how he and Robbie had spent almost all of Saturday stuck on top of the Asphalt Café's roof. The songsmith was still bitter about the whole affair and threw a few dirty looks to Robbie as he told the story.

Rex spoke up from sitting on the table, "You better keep the baseball bats away from him," referring to André commenting on the ways he had fantasized about hurting Robbie over the incident.

Freddie softly laughed, "So why didn't you just crawl out of the bottom of your costume again? I had to do that after a flashlight costume I wore for a Christmas bit one time on iCarly. Sam was supposed to help me, but she just let me fall down to leave me there and walked way to get something to eat."

Jade rolled her eyes and commented with a dry tone, "Wow, Sam was being a bitch towards you. It must have been a day that ended in 'y'."

Cat frowned at the language, but didn't comment as she ate on her tuna sushi that Carly hooked her on before Easter.

Freddie softly shook his head and snorted out a laugh before taking a sip from the soup he was sharing with Jade.

André was opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly was a loss for words.

However, he didn't have to come up with a counter as Tori and Beck entered the restaurant and approached them. Freddie softly bit his tongue as he saw Tori had her fingers laced with Beck's hand as the presumed couple approached the table.

Tori quickly greeted the group with an unusually happy tone even for her as she had a seat at André and Robbie's table. Beck followed right behind to take one to her left. The rest of the group had not been blind to her demeanor or to the fact that they had approached the table hand-in-hand.

Beck passed them all quick glances to meet their eyes to make sure he had their respective attentions then cleared his throat and announced in a straight forward tone, devoid of any pomp or prelude, "Tori and I are dating."

Tori let out a soft laugh of happiness and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

André put on a surprised expression, Robbie looked slightly disappointed while Cat let out a soft squeal of happiness.

Jade surprised Beck with cracking a soft smile and whispering with a genuine tone, "Congratulations." The long haired actor wore an expression of surprise as he looked to her for a few more seconds and had not being able to pick up even a hint of sarcasm.

The former couple shared a small and apparently understanding smile.

The still healing actor turned his gaze to Freddie sitting across the table.

The tech-producer looked him dead in the eye and answered with a flat tone, "I've already said my peace with Tori." He unceremoniously turned back to his lunch and continued eating. He remained silent for the rest of the lunch period and listened as the others (other than Jade) bombarded the new couple with questions about the hows and whys of getting together.

Hollywood Arts High School  
Monday, April 30, 2012

The time was just after three in the afternoon as Jade headed for one of the science classrooms after school. She had about an hour or so before she had to head for the Black Box before Sikowitz's play's start time, so she took the opportunity to run the errand she wish she hadn't needed to take.

Jade stopped in front of the partially opened door and softly knocked. She called out as she pushed opened the door, "Mister Haule, I was wondering if I could…"

Jade trailed off as she watched the young science teacher sitting cattycorner behind his desk to the left of the door adjusting a screw around the ankle on his highly advance prosthetic leg below his intact knee. He was a relative young teacher compared to the rest of the faculty, probably two or three years younger than Spencer, but looked even younger as he was one of the teachers that opted to dress casual and mistaken for a student at times in jeans and unbutton heavy denim over-shirt. However contrary to what his appearance my suggest at being closer to the students' age groups, he was not considered one of the more easy going faculty members like Sikowitz or Lane, but more towards the demeanor or Mister Allen or Vice Principal Dickers (probably due to shared military experience).

She quickly cleared her throat and bowed her head to mutter out, "I'm sorry." She quickly tried to back pedal out the door, but the science teacher smiled and waved the teenager inside as he pulled his jeans' leg down over his artificial lower leg. He replied with the faintest of hints of a British accent, "It's alright; I just needed to adjust my 'magic leg'. What can I do for you Miss West?"

She instantly recalled the time that the group had debated before Squires showed up to talk to the class of whether or not they'd give up the internet or their foot. The answer was not quite so clear to her at the sight.

The blue streaked girl entered the room and hesitantly started, "I heard you're going to be in the audience tonight to ah… grade my performance?"

He offered her a smile as he answered, "Yes I will be." His friendly demeanor slightly wavered as he continued, "I'm a little concerned _how_ I'm going to do that as Mister Sikowitz won't send me his grading rubric for your performance. At this point I think he's just ignoring my e-mails."

The pale girl softly laughed out, "He's not been one for technology as of late."

"Yes, well… if he chooses to be a Luddite that's his business, but not when it starts affected his students—in this case you—that's not acceptable and that's being generous and assuming he's not being childish about the whole thing."

The pale girl refrained from sharing her opinion either of the possibilities, but instead turned to the reason why she wanted to speak with him, "About that grading the performance…"

He answered with a curious tone, "Yes?"

She asked with a hopeful tone, "Would you keep an eye out on Freddie's performance? I know that's not your responsibility, but I guess I would appreciate a second opinion?"

Mister Haule sat up in his seat and asked with a guarded tone, "Are you concerned that Mister Sikowitz won't grade Mister Benson fairly?"

Jade glanced down to avoid eye contact and answered, "I have my worries."

He slightly bowed his head down to see if he could reestablish eye contact while he asked, "May I ask why?"

She took a soft breath then answered, "Things between Freddie and Sikowitz have been getting tense… especially after last week."

He gave her a curious expression as he cautiously asked, "What happened last week?"

Jade took a soft breath then quickly went about telling about the abstinence from modern technology bet, how it became boy verses girl bet, Sikowitz taking the boys' side simply for being male and Freddie's rather heated reaction to it when Sikowitz declared the boys the winners.

Once she was finished with her tale, she saw Mister Haule put on a rarely seen visibly annoyed expression. He glanced down at the floor then cleared his voice. He looked back up at the teenager and answered with a strictly professional voice she guessed he honed during his brief military service, "I see… well Miss West. I will make it a point to observe Mister Benson's performance this afternoon in case Sikowitz is less than objective in his grading."

She put on a relieved smile while answering, "Thank you Mister Haule. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome." She motioned her head behind her and towards the door. "I need to head to the Black Box."

The science teacher nodded his head and the teenager turned to head out.

Mister Haule called out just as she stepped past the threshold, "Miss West, I never got a chance to congratulate you on the Platinum Music Awards. I loved the song… I appreciate you can realize the opportunity you have here. It's worth the leg."

"Thank you," she whispered, suddenly feeling humbled then turned and headed out to get ready.

Black Box Theater  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Monday, April 30, 2012

The lovely, yet devilish brunette stared down at Robbie's lifeless body for a moment then gave her husband standing to her left a strange expression.

He raised a questioning eyebrow and asked with a concerned voice, "What?"

She cracked a soft smile and casually commented as if they were discussing the weather, "As silly as this may sound under the circumstances… I feel the need to hide the body."

The ruggedly handsome teenager softly smirked to his lovely wife and slipped an arm behind the small of her back to rest his hand on her right hip. "I have the same feeling, but of course since we are on this underwater submarine, it would be a moot point to hide the body. It would simply be found in no time with the expected search and not really further our plans. We are each other's alibis anyway."

He let out a manic laugh then pulled her tight against him then dipped his head forward and gently captured her lips into a lip-locking kiss. Tori slipped a hand to the back of his neck as she gently returned the kiss. Unlike their first awkward kiss or their second one of gentle tenderness, this one was far more passionate with each other battling for dominance for a moment: Freddie remembering his nearly half-hour makeout session with Carly before their brief relationship and Tori recalling some of the heavier kissing sessions she had with Steven.

The audience remained silent at the display, but Mrs. Vega sitting in the audience couldn't keep the smirk off of her face as she was having trouble accepting it at simply a stage kiss. The sight momentarily distracted her from the disappointment that her younger daughter had decided to give Beck a chance in a relationship. She saw it as nothing but trouble for Tori in the near future, her husband as a disaster waiting to happen and Trina keeping oddly silent about the whole affair.

Jade watched off stage with a relative expressionless façade on her face as her mind flashed back to Tori's second day of school and kissing Beck at the end of their alphabet improvisation. She never received a satisfactory answer from Beck as to why he accepted the kiss: whether it was just him being petty or perhaps he instantly did have a thing for Tori the moment he saw her. She brushed that aside as that was in the past. However, a soft smirk suddenly formed on her face as she saw the irony that within two days of Beck snagging Tori, the lovely brunette was already stage kissing another guy and quite passionately from the appearance.

The play continued on for another half hour with Cat's character able to ferret out the identities of the murders and foil their wicked scheme before they could sell the submarine's nuclear missiles to Yerba. The reference was whether tasteless in light of most of the actors' experiences with the visit to the island nation, but Sikowitz was not one for sensitivity.

Once the final scene was completed, the actors gathered back on stage.

The audience gave resounding applause to the redhead star and she let out a giggle at all the attention directed at her. Jade took one of her hands and Freddie the other so that the redhead would realize to take a bow with the rest of the performers.

Once the applause died down, the actors and audience started breaking up; some headed out while others mingled to congratulate some of them and discuss the play. The core group of friends turned to one another and excitedly congratulated one another and praised their respective performances.

Dusty approached the group of friends and laughed out to Freddie while patting the young man on the shoulder, "I bought that kiss. If someone puts one of those filmings on-line, I bet you're going to get some Teddie shippers. You know how they love to pair up people, especially with you."

Freddie rolled his eyes while Tori knotted her brow and gave him a completely perplexed expression. "Teddie?

The Southern teenager put his two pointer fingers together and answered with a smirk, "Put the names of Tori and Freddie together and you get Teddie." He looked to Freddie as he continued, "I know Freddie's used to such a thing: Creddie, Seddie, Jeddie/Fade… I've read where some have shortened it to just Jedi."

Mrs. Vega had approached from behind the gathering of friends then slipped up next to her daughter. She let out an approving laugh at the concept of 'Teddie' which instantly drew a curious expression from the younger Vega sister.

Beck instantly frowned at such a suggestion while Freddie had a more jovial attitude with letting out a soft laugh, "Well they are going to be quite disappointed, but 'Jedi'? I like it." He looked to Jade for her opinion to see her crossing her arms under her chest and slightly shaking her head, assuming on his part that she found it ridiculous about their relationship being associated with his love for science fiction, but was surprised when a soft smile played on her face in approval and understanding. He briefly wondered if he could convince her (and her putting up) to go with him to the next Webicon coming up sometime in June.

* * *

Mister Haule walked up beside Sikowitz as the acting teacher was finishing talking with a few of the audience members and idly commented, "That was quite an interesting play."

Sikowitz knotted his brow and answered, "Thank you, I think."

Haule smirked then continued, "I liked Miss West's performance, so I'm going to tell Helen that she should get the maximum score. What do you plan on giving her?"

The acting teacher softly rolled his eyes at the younger teacher and slightly turned to look at him while crossing his arms. "It's not that simple. There is a nuance to grading h—their performance."

Haule slightly turned in his position and retorted with a slightly impatient tone, "Well I've emailed you several times about a rubric and you've ignored me, so all I have to go on is my personal opinion if I think it was good. Any one you send to me now I can't trust that you didn't tailor it so that she would get a lower grade."

Sikowitz turned completely to face the science teacher and tightened his crossed arms. He retorted with a clearly irritated tone, "Are you suggesting that I would unfairly grade one of my students?"

The younger teacher sharply retorted, "One of your student's parents has already done that or I wouldn't be here this afternoon. Personally after hearing the story of what you did last week, I wouldn't put it past you Mister 'Boy Power'."

The eccentric teacher frowned in return.

Haule softly chuckled, "These kids have a tendency to forget I'm actually one of their teachers and talk when I'm in their presence, so I do hear things. Oh, I'm going to tell Helen the same thing with Mister Benson's grade too, so keep that in mind when you grade him."

The balding teacher took a sharp breath in annoyance while the science teacher turned and headed to congratulate the performers.

Black Box Theater  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Tuesday, May 1, 2012

The first lunch period had just started as Jade, Tori, Freddie and Beck were waiting in the theater for Mason and Shawn (and unfortunately Griffin) to arrive as the girls had made their respective decisions on which record company to sign after more than a week of informal negotiations. They had agreed to pick fairly neutral ground to inform the record presidents as they thought that the most courteous thing would be to inform them all at once in person. Informing them over the phone would have been too impersonal and meeting at any of their offices would immediately give their decision away to the other two in a possibly insulting manner.

Mason was the first to arrive with a happy grin and accompanied by Chelsea. Quincy quickly followed along with Griffin arriving with a smile plastered on his face with his apparent assistant/bodyguard that was with him at the awards show. Fortunately since they all arrived at the same time, time was saved in the polite greetings and they could get down to the business at hand.

Tori was the first to speak her decision as she looked to Quincy and answered with a hesitant tone, "Thank you for your offer, but I've decided to sign with Mason."

The graying haired producer instantly put on a triumphant expression while Quincy put on a disappointed and instantly regretted not signing the girl after Hope's birthday party and Griffin's smile slightly faltered. However, the RPX President quickly replaced the disappointing appearance with professional, but still friendly expression. "I'm sorry to hear that Tori, but if circumstances ever change or you change your mind, you are always welcomed at RPX Records."

She put on a relieved expression as she happily replied, "Thank you Mister Quincy."

The three record owners turned their attention to Jade and the pale girl returned with an impassive expression. Jade licked her lips then looked up to meet Mason's eyes. She answered with casual voice, "I'm going with Quincy."

The RPX President let out a soft laugh at hearing that he had snagged at least one of the talented girls.

The blue streaked hair girl immediately turned her attention to Quincy and continued, "But all the major points are still agreed to, right? Even that other one?"

Shawn gave a polite nod and quickly answered, "Yes, absolutely. We can start working out all the details when you're ready."

Jade nodded to that consideration. Her mother had secured some reparable representation for her through her contacts in the advertising industry. The raven haired beauty also had several different lawyers ready to look at any contract before her daughter would sign anything, so Jade felt in safe hands before signing any dotted line.

Mason blew out a breath and straightened his shoulders and apparently was not going to be as gracious as Quincy at being turned down. He patiently remarked, "Jade, I believe I gave you a very lucrative and fair deal to show you how serious I am about trying to make up for my… method of promotion."

The dark brunette slightly bowed her head in acknowledging his point, but then countered with a still friendly voice, "Tori trusts you to behave, that's fine, but I don't trust you Mason. I can't afford to trust you. You wanted to turn me into a puppet and eventually make me give up—_me_ and everyone I love. If Quincy asked the same thing of me, I would have told him no too." She turned and looked to Freddie with tender expression as she finished, "Stardom isn't worth any of that."

Mason instantly mentally told himself that he had been correct in thinking that Freddie would hold her back and briefly wondered if it was for the best not to have to deal with that complication in a musician.

Griffin spoke up with a surprisingly happy tone for being the one record producer out of luck in securing either girl, "I think you are making a mistake in signing with them instead of me."

Jade softly smirked while answering, "It's my mistake to make."

He softly laughed as if he was laughing at the punch-line to an innocent joke, "_Yes_, yes it will be… I'll make sure of it."

Freddie instantly frowned and glared at Griffin while Beck put on a worried expression. The well-built bodyguard looked to Freddie to assess the possible threat to his boss and cracked his knuckles out of habit. The Seattle-born wasn't concern in the slightest by the possible intimidating act.

Griffin unceremoniously turned and left with his assistant/bodyguard before anyone else could retort to his threat.

The tech-producer clenched his jaw for a second then muttered out, "Why do I have a feeling we're going to have to worry about him in the future?"

Quincy quickly attempted to reassure his newest act's boyfriend, "Griffin is a blowhard who thinks the world should revolve around him, but not smart enough to realize how often it plays him."

Mason spoke up more in the since to take a shot at a rival than actual reassure either girl (which he obvious should have done for at least Tori's benefit), "Shawn's right; Griffin doesn't have a clue how to run a record company. He only has one because he bought one years ago like you do in that children's board game." He snapped his fingers several times while trying to recall the name. "You know, the one where you buy up properties then charge the other players when they land on your space."

Chelsea happily supplied, "Monopoly?"

He laughed as he continued, "Yes, that's it. He bought it then just let the previous owner run it. After ten years he's finally starting to make money off that boy band of his."

Quincy laughed out in a dismissive tone, "The hockey players."

Jade tried not to laugh at the reaction as she realized who he was speaking about and partially shared the dismissive opinion on the boy-band. Freddie looked on curiously as he didn't understand the reference.

The lighter brunette spoke up, "I'm sorry to cut this short, but we still need to eat lunch and class in less than twenty minutes for us."

Mason clapped his hands together and politely nodded. "Absolutely. We'll speak later and start hammering out the details."

"Thanks," Tori replied then led the others out of the theater, leaving Mason, Chelsea and Quincy.

The Neutronium Records owner took a sidestep to Quincy while crossing his arms and asked in a conversational tone, "Out of professional curiosity, what was that last thing that you offered Jade to get you to sign her?"

Quincy cracked a smile and answered, "It wasn't a make it or break it if that is what you're thinking. She wants to make sure she can duet and collaborate with artists not signed with me. I guess she knew that Tori was going to sign with you and wanted to be able to duet with her without any snags on her side."

The graying producer softly rolled his eyes and slightly frowned which brought a soft laugh past Quincy's lips. The RPX President offered with a cheerful voice, "Look on the bright side Mason, we can both make a killing in the duets and joint tours if they want them."

Mason muttered out with a hint of annoyance, "I'd rather keep all the money."

"We can't always get what we want."

The British born music executive softly prodded, "Like not having an obnoxious daughter?"

The fellow record president frown then countered, "As if your son is any better?"

Mason crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. "Point."

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Thursday, May 3, 2012

The time was late morning as Robbie was on a blue ladder in front of the angled lockers from the cut through back hallway door to the row of lockers towards the janitor's closet and finishing his adjustment of the left side of a yellow banner with the words printed in a dark and light shade of blue: THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! TINKLE-AID! AT KARAOKE DOKIE AT 9 PM

Robbie stepped down his ladder and happily commented, "'Tinkle-Aid'... Perfect." Once he reached the floor, he looked to Burf (who had been waiting at the bottom of the ladder) and quickly thanked him, "Thanks for all your help, Burf."

Burf smiled to him and gave a soft nod of his head as he answered, "Sure thing. I think you're awesome." The afro wearing teenager started on his way down the hallway.

Sinjin casually entered the performing arts high school and immediately noticed the sign and cheerfully questioned, "Tinkle-Aid?"

The ventriloquist turned and happily answered, "Uh-huh."

The taller teenager questioned, "Well, I don't know what it is, but I'm interested."

Robbie happily answered, "It's a benefit show that André and Beck and I are doing at Karaoke-Dokie."

"Ooh."

The shorter of the curly haired teenagers happily announced, "We're gonna build a new boys' bathroom here at school."

Sinjin knotted his brow then it dawned on him Robbie's point. He retorted with a bit of annoyance in his voice, "Oh yeah, the girls have three bathrooms and we only have two."

Robbie instantly joined in his annoyance, "Which is not fair."

"Yeah! It's time to flush injustice!"

The shorter teenager clapped his hands together while still holding the drill he used to hand up the sign and commented, "Yep, you've got the 'Tinkle-Aid' spirit."

Sinjin patted him on his upper left arm and commented, "Good luck Rob." He walked passed him and only got a few steps before turning and pointing to Robbie to comment, "I think you're awesome."

The lanky teenager started down the hall and pumped his fist up in the air as he shouted, "Support Tinkle-Aid! Support Tinkle-Aid! Support Tinkle-Aid!"

Tori approached with André and softly questioned her odd friend, "Tinkle-Aid?"

André protest loudly, "Aw Robbie! We told you to call it 'Guys for Equal Restrooms'."

Robbie whined out in defense, "That's boring."

The songsmith quickly retorted with a motion of his hand to the sign, "Well, Tinkle-Aid is gross."

The brunette laughed out, "Tinkle-Aid sounds like the world's worst drink."

He awkwardly smiled in return as he pointed out with a false laugh, "It's getting us a lot of attention."

The troop of girls commented as they walked by and saw the sign, "Ewe. Gross. Disgusting. Ick. Ugh."

Jade walked down the stairs with Cat and hand-in-hand with Freddie. She was trying purple as a new color extension with having cut her hair yesterday so it was just about two inches or so past her shoulders. The pale girl idly asked, "So, this Saturday night I'm gonna be appearing in 'Tinkle-Aid'?"

André quickly pointed out, "Beck and I did not approve the name."

Ava called out to the group as she approached with Dusty from the direction of the janitor's closet, "What is 'Tinkle-Aid'?"

The Southern teenager laughed out and mockingly pumping his fist, "Van Cleef is shouting it all down the hallway: 'Support Tinkle-Aid! Support Tinkle-Aid!'"

Robbie answered while motioned between himself and André, "It's a benefit show that we and Beck are doing at Karaoke-Dokie so we can get a new boys' bathroom here at school."

The songsmith picked up, "The girls have three bathrooms and we only have two. I wanted to call it 'Guys for Equal Restrooms'."

Ava blinked at the muscular teenager then questioned, "You're serious about this?"

"Yeah," André casually answered with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

She bowed her head for a moment and palmed her forehead while Dusty gave them a mixed expression of questioning and disbelief.

They all gave her curious looks to her reaction to the news.

Ava looked between the girls then to Jade to comment with an irritated filled voice, "Okay, I know that they're your friends, but… are they _really_ this much of chauvinist pigs or they're just idiots?"

Dusty idly commented, "I'd put my money on being chauvinist pigs after last week than being just idiots."

Robbie took a step forward to Ave and shouted in outrage, "Hey!"

Dusty immediately took a step forward with an expression that he had no patience for the ventriloquist.

The curly haired boy quickly took a step and rose up his hands signaling he didn't want a fight.

Ava quickly retorted with irritation filling her voice towards the ventriloquist, "Don't hey me; you're the ones whining like little children about not having the same number of bathrooms than us. 'Tinkle-Aid'? What are you? _Five?_ Of all the problems we have here and all the things you could be worrying about before graduation and you find that _this_ is something to waste time on?"

André snapped in frustration and indignation, "We want equal bathrooms. You have one more than us."

Ava impatiently snapped, "We're _females_, of course we have more bathrooms than you do: we don't have _urinals_. We have to sit down to use the restroom, so we need stalls, which take up more space than a urinal and—_and_ we take longer to use it than guys. If anything we should get another one to equal things out so the same number of girls can us the bathroom between classes as the guys instead of having to wait."

André and Robbie looked way in embarrassment at her verbal slap down of them.

Dusty idly commented, "I'm surprised any of the architects had the foresight to realize that. At Northridge and my high school back in Carolina the girls and guys had the same number of bathrooms, so the guys had more places to use it, but…"

"What?"

"I don't think you should be too harsh on them."

The others immediately looked onto the Southern teenager with surprised expressions for coming to André and Robbie's defense.

The short brunette genuinely questioned, "Why?"

"I think that bleeding heart liberalism they shove down their throats over the last thirteen years of school finally fried their brains and made them truly think that there were no differences between men and women and it's not out of malice… okay, maybe for Shapiro."

Ava softly chuckled, "Yeah…" She looked to the ventriloquist and snorted out dismissively, "…we're the weak ones? You couldn't last a week being a woman."

The overlooked actress looked to her fellow females and they immediately started nodding their heads in agreement to the slight embarrassment of André and Robbie.

Dusty shook his head and snorted out in disgust, "I don't know which is the stupidest thing about this whole mess: you actually want to throw a benefit to build another restroom because you feel slighted that how dare the girls have an equal number of places to use it as the guys; you think any money you raise will actually go into building one and not into some school administrator's back pocket or if they really do build one, they're actually going to get it done in time for you to use before we graduate in about seven weeks." He shrugged a shoulder and added one more point before they could form any retort, "If you're really going to do this, why not use it to build a restroom for the transgender students so they don't have to keep using the faculty restrooms?"

André and Robbie gave each other embarrassing glances once again from being verbally shredded by the pair. Jade softly smirked as she completely agreed with the pair's assessment and suggestion.

Tori tactfully tried to turn the conversation, "Well, um... I'm getting kinda hungry. You guys wanna hit up Nozu?"

Jade and Cat eagerly voiced their support and the girls instantly started walking with Tori to the door with of course Jade pulling Freddie along with her.

Robbie complained, "Oh come on! We always go to Nozu. I want a hamburger."

André patted his stomach as he agreed, "Yeah, I need some beef and fat."

Cat put on a sour face as she answered, "Ewe."

Jade quickly agreed with her redheaded friend, "No."

André let out a soft plea, "Come on."

Cat whined out with a high pitched voice, "We want sushi."

Robbie softly retorted, "No, we've had Sushi three times this week already."

The songsmith quickly rallied behind his friend, "Come on. Let's just go to Karaoke-Dokie and get a burger."

Jade asserted with finality to her voice, "We're going for sushi." She immediately turned to head for the door and attempted to drag Freddie with her as Tori and Cat joined her.

André, followed by Robbie relented and answered, "All right, fine! Sushi at Nozu!"

Dusty coughed under his breath, but loud enough for all of them to hear him, "Whipped."

The songwriter and ventriloquist stopped in their tracks to look to Dusty with annoyed expressions.

Ava immediately snorted as she looked to the L.A. immigrant.

Freddie had also stopped in his tracks and brought Jade to a surprise stop. She turned and gave him a questioning expression.

He gave a partially pitiful smile as he softly questioned, "I love you, but Angel, I can't eat raw fish or soup for a fourth day in a row for lunch. I need something different." He gently squeezed her hand to try to get his point across.

Jade rolled her eyes then blew out a breath. She quickly suggested, "We can swing by Inside-Out Burger and pick something up while we eat sushi?"

He softly chuckled and agreed to the compromise, "Deal."

After settling that compromise (at least for Freddie), the group continued towards the door, but Beck walked up to them from the end of the parallel hallway to the exit and stopped them, "Hey."

Tori happily replied as she slipped alongside of him and looped her arm around his holding his book bag strap, "Oh, hey. You wanna come to Nozu with us?"

He smiled to the lovely brunette and answered regretfully, "Oh, I can't. Moose just got in."

Tori softly laughed, "Oh, so he did come in this morning?"

He softly let out a laugh and nodded, "Yeah."

Jade intriguingly asked, "Who's Moose?"

The Canadian born casually answered his ex-girlfriend, "A friend from Canada."

Freddie hesitantly questioned, "You have a friend named Moose?"

Dusty dryly asked, but even he was cracking a smile at his readily admitted to joke, "And did Rocky come with him? Or Dudley Do-Right?"

The long haired actor just eyed Dusty for a moment, but ignored him to answer the tech-producer, "Yes, I haven't seen him since Feeferdoon."

The others gave each other curious expressions then Cat curiously asked, "What's Feeferdoon?"

"Oh, in Canada that's what we call kindergarten."

Jade flippantly commented, "Wow, that's not interesting."

Tori passed a quick glance and smirk to Jade.

Dusty quickly spoke up, "I think you're making that up."

Beck frowned at him.

The lean teenager quickly continued, "Feeferdoon doesn't sound like a French word to me and the English side probably calls it kindergarten too."

Before any kind of argument could break out, Cat asked, "So where's Moose?"

The long haired actor motioned towards the stairs with a free hand as he answered, "On the roof, taking a picture of the Hollywood sign."

Tori sweetly offered, "Well, we're gonna be at Nozu if you guys wanna come join us later..."

Beck motioned behind them towards the stairs, "Oh, here he comes."

A well-built teenager standing slightly taller than Beck walked down the steps wearing a red hockey jersey and blue jeans. "Oh, hey all."

Beck slipped away from Tori to meet up with his friend and share a quick hand clasp.

Tori politely returned the greeting, "Hey," quickly followed by Cat, "Hi."

Ava greeted him with a bright smile, "Well, look at you. "

Beck passed Tori a slightly concerned look then politely introduced his friend, "Guys, this is my friend Moose."

Ava looked Moose up and down and softly laughed with a hint of seduction in her voice, "Yeah, we know."

Dusty softly knotted his brow at hearing the tone.

Cat softly laughed while playing with the end of her hair, "From fluffer-noogit."

The long haired actor softly corrected, "It's Feeferdoon."

"He sure iiiissss," she laughed again, jiggled her shoulders then softly pocked the tall teenager's stomach.

Tori approached and started, "Uh, Moose, we were all about to go grab some..." She snapped her fingers as she finished with a soft laugh, "Sushi, if you wanna come."

He slightly winced while answering, "Um, I'm not into eating raw fish. I'm more of a burger and fries guy."

Dusty raised a hand and readily agreed, "Oh, I hear you there. Vegetables are about the only thing you should eat raw."

The sandy blonde laughed and nodded his head in agreement.

Tori eagerly shouted, "Ooh, a burger sounds like a great idea."

Ava shouted, "Yes!"

The redhead quickly followed equal statue girl, "So great."

Cat shouted, "Let's go get burgers."

Ava eagerly suggested, "We can go to Karaoke-Dokie."

The redheaded singer picked up, "Yay, beef and fat!"

The shortest brunette offered, "I'll drive."

Cat shouted as she headed out the door, "Come on, Moose."

Tori laughed as she grabbed Moose by the wrist and dragged him along to follow Ava and Cat.

Beck knotted his brow in annoyance while André and Robbie joined him with confused and slightly miffed expressions. Jade rolled her eyes at her friends' immature attempts at flirtation to the muscular Canadian.

"Wow!" Dusty laughed out then looked to the others and continued, "I guess the girls' liked the eye candy."

Beck motioned with a hand towards the door and sharply retorted, "Dude, he just walked out with your girl too and your ex."

Dusty's brow instantly knotted as he questioned with a completely bewildered tone, "My girl?" He looked to Jade and Freddie for explanation. "What?"

Freddie blew out a breath and gave his friend a sympathetic expression at seeing that he really didn't understand Beck's comment.

The long haired actor shook his head then led the group to catch up the girls.

Dusty continued to look at Freddie and Jade in confusion with the pale girl giving him a soft pat on his upper right arm.

Tori Vega: Hanging out with Beck and his friend from Canada. Feeling: Welcomey 8)

Karaoke Dokie

Beck idly commented as he led the group inside, "Uh, there's no big tables, so let's just take two."

Moose pointed to one of the tables near the dead center end to the end of the circular stage. "I'll sit at that one over there."

Tori comment, "Okay," with Cat nearly shouting, "I will too," as the girls dashed to the table that Moose had chosen. Robbie was just as quick to take a seat with them. There were only four seats, but Ava wouldn't be denied in having a seat with them, so she grabbed one from a neighboring table and had a seat next to Cat across from the handsome Canadian.

As the others took the table behind Moose, Dusty paused in his tracks and looked to the stage then passed a quick one to Cat.

Freddie caught his friend's hesitation and asked in concern, "What?"

The Southern teenager shook his head and mutter, "Nothing, I had a weird dream that took place here one time," then joined the others at the other table.

Freddie looked on his friend for another moment then took his seat next to Jade at the table.

Once they were settled, André casually commented to Beck, "Wow, Moose seems like a pretty cool dude."

Beck dryly commented, "Yeah. I'm psyched to hang out with him... at some point when I can actually sit with him."

The former webmaster regained his jovial demeanor and teased, "Oh don't be so bummed out not-so-Pretty Boy; they'll start back up with you as soon as all your boo-boos are gone. Let them enjoy their eye candy."

The long haired actor frowned at the Southern teenager.

Robbie motioned out with his hands over the table as he spoke in a dramatic voice to Moose and the girls, "So there I was, in the shower, just washing myself and the name pops into my brain... 'Tinkle-Aid'."

"So you're from Canada, that's so... Northern and rugged, and..." Ava idly commented, "You smell good," then let out a soft laugh.

"Thanks."

The redhead quickly spoke up, "I love Canada."

"Really? What do you love about it?"

Cat nervously laughed, "Uh... Hey, what is this, some kind of quiz or something? Ha ha ha ha ha." She suddenly stopped and let out a mew sound as she rested her hand on top of Moose's hands.

Beck curiously asked the songsmith, "So Saturday at the show, Tori and Jade are gonna sing backup for you?"

"Mm-hum. Uh, Jade did you get the lyrics I sent?"

She casually answered, "Yeah. I started practicing as soon as I got them. I'll be ready by Saturday."

Dusty softly laughed, "Kind of betraying the sisterhood aren't you?"

Jade softly smirked, "I learned something very important from my mother as she was climbing to the top: it's the 'sisterhood' that you most have to worry about keeping you down, not the guys."

Freddie softly laughed, "That's the same reason why my mother doesn't like working with women or have women bosses… even though she's a nurse."

Jade raised her pierced eyebrow and playfully questioned, "You sure it doesn't have anything to do with her being insane?"

He gave her a playful smirk and slightly tilted his head to the side. "Just a little, but it can't all be that if _your_ mom thinks the same way."

The pale teenager just shook her head in response.

Ava casually commented to the rugged Canadian, but with an underlining bit of eagerness in her voice, "So, how long are you gonna be here in Hollywood? I mean, assuming you don't meet a girl, fall in love, get married and live here forever." She paused for a second then asked with a husky voice, "No seriously."

Moose softly laughed out, "I just want a hamburger."

Cat laughed out, "I love hamburgers."

Robbie commented, "I see a waiter." He called out while clapping, "Server! Over here, please. Over here. Server..." The waiter taking an order at another table turned and looked to Robbie with a mild expression of discussed then turned and walked away.

The ventriloquist turned to look back to the muscular teenager and commented, "I don't... I don't think he heard me."

Tori picked up and saved him from the moment of embarrassment and asked Moose, "So while you're here, what kinda things do you wanna do?"

"Well, I'm only here 'til Sunday..."

"Aw."

"Boo," Cat whined in disappointment.

He happily continued, "…but I was hoping to go see the house where they filmed my favorite scary movie."

The brunette curiously asked, "Oh, what movie?"

"The Scissoring."

Tori raised her brow, instantly thinking of her participation in Jade's tribute film, "Ah."

Jade jumped out of her seat and rested a hand on Moose's left shoulder and Robbie's right shoulder and eagerly asked, "You're a fan of The Scissoring?!"

"Oh ya," he happily answered.

The pale girl shoved Robbie out of his seat and took it while Robbie fell to the floor with a high squeak. She continued, "First of all, I love that movie more than I love my mother—"

"No you don't!" Freddie idly commented with a sing-song voice.

The dark brunette blew out a breath and rolled her eyes then looked to the visiting Canadian. "Anyway… I know exactly where that house is. I even know how to sneak in the backyard. I even did a tribute movie to it about a month ago. I played Tawny."

Tori quickly interrupted, "I played the pretty one that was murdered first."

Ava spoke up, "And I played her other friend. I was the real star of it."

Jade slightly pursed her lips, tilted her head to the side and gave her a curious eyeing.

The shorter girl was quick to answer with a playful smirk, "I'm the first one you listed in the credits."

Tori looked over her shoulder and called out, "Waiter! My friend Moose wants a hamburger right now!"

Cat quickly joined in, "He's my friend, too!"

Beck dryly commented before popping a chip in his mouth, "I remember when he was my friend!"

Freddie idly commented, "You don't wear jealousy well."

The actor threw him a dirty look.

A blonde walked up behind Tori and Cat and politely asked, "You guys want me to take your order?"

Moose instantly smiled and leaned forward politely greeted the lovely girl, "Hey."

Ava stood up and was tempted to stand on one of the seats to make up for her height to block the waitress. She thumbed over her shoulder to the blonde and commented, "She's actually a dude."

West Residence

The time was early evening as Freddie was seated at his desk typing on an assignment while Jade sat in his bed practicing her lines to backup sing for André. He glanced over his shoulder to idly commented, "Ah… little funny how they were all into Moose today, wasn't it?"

His pale girlfriend commented with a dismissive tone, "I know, right? It was pretty pathetic how they threw themselves on him. I'm surprised that even Tori looked like she was getting a little friendly with him."

He smirked as he shook his head while focusing on the screen.

She slightly frowned as she questioned with a hint of annoyance in her voice, "What?"

He flippantly, but completely in a good natured way, answered, "You seemed to be kind of into him too."

She rolled her eyes and patently countered, "He's a fan of 'The Scissoring'… he's such a fan he wants to make it a point to see the house they filmed it before he goes home."

The brown eyed boy kept smirking as he continued to type away.

She rolled her eyes, threw her head back and blew out an irritated breath before answering with a sharp tone, "Fine, I found him attractive okay. He's ruggedly handsome and strong and friendly—"

Freddie playfully interrupted, "Like me?"

She smirked in reply then got up off of his bed. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms over his upper chest and rested her chin on his right shoulder. She gave his a soft kiss on his cheek then whispered, "Exactly like you."

"I'm just teasing you. I'm glad you found someone that likes the film as much as you. Are you really going to take him with you to sneak into the backyard?"

Jade took her turn to playfully return a smirk.

Hollywood Arts High School  
Friday, May 4, 2012

Cat was pacing back and forth between the handrails of the main stairwell, halfway between the floor and landing. She held her notebook to her chest and abdomen as she looked around to see if she could spot a particular person.

André walked down the left stairwell in the same direction of the entrance and asked the impatient redhead, "Cat... Hey, Cat..."

She barely paid him any attention as she answered, "Oh hi."

"Hey, I wanted to talk to you about our show on Saturday night."

She walked passed him to look from the opposite side of the stairs and acknowledged, "Uh-huh."

"Robbie said he needs you to rehearse his magic act with him tonight."

"Huh?"

"You said you'd be Robbie's magic assistant, right?"

She stopped in her tracks and looked up to the songwriter. "Have you seen Moose?"

André responded with a mixture of disbelief and irritation as he patted his chest for a moment, "Okay, I hear me talking. How come you don't?"

Her face instantly lit up as she saw Moose enter the school and holding a dozen red roses. She grabbed André by the wrist and pulled him down to speak with him in the hallway. "Ooh, here he comes! Pretend like we're talking about something."

"We are talking about something, ya crazy red-headed—"

Moose spoke up and interrupted André before he could finish his possible insult, "Hey, Cat."

Cat quickly turned and smiled up at the tall boy, "Oh, Moose, hi. Who are those flowers for?"

"You."

Cat happily shouted, "Flowers for me?!"

"Yeah. I got your text that said..." He pulled out his rectangular cell phone and read, "'_Hi, Moose, it's Cat. Please bring flowers to me at Hollywood Arts immediately_'."

"Aw, you're such a sweetie! Come on let's go show Tori, Jade and Ava the flowers you brought me and not them."

Jade laughed as she walked down the left side stairs to the landing then down to the floor wearing her bloody and dirty wedding dress costume and the sheers pendant just above her cleavage that Freddie had given her for Christmas, "Hey, I heard my name."

André threw up his hands and asked in a mixture of annoyance and disbelief, "Jade, what are you wearing?"

Moose started in disbelief, "Is that..."

The purple streaked hair girl smirked as she smugly answered, "Oh yeah. This is a copy of the costume that Tawny Walker-Black wore in your favorite movie..." She gave him the brightest smile just before finishing, "'The Scissoring'. I wore it in my short film." She looked down to her left to pull the end of her dress to make sure she wouldn't trip over it and popped her red lipstick covered lips.

He looked her up and down for a moment and whispered in shock, "Whoa."

Cat quickly held up the roses and shouted, "Uh, look Moose brought me roses. Did you bring any for Jade? No? Okay."

Jade subconsciously picked at her dress to slightly pull it down to show her upper chest and brush her hair off her shoulders to show off her pale skin.

André walked up beside Jade and interrupted, "So rehearsal. We were thinking we should meet..." The songsmith started again, "We were, uh, thinking we should meet..." but Cat continued to ignore him until André threw up his hands in disgust and shouted, "We... Goodbye."

As he made his way down the hallway in the direction of the janitor's closet and drink machines, he passed Freddie and Dusty walking from the other direction making their way just pass Tori's locker. He gave Freddie a quick glance and tired shake of his head.

The tech-producer knotted his brow in confusion then glanced to Dusty, but the former webmaster was just as lost. They made it a few more paces then Freddie stopped in his tracks as he saw Jade in her wedding dress costume. His jaw slacked and eyes opened widely at the sight.

Jade happily held up her silver scissors and commented to the muscular Canadian, "And look, these are the actual scissors from the movie."

Moose took a step forward and commented, "Oh my God, that is so cool."

The shorter girl quickly shouted, "I gave her those!"

Jade snorted out a laugh of amusement from Cat's desperate flirtation, "Yeah she did. They were a fantastic Christmas present."

Dusty failed to hold back a smirk at seeing his look on in surprise at the purple streaked hair girl dressed up in what was possibly her future wedding dress. He leaned over and whispered the staring off teenager, "You know I would never—_never_ advocate pre-marital sex, but… you know just to make conversation… Vegas is like only four hours away and in Nevada the age of consent is sixteen…"

Freddie softly bit his tongue then whispered, "I am not jealous. She's just found someone that can appreciate the film as much as she can. It's no different if I met up with some Galaxy Wars or World of Warlords fans and dressed up as Nug-Nug."

The slightly taller teen smirked and playfully remarked, "Unless _they_ were some of those scantily clad cosplay girls… then you might have problems… like he's practically eye candy for her and you're not liking it one bit."

He firmly stated, "I _am not jealous_."

The Southern teenager softly chuckled, "Right… and denial is just a river—"

"I know, _Utah_," Freddie impatiently snapped off.

"What?"

Freddie blew out a breath and shook his head. "Nothing, just something Sam said to Carly when she couldn't admit that Steven was cheating on her with Tori—before we knew Tori."

Dusty shook his head and commented, "You see no irony in that statement?"

The tech-producer simply frowned.

Tori called out in surprise from the top of the right handed side of the split stairs, "Moose?" She started down and softly laughed, "I didn't know you were gonna be here."

He pointed to her black hockey jersey and laughed out, "I didn't know you're a hockey fan."

She waved him off and shook her head. "Actually I'm not, I'm just trying to get in the spirit because…" She reached into her back jean pocket and pulled out two tickets then continued, "Lookie what I got…"

Moose's eyes shot open in surprise and questioned with a disbelieving tone, "Tickets to tonight's Kings' game?"

She softly giggled, "Uh-huh."

Jade softly rolled her eyes and pointed out, "Okay, she is not an LA Kings' fan."

Cat shouted in outrage, "She's faking."

Tori snapped back with a somewhat irritated tone, "I just said I wasn't." She looked back to Moose and continued, "I thought since Beck was going to be busy tonight getting ready Tinkle-Aid and you really won't be able to really get to hang out with him, I thought you'd enjoy going to see a game instead."

Cat suddenly pulled out a hamburger from her book bag and held it up to a teasing manner, "Oh my gosh, who wants a hamburger?"

The tall Canadian turned and looked at the hamburger with a hungry gaze.

The redhead started slowly walking backwards and waving the hamburger as if she was leading an animal. "Mm, hamburger..."

The brunette held up the tickets and asked, "Hey, you wanna see how great our seats are? We can go look 'em up on my computer."

"Uh, sure."

"Good. Oh! Let's go!" she laughed as she pulled him along down the hall and past Freddie and Dusty.

Cat called out in annoyance to Jade, "Can you believe her? Using hockey to try to get Moose to like her? It's disgusting." She looked down at the hamburger in her hand and commented, "I need bigger hamburgers," then turned and walked away to start on her plan.

Jade knotted her brow as she looked at her retreating friend, trying to comprehend the accusation that Tori was trying to get Moose to romantically like her.

Freddie let out a forced laugh as he approached his girlfriend, "So that's what you were putting in the trunk this morning? Trying to start up a one woman horror convention for Moose?"

She looked down at her dress and licked her lips. She looked up and laughed, but finished with a hint of disgust, "Yeah, I guess so… but Tori has to go hog Moose." She continued with a high pitch mocking tone of a Southern Bell, "Oh well, Moose, my goodness, I certainly do hope you enjoy a fine game of hockey with me while Beck is busy."

Freddie let out a quick laugh, but Dusty instantly frowned and knotted his brow.

The couple caught his expression a few moments later and Jade put on a somewhat embarrassed expression as she realized she may have just insulted him with the mocking accent.

The Southern teenager responded with a flat tone, "I'm not sure if I should be offended or turned on by that…" He cracked a smile and let out a soft laugh, "I guess I'm a little bit of both."

Freddie snorted out a laugh as he shook his head and Jade rolled her eyes with a hint of a smile playing on her face. She looked to her boyfriend and continued, "Okay, I dressed up just like that time you went to school as…" Her brow knotted for a moment trying to recall the name then hesitantly spoke, "Nug-Nug?"

The brown eyed bow looked down and softly bit his bottom lip then looked up, "That was more to irritate Sam for a bet…" He cracked a grin as a thought occurred to him. "So if you're so willing to dress up… I can expect you to dress up with me for the next Webicon? Right?"

Jade's bare shoulders slumped and put on a slight frowned as that was apparently the last thing she wanted to do and hang out for a day with a bunch of un-cool nerds and dweeb that could put Sinjin and Robbie to shame.

The Carolinian laughed out, "You walked right into that one."

The purple streaked hair girl turned her frown to him.

He softly mocked, "It shouldn't be that bad; it's not like he's expecting you to dress up as one of those skimpy cosplay girls… well at least not in public. I don't know what you two do in the bedroom."

Freddie softly nudged him in the ribs in irritation, but that drew a hearty laugh from the taller teenager. "Hey, I'm kidding. I just told you that I would _never_ make _that_ suggestion."

Jade crossed her arms under and gave Dusty a chilly stare. She asked with a slightly impatient tone, "What suggestion?"

Dusty laughed again then looked to his wristwatch. He sarcastically remarked, "Oh look at the time, I got to get going." He continued on his way without Freddie.

Jade immediately looked to Freddie for an explanation. "What did he _not_ suggest?"

The tech-producer blew out a breath and shook his head then slipped his hand over her that was trapped between her bicep and side of her breast and pulled it out to lace his fingers with hers. "It doesn't matter. I think you look very pretty and Moose is passing up a great opportunity to discuss the movie with a true fan."

The pale girl instantly grinned at his attempt to make her feel better for Moose just blowing her off. She leaned over and gave him a kiss on his right cheek, leaving a near pristine red lip outline on his cheek. She slightly tilted her chin to seductively whisper in his ear, "Come on; I need to get to class… and I need some… _help_… to get out of this dress."

Freddie nervously chuckled as a soft blush formed on his cheeks just before Jade started pulling him along up the main stairwell.

Karaoke Dokie

About an hour after school let out, Dusty entered the restaurant and scanned for a particular individual. Beck, André and Robbie were setting up for their show tomorrow and if he didn't have a more pressing matter to attend, he'd point out once again the ridiculousness of what they were doing.

He walked a little further into the establishment and walked around the stage to see Burf setting up some magic cabinet. He called out, "Burf? Where's your buddy?"

The Georgian born turned away from the cabinet and took the few steps down to the level floor then answered, "He went to use the bathroom."

Dusty flippantly asked, "He forget to zip his pants up again?"

Burf rolled his eyes then commented, "No."

The lean teenager slightly shook his head then waited patiently and idly looked as the others continued setting up for their performances for tomorrow: balloons, the magic cabinet and checking the sound system.

Burf spoke up, "I never figured you for dating another man's girl."

The former webmaster turned his head to look with an annoyed expression at his fellow Southerner and retorted with a guarded tone, "And I never figured you'd make an accusation without something to back it up."

Burf looped his thumbs in his jean belt loops and slightly tilted his head to the side then answered, "We might as well come from another planet being here, but even for us, how many times can you go with her before you call it dating?"

"How many times can you hang out alone with Van Cleef before I can start believing the rumors that you two are fuck buddies? Is it true he calls you _baby_?"

Burf blew out a breath and uttered, "Point."

Sinjin exited the restroom and approached the stage. He immediately put on a hesitant expression at seeing a Southern teenager that wasn't his friend.

Dusty stated bluntly, disregarding any polite exchanges, "So Van Cleef, when are you going to man up and get your girl or let her go?"

The taller boy frowned in anger for a moment then sharply retorted, "Why? You want her guilt free?"

Dusty calmly eyed him as he answered, "I want you to make a decision so she doesn't have to keep putting her life on hold waiting for _you_ to come around and let her know that you still want her or you want to move on." He softly bit his tongue in possibly betraying her confidence, but he figured enough was enough with her starting to chase after Moose.

The curly haired teenager's anger vanished and instantly replaced with tribulation, "She's… she's waiting on me?"

The former webmaster slightly clenched his jaw for a moment to suppress his anger in having to answer then softly whispered, "She can't fix something you have no interest in fixing."

Sinjin's face fell and took several deep breaths then a look of hope appeared on his face.

Vega Residence

The time was mid-evening as Tori was sitting on the couch closest to the door. She was squinting her eyes as she watched channel six sports on the television of a hockey game. She was interrupted as a frantic knocking started on the door. The brunette shouted out, "Who is it? Okay, okay." She got up from her seat and pressed the power button on the remote control then sat down on the coffee table as she finished, "I am coming. Calm down."

She quickly opened the door and Ava, Cat and Jade blew past the younger Vega sister. The shortest of the brunettes snapped, "Where is he?"

Cat followed up with a curt, "Hi!"

Tori closed the door behind then and started, "What are you guys..." She paused and let her irritation seep into her voice, "You know... I don't remember saying come in."

Ava countered, "Well, I don't remember saying you could hog Moose. You have a boyfriend."

Tori raised her pointer finger and snapped back at the shorter brunette, "I'm just trying to make him feel welcomed and comfortable while Beck is busy with Tinkle-Aid! And did you forget you have a boyfriend too!" Tori crossed her arms under her chest and sarcastically remarked, "I'm just not sure which one it is: Sinjin or Dusty?"

The shorter nostrils flared and her eyes opened wide for a moment then her gaze narrowed on the taller girl.

Jade's eyes shot open and her jaw slacked at hearing Tori verbally go for the throat.

Cat ignored the confrontation and interrupted with her own concern in a mocking tone, "Oh, please let's go to the hockey game, Moose. I'm ever so desperate!" The redhead shouted in frustration, "Moose hogger."

"I am not hogging Moose. I'm just being nice." She threw a hand up in the direction of the hallway entrance beside the stairs and answered with a defensive voice, "We just got back from the game and he needed to use the bathroom. We were just about to head to Karaoke-Dokie so he could hang out with Beck after their done setting up for the benefit tomorrow. I'm not hogging anyone."

As if on cue from some kind of director, Moose walked out of the hallway and into the living room. He happily commented, "Hey, I like your bathroom."

Tori put on an embarrassing smile and responded with a playful tone, "Aw, you do?"

He nodded along and looked around, "Yeah. You got a great house here."

Ava smirked and playfully poked his chest, "Well you have a great upper body."

Moose gave her a polite smile then looked to Tori and thumbed over to the door, "You know we should really be heading out if I'm going to have a chance to spend some time with Beck."

The younger Vega sister let out a laugh and motioned to the door, "Right, off to Karaoke-Dokie."

"With hamburgers," Cat quickly brought up with a raised finger then took Moose by an arm.

Ava took him by the other arm and added as the pair started pulling him to the door, "Come on, we'll drive you there."

Tori grabbed her purse to follow and at this point even Jade had to roll her eyes at how Cat and now Ava was acting.

The quintet was nearly out the door when Trina dressed in heavy workout clothes walked into the kitchen from the glass doors. She dropped her purple bag on the kitchen table and started complaining, "Oh my God, I am so exhausted, oh. I am gonna go get in my bed and sleep for at least…" She stopped as she saw Moose and quickly put on a bright smile as she found her second wind and quickly approached them. "Holy cheese, who's this hunka dude?"

Tori slightly frowned for the briefest of moments then answered with a hesitant tone, "This is Moose."

Ava answered with an impatient tone, "We're taking him to Karaoke-Dokie."

"I'm in, let's go," Trina answered and rushed between Ava and Moose to grab his wrist and pull him through the door.

Jade turned and grabbed the door handle in a rare moment of courtesy and called out, "I got it."

The longer hair brunette shouted as she started fighting over the door handle, "It's my door."

The girls struggled for a few seconds on which one of them would close the door until they both pulled the door shut.

Karaoke Dokie

The blonde waitress from yesterday walked up to the stage where Robbie and Beck were preparing the stage for the next night while André was behind the DJ's station with his aqua blue PearBook. She held a yellow flyer and pointed to it while casually asking, "Hey. So this show that you guys are doing tomorrow night... it's really called Tinkle-Aid?"

Beck rested his right arm on one of the microphone stands and leaned against it while embarrassingly answering, "I'm sad to say it is."

André walked around the station and answered while handing Beck an orange colored PearPad, "We're raisin' money for our school, Hollywood Arts."

Beck casually picked up, "So we can get another guys' bathroom."

The ventriloquist proudly continued, "I came up with the name Tinkle-Aid."

The waitress turned and started walking away without even giving a full eye roll, but Robbie paid no attention as he continued talking and acted as he was lathering his chest with soap, "I was just in the shower, washing and..."

André tightened his eyebrows and motioned to the retreating woman with a hand as he interrupted, "Rob, Rob. Can you not see she already walked away?"

"Well, if I stopped talking every time somebody walked away from me, I'd never have a conversation..." Beck and André apparently decided to be just as rude to their friend and turned and walked away. Robbie motioned a hand towards their retreating forms and pointed out, "See?"

Trina dragged Moose by his left wrist into the restaurant and pointed to a table to the far end of the restaurant. She excitedly shouted, "Ooh, there's a perfect table right over there, come on, Moose."

"Can we..." he attempted to protest.

The older Vega sister wouldn't listen and started dragging him to the table and shouted, "Come on, Moose!" She nearly shoved him into the seat then wrapped on arm around his shoulders.

Cat spitefully commented to Tori as the four girls watched on the sight, "Looks like Moose-hogging runs in the family."

The guys noticed the girls' arrivals (as if Trina was hard to notice with her dragging Moose along across the length of the sitting area) and started approaching them from the stage. Robbie started pounding his left fist into his right palm as he jumped down from the stage and approached them. Robbie started off with a smug and dismissive tone, "Well, look who it is…" He jumped down from the stage and mockingly laughed, "The rehearsal skippers."

Ava instantly frowned and whispered out coldly, "Why are you pounding your fist in your hand? Do you plan on hitting one of us?"

Robbie blinked and looked embarrassed for a moment as he apparently didn't realize his subconscious gesture and somewhat intimidated by the small girl.

The guys gave him a strange look for a moment then André picked up as he looked to his three friends, "The three of you were supposed to be here tonight at seven..."

Robbie lifted up his hands then dropped them as he whined, "To help us rehearse for Tinkle-Aid."

Jade snorted out dismissively, "Oh, big deal, so we're late to one rehearsal."

André calmly countered, "You blew us off last night too..."

Robbie pointed out, "And today after school..." and Beck finished, "And tonight."

Ava spoke up with a confused expression on her face, "Wait, if they weren't supposed to be here until seven, why are you upset that they didn't meet you right after school? Were they supposed to meet with you after school or at seven? Which is it?"

Jade was quick to pounce, "Right, you said seven, not right after school, so why get wazzed off about that? I didn't blow you off last night. I know the song."

Tori took a step forward to her boyfriend and spoke up in her defense, "Hey, I didn't blow you off tonight either. You're the one that blew Moose off tonight to work on setting this up. He wasn't going to get a chance to hang out with you, just stuck here helping you setting up. I was the considerate one to make him feel welcomed and take him to something he enjoyed instead of using him. You're the one that should have gone with him if you two were really going to hang out."

The boys looked to one another and were apparently surprised that the girls would give their attitudes right back to them instead of being embarrassed and humiliated.

Beck looked somewhat embarrassed and bowed his head. He cleared his throat then spoke with less than a confident voice, "Well it doesn't matter. You don't have to worry about the show; we changed the show around."

André nervously back up his friend, "So we can do it without you."

Tori asked her friend with a sudden hurt expression, "You don't want me and Jade to sing backup for you?"

André answered with a tired tone as he shoved his hands into his jean pockets, "I did."

Cat quickly pointed out, "Wait, you can't do your magic act without an assistant."

The curly haired teenager lazily answered, "Sinjin's gonna help me."

Burf walked up beside Robbie and explained, "If Sinjin gets sick, I'm gonna fill in."

Jade held back a smirk as Robbie glanced at the native Georgian and commented, "Please wait in the magic cabinet."

Ava rolled her eyes and muttered, "Of course he's going to help with this nonsense."

Burf shook his head then turned back to head for the cabinet.

Tori took a breath to calm down from her annoyance of Beck turning around her being nice to Moose and he actually being the one that didn't have the time to hang out with his friend from Canada back on her as if she did something wrong. She heard Freddie whisper in the back of mind from the memory of him telling her that she shouldn't feel sorry for trying to help and be nice after her attempt to cheer Sikowitz from his breakup blew up in her face. She cleared her throat and suggested, "Look, we can meet up with you guys here tomorrow afternoon before the show and I can rehearse your song."

Cat spoke up, "And rehearse your magic act."

Robbie raised his hands, palms down, and dismissively replied, "Don't worry about it."

The boys attempted to walk past them in some apparent show of emotional manipulation and end the conversation on their terms, but Jade sidestepped to block the boys from leaving and held up a hand. She knotted her brow, clenched her jaw tightly for a moment then took a step forward. The trio fearfully took a step back in unison.

"Wait a sec; we agreed to help you do this little benefit in the first place because we're your friends even if it was pretty janking insulting to us and Tori just suggested how we can still help, but now you have the nerve to blow us off? For what? So you can make yourselves feel better in making us the complete bad ones?" She passed a quick glance to her ex and pointedly countered, "Where have I experienced that before?"

Beck let out a breath and his irritation was clear on his face.

The pale girl continued, "And where exactly are you walking off to? I thought you were in the middle of getting ready, especially now that you have to rearrange everything to do the show without us. Ava's right, you're acting like little children… just like you did with Sikowitz's bet."

Ava laughed out catching their attention, "They're probably mad at you because they didn't get their semester 'A's'. That's probably what they're really mad about." She looked to Beck and asked, "Is this your way of some emotional payback you're known for?"

The long haired actor gave her an irritated expression.

She looked to the other girls and softly mocked, "It just sounds like to me that they're jealous that Moose's getting all the attention and being ignored and this is their way of throwing a tantrum." She looked to Beck and playfully commented, "I hate to break it to you Beck, but there are plenty of other guys that look better than you."

Beck raised his chin and rolled his eyes. He blew out a tired breath and countered with an impatient breath, "Okay, I can't take this anymore." He looked over his shoulder and called out, "Hey Moose! Could you come here a second?"

The muscular teenager got up from his seat and approached with Trina latched on to his arm.

The longer haired teenager continued, "Moose... which one of these freaks do you like better... Tori, Trina, Cat, Jade or Ava?"

"Hey—" Tori started, offended that he would call her that and suggesting that she would cheat on him.

The dark brunette instantly frowned and crossed her arms under her chest. She recalled from last year when the little boy they had met to win the Ke$ha concert had called her 'the freaky one' and she was just as outraged by the comment. She sharply retorted and interrupted Tori, "Really? That's what you think of me? 'A Freak'?" She walked to stand right in front of her ex-boyfriend and question with disgust lacing her voice, "You think all of us are freaks?"

Ava immediately joined her and took a step to Beck. She poked him hard in the chest with her pointer finger and shouted just as outraged, "Where do you get off calling me a freak for pursuing a guy you chauvinist gank?"

Beck actually took a step back in a little worry of his current girlfriend, his ex and the shortest brunette girl.

"Hey!" Sinjin's voice shouted in outrage from behind the boys and catching everyone's attention. He apparently was behind the magic box during the entire time and he angrily walked down the steps between the stage and DJ station with Burf right behind. He stopped right in front of Beck and pocked him in the chest and shouted, "You don't call my girl a freak."

Beck took another step back from Sinjin's aggressive posture while Ava looked on in shock at the first real sign from him that he still cared about her in a while. The handsome actor raised his hands in surrender and tried to calm the taller teenager, "Whoa, Sinjin, take it down a notch."

"No I will not!" he sharply retorted and pointed to Ava as he gave Beck a cold stare. "You don't get to call my girl a freak or any other name, so you apologize to her _right now_!"

"Sinjin—"

The glasses wearing teenager sharply cut him off, "If you don't apologize to her right now, I will mess you up worst than Freddie did."

Everyone looked onto Sinjin in complete shock and for the most part believed he would back up the claim, least long his ability to bruise up Tori.

André attempted to step between them, but Burf took a step in front of him. He wore a surprising serious expression on his face and let out a mocking laugh, "What do you think you're doing? I know Dusty's shown you what we Southern boys can do, so you might want to let them handle it."

The songsmith blinked in surprise from the unexpected side of the afro wearing teenager.

Beck glanced to Burf and André and realized that this could get real ugly real fast and even if he got out of this potential fight unscathed, he knew he'd have to deal with Freddie and Dusty and he wasn't looking forward to a confrontation with either (he doubted his face would survive it). "Okay." He looked to Ava and spoke, "Look, I'm sorry. That was uncalled for and apologize."

Ava nodded her head then retorted, "You might want to think about doing the same for your girlfriend and Jade. Tori for obvious reasons and Jade… you really think Freddie's going to appreciate you calling her that?"

The handsome teenager looked between the girls and bashfully apologized to each.

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and flippantly answered, "Whatever," knowing full well he didn't mean it and said it to avoid trouble.

Tori wore a more regretful expression and he realized that he was going to have to do more than say a simple apology to make it up to her.

While the group of friends was distracted with Beck basically graveling, Ava took a step to Sinjin then looked down and bashfully asked, "So… I'm still your girl?"

He bashfully looked down as well and whispered, "I was still hoping you would be. I'm sorry… I want to try to fix us."

Ava looked him wide eyed and for a moment she didn't think she had heard him correctly.

He looked back to her with a hesitant smile.

After a few seconds of silence, that caught the attention of the others, she let out a soft breath of a laugh then grabbed him by the back of his neck and pull him towards her to capture his lips. Sinjin was obviously caught off guard for a moment then deepened the kiss to the wondrous looks of the others (Burf was grinning ear to ear) looking on the strained couple.

However, Jade sharply felt in the pit of her stomach that what she was watching wasn't right—that something in her very soul was telling her that what she was witnessing wasn't the way things were supposed to play out, but she couldn't figure out why.

Sinjin pulled away from Ava and let out a relieved laugh while she smiled up at him.

Moose looked between all the girls then let out a nervous laugh to interrupt the reunion, "Uh, look... No offense... but I like Canadian girls."

Ava turned to look at him and curiously asked even if she didn't care anymore if he liked her, "Why?"

"They really like hockey..." He looked to Cat and Ava and commented, "They're bigger..." The about equally statue girls looked to one another then at themselves as Moose stopped at Jade and Trina and finished with a casual tone, "And they're just, less weird than Hollywood girls."

Jade looked between Beck and Moose then knotted her brow in anger and asked in outrage towards Beck, "You thought I was coming on to him? I was just excited to meet someone that appreciated 'The Scissoring' as much as I do and I still haven't gotten a decent discussion with him about it."

Ava blinked as she had an epiphany. "Oh my God, it all makes sense now."

Moose looked a little fearful of Jade, but turned his attention to Ava and nodded his head.

Ava looked to Jade and spoke with a hushed whisper as if it is the most obvious thing in the world, "_He's gay_."

The larger Canadian's eyes shout open as he sharply retorted, "I'm not gay."

She patiently smiled to him and patted him on the arm as if he was a confused child, "We run the spectrum of girls and you didn't find _any_ of us—including Trina—attractive and you've constantly wanted to blow us off to hang _with Beck_? Face it, _you're gay_."

Beck stuffed his hands deeper in his pockets and uncomfortably shifted from foot to foot with that interpretation while the tall boy gave the petite girl a cold stare.

She softly laughed out, "I'm not judging you."

Cat softly laughed and wrapped an arm over Moose's stomach, "Well, I still want this."

Jade shook her head in sympathy for her friend then looked to the guys and asked with a slightly impatient tone, "So, show tomorrow night? The show's not until nine and we have all afternoon for Tori and Cat to rehearse."

Beck shrugged his shoulders and lazily answered, "We told you, we've already changed the show to do it without you."

The dark brunette threw up her hands in disgust and flippantly remarked, "Fine then, you really want to act this way? Hold on to your pride and do your janking show on your own." She turned and headed out of the restaurant without looking back.

Tori looked to her boyfriend for a moment and saw that though he wore a slightly embarrassed expression, he wasn't going to change his mind. She closed her eyes and shook her head then turned to follow Jade out, but André spoke up with a timid voice, "Would you still sing back up for me?"

She turned in her place and gave André a bashful smile.

The songsmith nudged Robbie in the ribs.

The ventriloquist grabbed his side and cried out, "What did you do that for?"

André slightly tilted his head to the side, opened his eyes wide and motioned his head to Cat.

Robbie looked to him with a clueless expression.

He nodded his head again to Cat and stared at him. Robbie got the message then awkwardly asked Cat, "Would you be my assistant tomorrow?"

The redhead instantly brightened up and nodded her head.

Beck rolled his eyes and blew out a breath, "Fine, we'll switch it back."

Ava snorted out, "Don't trip over yourself for your girlfriend and your friend."

The long haired actor clenched his jaw tightly as he gave her an annoyed expression and she smirked in return, holding on tightly to Sinjin.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Jade idly commented from the passenger seat of the Charger, "Uh, where are we going?"

Freddie had been oddly quiet as he drove the pair to an apparent unknown destination after she had picked him up from work. Her mother had dropped him off at work this morning for some odd reason and she needed to pick him up in the Charger. The muscle car hadn't given her any trouble as she drove to pick him up, so that only added to her confusion as to why he would need a ride this morning.

The brown eyed teenager pulled the Charger to the side of the road. He blew out a tired breath, "Uh-oh... the car's outta gas." He let out a soft chuckle, "Muscle cars and gas mileage…"

Jade lifted a corner of her mouth and gave him a questioning look with her eyes while commenting, "We have a full tank."

He unbuckled his seatbelt and quickly leaned over to cup her left cheek and captured her lips in a kiss. Her eyes shot open in surprise, but she quickly closed her eyes melted into the kiss.

She pulled way a moment later then smirked and tenderly looked at him. She sweetly asked, "Is my Freddie jealous?"

"Absolutely… and that low cut top and you wearing my favorite skirt isn't helping either," he softly laughed then captured her lips with another kiss.

They traded soft kisses for a few more moments then he pulled back to give her a knowing smile.

She playfully smirked as she asked, "What?"

"Well, I had another idea of how we could spend the night instead of going to 'Tinkle-Aid'…" He smirked and shrugged a shoulder as he playfully finished, "…if you want to."

She lifted a corner of her mouth and raised her pierced eyebrow in curiosity. "And what would that be?"

Karaoke Dokie  
Saturday, May 5, 2012

The eighteen and under restaurant was fairly packed with about two to three dozen teenagers just as the benefit concert was about to begin, which to put that into perspective was a pretty pathetic turn out when there was pushing north of a thousand students that went to Hollywood Arts.

However, that wasn't dampening the mood for the three teenagers that had organized it as they stood on stage. Robbie wore a top hat, had a cape tied around his neck and held Rex in his right hand. Beck was casually dressed with a light brown blazer jacket over a black unbutton shirt and burgundy undershirt.

Cat wore a pink, short skirted dress and Tori wore a small sequin black vest over a white top with large black lipstick kiss prints over it and a pair of shiny blue jeans so tight that they looked like they had been painted on her, which Beck had made no complaints and was secretly glad that André had forced the issue of letting the girls back into performing.

They were puzzled that Jade had not shown up, but had to brush it aside as there was very little that could be done about her lack of presence.

André happily announced with a microphone in hand and a guitar strung in front of him, "All right. Let's get this thing going!"

Robbie excitedly shouted out, "Tinkle-Aid!"

The crowd shouted in response, "Yeah!"

The magician happily asked while tapping under the yellow ribbon pinned on the left side of his cape, "Is everyone wearing their yellow ribbons?!"

"Yeah."

Beck charmingly started, "So first, we're gonna entertain you guys with a song from..."

Dusty rushed up to the stage and yanked the microphone and gently pushed Beck to the side. He sarcastically laughed out then started, "I have something to say before we get started. Every one of you guys should be ashamed of yourselves. You're here to complain that the girls have the same number of places to use the bathroom as you and you think this is somehow wrong… and you should all be ashamed of yourselves for trivializing using a yellow ribbon to represent piss instead of its more common use of supporting our troops in harm's way and suicide awareness/prevention of young people like us… I know someone in here has had to lose someone they care about either through military service or suicide…" He mockingly laughed and motioned his hand up as he dared, "Come on; raise your hands if you've had to go to a friend's funeral because he or she has taken their own life?"

It took only a few moments for about three or four of the teenagers to raise their hands.

He dropped his tone to a cold and detached one, "I thought so… shame on every last one of you that support these losers. Oh and shame on you ladies too for putting up with this nonsense."

He gave Beck a look of pity as he handed him the microphone back.

The actor shouted in outrage, "What the chizz was that for?"

Dusty knotted his brow and looked to him as if he was joking. He answered with a dismissive tone, "What I just said wasn't clear enough? You're being once again a jackass towards girls and you using a yellow ribbon to represent pissing really offends me." He randomly motioned a hand out in a direction as he finished, "I bet you it offends your friend up in Seattle, you know the one with the Colonel in the Air Force who's doing only God knows what for us?"

Beck frowned while Dusty shook his head in disgust and turned back to head for his seat. The long haired turned to head back up the stage for them to get started.

The Southern retook his seat to the left side of the stage near the bar. As soon as he sat down, the other random Hollywood Arts students with whom he was sharing the table, got up, either out of annoyance or embarrassment. He wasn't bothered at all by their reaction and casually raised a finger to the attractive blonde waitress that they had been dealing with over the last few days.

She eagerly took his order and headed off just as André started his song with originally Tori being his back up, became a duet as Jade was nowhere in sight.

As Dusty enjoyed the show and wondered how Tori wasn't loosing circulation in her legs and behind with how tight her shiny blue jeans clung to her, Ava walked up to the side of the table greeted him over the music, "Hey?"

Dusty smiled up at her, answered and motioned for her to have a seat, "Hi."

She quickly took a seat on his right and the pair turned their attention back to the performance of Tori really taking over the singing. The crowed broke into cheer and applause as the pair finished then Beck announced that they would be turning to Robbie performing some magic in the next few minutes.

During the interlude, Ava spoke up, "I'm sorry that I ditched you last night. I… I got caught up trying to get Moose." She passed a quick glance at the Canadian sitting at a table on the other side of the stage.

Dusty softly laughed, "I'm sorry too… that you missed out on an awesome movie. The Avengers was fantastic… and I'm a DC guy myself. I had my fingers crossed the entire time hoping Joss wouldn't screw it up… then gives us a masterpiece."

Ava nodded her head then softly laughed out a laugh, "I want to thank for something else."

He answered with a playful tone, "Oh, and what's that?"

She dropped her tone and hesitantly answered, "Talking to Sinjin."

He leaned slightly towards her and playfully challenged, "How do you know I did that?"

"Because he said he wanted to try to fix us… that's what I told you."

He slightly frowned as he answered with a troubled voice, "Sometimes… I have to violate my standards to try to do the right thing. Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right."

She knotted her brow and asked with a confused tone, "I don't understand."

Dusty sat up in his seat then gave her a pretty somber expression in light of the festive nature of the event. "I had to violate your trust for a chance that you two can fix things. A chance for you to save your relationship versus the sanctity of your trust… it was a moral dilemma and I made my choice and with it the consequences."

She reached over and rested her left hand over his right one and gave it a gentle squeeze. She spoke so quietly that for a moment Dusty wondered if he had heard her, "Thank you."

He cracked a smile and answered, "You're welcome."

A few minutes later, the waitress brought Dusty's food and drink as Tori, André and Beck took their reserved table next to the one Dusty and Ava were occupying.

Tori idly asked André, "Where is Jade and Freddie? Didn't some one let her know she was going to be singing?"

Dusty laughed out as he idly tapped his finger on the rim of his glass and caught the pairs' attention, "Oh, they had more important plans for tonight."

They immediately turned and looked to him in unison with perplexed expressions.

He shrugged a shoulder and answered, "Jade didn't appreciate the guilt trip and Freddie didn't appreciate you calling her a freak, so they didn't see the point of showing up to support this nonsense." He chuckled as he looked to Beck, "I just wonder what he's going to do to you for calling her that when he gets back."

Ava slowly asked, "So where are they?"

Dusty smiled as he took a sip from his glass.

Bushwell Plaza  
Seattle, WA  
Saturday, May 5, 2012

The party was in full swing with the apartment nearly packed Ridgeway students dressed in various costumes. Carly and Sam had thrown a costume party and invented their own holiday Half-o-ween because Carly wanted to dress up in a costume due to last week's costume convention held just down the street from the Groovy Smoothie.

Carly was dressed in an off-white dress with an orange square on her back with a wide green belt holding it to her back. She was dressed as a piece of tuna, but not the fatty kind with a decorative ginger and wasabi on a headband over her head.

Despite the celebratory noise, the doorbell was able to be heard by the hostess and she quickly made her way to the door past Spencer (wearing the red armor padding of a trooper from Galaxy Wars) dropping one of the party attendees into a comically huge clothesbasket filled with various stuff toys and prizes.

She opened the door to reveal Freddie dressed up Fredward Cullen and Jade on his arm dressed completely in dark colors. She was dressed all in black with a zipped up front black studded top that reached just over her cleavage and a flowing, partially translucent, long skirt. Her hair was parted down the center, pulled back into then down and to the side in curls with her green highlights that she matched with green lipstick.

The slightly older of the pale teenager girls let out a joyful laugh as Freddie happily shouted in his smooth vampiric voice, "Happy Half-o-ween!"

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I think I threw in a few unexpected twists. I hope to see you next week with the first half of 'A Thousand Berry Balls', which probably won't even be the title. Take care.

Useless bit of trivia, the actor that plays Moose is from North Carolina, birthday was two days ago and appeared in some kind of show about the supernatural not long after this episode aired.

Special Guest Star Miranda Cosgrove as Carly Shay  
Special Guest Star Jerry Trainor as Spencer Shay  
Special Guest Star Charles Shaughnessy as Mason Thornesmith  
Guest Star Jason E. Kelley as Shawn Quincy  
Guest Star Matt Riedy as Arthur Griffin  
Guest Star Brandon Jones as Moose  
Guest Star Cody Christian as Dusty Hale


	33. Chapter 33: iHalf-o-ween

Hello dear readers! I have another wonderful chapter for you (I hope). Since I answered everyone I could individually, I just have one review I need to answer:

onehorsegay: I love the name. I'm glad you are so able to express your happiness to the world. To address your points, Tori and Jade are clearly in charge of the group as the running theme throughout the series is them battling to be the Alpha female of that group, not Beck. He is clearly not as nice a guy as the show pretends him to be if you actually watch his behavior. The only real talent he has as demonstrated as another running gag in the show is that he is good looking.

I'd like to establish that I don't know if you came to this story as an iCarly fan, Victorious fan or both since this series started as crossover story (and the fans are not necessarily the same), so I don't know if you are aware of this, but in iCarly it was pretty well established repeatedly over several episodes that Freddie has the outright superpower of superhuman durability. He would be considered 'Made of Iron' under TV Tropes. Beck could literally take a baseball bat to the side of Freddie's head and it wouldn't slow Freddie down one bit since Beck doesn't have Sam's advantage of superhuman strength to back up the swing (all she did was ruffle his hair after breaking an aluminum tennis racket over his head with her superhuman strength). So in those circumstances, how exactly is he going to beat Freddie up short of taking his GTO and running Freddie over? Also, have you not seen the difference in build between Freddie and Beck?

PD31 has updated his story, A Place to Call Home, so I'm about to go read that myself and you might want to take a look at it.

Okay, let me plug my guest stars…

Special Guest Star Miranda Cosgrove  
Special Guest Star Jennette McCurdy  
Special Guest Star Jerry Trainor

…and rating…

Rating: T Language, Suggestive Content

…now on with the story.

* * *

Chapter 33: iHalf-o-ween

Shay Apartment  
Saturday, May 5, 2012

"Happy Half-o-ween!" Carly shouted back in laughter and immediately took a step forward and pulled Freddie into a hug. She held on for a few moments with him returning the hug. She pulled away and continued to laugh at seeing the surprise appearance of the couple.

The Seattle brunette immediately turned to the slightly younger girl and pulled her into a hug.

Jade took in a sharp breath in surprise then returned the hug.

Carly pulled away and laughed out, "This is a surprise."

Freddie chuckled, "Well, I heard about the party and we decided to come up to celebrate with you."

She slightly cocked her head to the side and softly retorted, "Really? What about 'Tinkle-Aid'? You weren't going to go to that? I thought Jade was supposed to sing with André?"

The vampire dressed teenager sucked in a breath through his teeth then hesitantly answered, "I wasn't too thrilled with going to it in the first place because of what it was for and Jade…"

Jade picked up and bluntly stated, "I didn't like Beck calling me a freak; he only apologized because Sinjin threatened to hurt him and they didn't change their minds in wanting me to perform, so when Freddie suggested we fly up… I said yes."

The fellow dark brunette nodded her head with a soft smirk and motioned for them inside. She softly laughed, "Their lost."

They stepped inside the apartment and were immediately swamped as the Ridgeway students (especially the female ones) recognized Freddie in his popular costume. They started greeting him while the male teenagers turned their attention to Jade because none of them had ever met the lovely girl that in their eyes Freddie was lucky to snag and of course her eye catching costume. The couple, each in their own way, subtly informed the respective sexes (and some crossed ones) that they were off the market.

After a few minutes of polite exchanges and idly conversation, the party goers started breaking up to socialize in their groups and enjoy the party.

Sam was finally able to approach and looked up and down the darkly dressed teenager and asked with a slightly flippant voice, "So what are you supposed to be?"

Jade smirked while answering, "I'm the Wicked Witch of the _West_."

Sam rolled her eyes and dismissively commented, "Real imaginative."

The green lipstick girl smirked and she confidently retorted, "Yes it is when I pull it off so well."

The possibly more than human teenager girl softly challenged, "It is?"

She leaned forward and whispered, "Yes it is… when every guy in this room is looking at me… and some of the girls."

The blonde passed a quick glance around to notice the pale girl was quit correct as the guys and some of the girls were passing subtle glances in Jade's direction regardless if their attention was supposedly directed elsewhere.

Sam looked back to meet Jade's green lipped smirk.

Jade snorted contemptuously as she waved her hand up to the hat Sam was wearing with what looked like a bottle of liquid soap was attached at the top, "What are you?"

"I'm hand sanitizer, but it pumps out Dijonnaise."

The actress flicked an eyebrow up as she toyed, "Oh? Did you put in a whole five minutes of thought into that?"

Sam clenched her jaw tightly and looked as if she was about to verbally go off on the Los Angeles girl.

Carly clapped her hands and spoke up to steer the conversation to a happier topic, "You were fantastic at the PMAs."

Jade turned her attention to the fellow pale girl. She saw that Carly apparently had a genuine expression on her face with the compliment, so she answered with a genuine thankful tone, "Thanks."

Spencer took a break from lifting and lowering a teenager into the oversized laundry basket and approached the group and laughed out, "Yeah and Penny is making a fortune off of it."

Jade and Freddie gave the artist curious expressions.

He quickly explained to Jade, "You wore a Penny-T during your performance and everyone wants one. She can't keep up with the orders."

Jade smirked as she remembered wearing the spare Penny-T Freddie had brought her to wear. She figured even with wearing Tori's jacket, she wasn't comfortable showing that much skin to several hundred million people across the planet after pulling off that silver wrap part of the outfit (she reserved that for Freddie in private). She let out a soft laugh, "Well I'm glad she's doing great."

"Jade, Freddie!" a girl dressed up as a fairy with a light blue dress with the hem going just to mid-thigh shouted as she dodged her way through the other party goers and approached the couple. She quickly pulled Freddie into a quick hug.

Jade paused for a moment in seeing Ava hugging Freddie before her conscious mind reminded her that she couldn't be looking at Ava, but looking at her friend's twin, Eva.

Freddie laughed out as he pulled back, "Hey Eva."

She laughed out and looked to Jade. "Hey."

Jade politely answered, "Hi Eva."

"I didn't know you were coming up."

Freddie gave her a charming smile and answered, "Last minute thing."

She nodded along. "It's nice to see you two."

He gave a friendly nod as he answered, "You too."

Carly waved them towards the kitchen as she wrapped an arm around Freddie's shoulder. "Let's get you two something to drink. We got some great Half-o-ween treats to celebrate."

* * *

Freddie was resting against the living room side of the kitchen counter sipping his drink after politely shooting down a number of girls flirting with him. He smirked at seeing that guys were trying their best to hit on his witchy girlfriend, not just for her beauty, but due to them recognizing her from her appearance performing at the PMAs. He'd freely admit he was enjoying watching her play with them instead of outright frightening them as was her initial instinct. She apparently didn't see the point of scaring off future (paying) fans of her music since everyone wanted to meet the next big music star.

Brad approached Freddie's right side with an awkward smile. He was dressed up as a pirate in the vain of Johnny Depp. His greeting was just as awkward as his smile, "Hey."

Freddie passed a glance and answered with a cautious tone, "Hey."

The blonde started off with some idly conversation, "Great party?"

The vampire dressed teen nodded his head and answered, "Yeah, Carly always knows how to throw a good party." He laughed out as a memory came to mind, "I remember our celebration party after the first iCarly. It was a hat party." His smile faded as he continued to recall the memory. He finished with a somber tone, "Carly wouldn't even share a dance with me… bring all the technical aspects to get it off the ground… I even came up with the name for the show… and she couldn't even do that for me that night." He muttered, "I guess the past is the past," then took a sip from his drink.

The pair looked on to the rest of the party for a few moments until Brad spoke up with a casual tone, "You were right."

Freddie turned his head and caught the current tech-producer humbled expression. He took a moment to realize what Brad was talking about then took a soft breath and calmly replied, "I'm not going to twist the knife."

"Thanks."

The vampire dressed teenager pushed off the counter to stand up and turn his full attention to Brad. He curiously asked, "I'm kind of surprised you're here after Melanie told me you and Sam broke up."

Brad shrugged his shoulders and answered, "I'm still a member of iCarly even if I'm not with Sam anymore."

"Must be tough."

"Putting on a show each week with a girl you have feelings for, but know it's not going to work out? I guess you would have experience in that."

Freddie let out a breath and shook his head as an ironic grin formed on his face.

The pirate dressed teenager let out a muted laugh then continued, "Can I ask you a question?"

He let out a soft chuckled as he answered, "You can ask, I just can't guarantee I'll answer it."

Brad gave a polite nod then asked with a casual voice, "Fair enough… how did you put up with Gibby?"

Freddie let out a soft chuckle.

Speaking of Gibby… near the door of the apartment, the teenager posed in front of Jade and Eva and explained, "I'm Aluminum Man."

Jade distastefully commented as she was unimpressed with his costume (which was a few levels higher than her general opinion on the jolly teenager), "Even I understand that reference. So you're supposed to be some take on Iron Man?"

He laughed, "Nah, I'm better." He patted his stomach. "I'm half the weight."

She nodded her head and gave him a sour expression she glanced to Eva to see that she shared the expression. The dressed up witch politely nodded as for some reason, she felt the need to keep the peace instead of sniping at him since it was a party. She forced a pleasant tone as she commented, "Well… that's pretty imaginative."

He laughed out as he thought he had really impressed her. He nodded along for a moment then curiously asked with a continuing jolly tone, "So… how are you and Freddie doing?"

Jade's instincts immediately told her that he was probing with the question more than being just genuinely curiosity. She answered with a tight smile, "We're fantastic. No complaints."

He smiled and waited for her to continued, but when she remained silent and smirked with a slight tilt of her head, he realized that she wasn't going to say anymore. She continued to look at him that slowly turned into the stare she had given Woody in her last 'Things She Loved' Slap video.

Gibby swallowed nervously then laughed out, "Well, if you'll excuse me ladies, I think those ladies over there could use some company."

Jade slyly remarked, "I'm sure they do."

Once Gibby had walked away and started mingling with some other girls, Eva commented, "And he wonders why Tasha left him."

The pale teenager passed a quick glance to her friend's twin and shrugged a shoulder, glad that it wasn't just her imagination of what she picked up from the late member to the iCarly group. However, she wasn't going to verbally acknowledge it since the girl may have looked like Ava, but she wasn't Ava and not comfortable in voicing it and giving the girl a sense that they were closer than in reality.

A curly haired lovely blonde girl that didn't appear to be in any costume, but wore eccentric style of dark flower patterned shirt, slacks and chopped off cape that went down to her elbows approached the pair and immediately frowned at Jade and gave her a disapproving eye.

The green streaked hair girl returned with a stared and softly challenged, "What?"

The teenager asked with a tight tone, "What are you suppose to be?"

Jade passed her another quick glance up and down and answered with a tone that showed she'd meet the verbal challenge, "I'm the Wicked Witch of the West… since my last name is West and I know I'm considered one by a lot of people, so I thought it was a logical choice."

Eva offered introductions with a motion to the blonde curly haired girl, "Ah this is Malika… we call her Magic Malika—"

The Angeleno quickly answered with a hint of a smile, "Because she's the real deal."

Malika's annoyed expression turned into one of surprise. "You think I'm a real witch?"

She answered with a slightly sarcastic remark, "You tried to set my boyfriend on fire a few years ago, so yeah, you do have powers."

The true witch slightly frowned then commented with a regretful voice, "Sorry, I didn't realize he'd hold the cup that close to his face."

Jade nodded in acceptance of the apology.

Malika picked up with a hesitant tone, "So you're Jade?"

"I'm Jade and you're the real witch."

The Seattle girl gave her a curious expression while asking, "You don't find that just a little… odd believing such a thing?"

The pale singer let out a knowing laugh and answered, "You'd be surprised with what I've seen."

Malika shook her head as she commented with her own knowing smile, "I'm not so sure I would. Your aura is a little stronger than it should be, so… you came into contact with something… holy… even if you don't know it."

Jade abruptly felt uncomfortable at Malika apparently being able to 'read' her and it appeared on her face as a frown. She rallied herself and answered with a confident voice, "I have… and she's looking out for Freddie."

She nodded in response and happily commented, "Would explain why Freddie doesn't have any metal in him anymore."

Eva looked to Jade with a curious expression while Jade looked away and needed a quick sip from her drink.

* * *

Sam approached Freddie with a smirk playing on her face as he finished catching up with Wendy. "So Fredward, enjoying the party?"

He turned to face her just as Wendy walked off and Carly slipped in beside her former tech-producer as she was more than a little concerned about a confrontation between the pair.

"Yeah, it's a blast. I told Brad that Carly still knows how to throw a party. I was just reminiscing with him of some of the other parties thrown here."

The blonde's smirk slightly faltered at the mentioning of Brad's name. She apparently brushed aside the uncomfortable feeling and commented, "Yeah, we've had a few good ones since you've been gone."

The brunette frowned at the shot her near sister took at their former tech-producer.

Sam's smirk returned in full force as she finished with a softly sarcastic tone, "…and now you're enjoying this one? After the last time we saw one another where you told me to go to Hell with Carly?"

Freddie shrugged his shoulder as he answered with a near flippant remark, "Actually things have changed. Carly and I are good, but as I told Melanie, I don't care what happens to you. I don't care if you continue to live your charmed life for the rest of your life or if on your way home tonight, you became a smear on the road from a bus when you cross the street without looking. I'm beyond caring about you either way."

Carly's jaw nearly dropped off of her as she gave the brown eyed boy a completely disbelieving expression.

One would expect that Sam would glare at him for being so dismissive of her, but she just stared at him and tightly clenched her jaw. She quickly turned, cut through the partiers and headed out of the apartment.

Brad started after her and chased her out the apartment door.

The abrupt exit of the former couple caught the attention of most of the other party goers.

The brunette immediately looked to Freddie and admonished him, "You hurt her."

Freddie rolled his eyes then blew out an annoyed breath. He shook his head then looked to Carly with a slightly annoyed expression. "What part of 'I don't care' did you not understand?" His voice took an edge of anger to it as he continued, "Do I have to remind you that I have to worry about whether or not she's going to hurt Jade as payback? You're not even sure whether or not she'll try something."

She hated to admit his was right, not because of some pride, but for what it still said about Sam.

* * *

Brad caught up with her just as she made it to the elevator down the hallway. "Hey!"

She turned and gave him a guarded stare while she crossed her arms under her chest. "What?"

He softly offered, "I'll drive you home."

Sam bowed her head for moment then glanced up to her ex-boyfriend and muttered out gratefully, "Thanks."

* * *

The party finally started winding down a few hours later and Carly performed her party host duties flawlessly as she bid farewell to each of her guests. About ten minutes after the last guest had left, Freddie and Carly sat across from one another at the kitchen table while they continued to lightly snack. She had taken off the red rectangular plush off her back and dumped it on the couch while her headband was off of her head and resting in front of her. Jade had decided to go ahead back to the Benson apartment to change because as sexy as she looked in her costume, at a certain point it was becoming uncomfortable to wear. Spencer had come to the same conclusion with his Galaxy Wars costume and was currently in his room changing.

Carly idly commented as she looked down at the table, "I know what happened between you and Beck… you really hurt him."

Freddie took a breath and licked his lips then asked, "Another reason to make you rethink about the whole idea of Steven being able to pound _me_ silly."

The lovely brunette frowned and softly retorted, "_It's not funny_. You nearly broke his nose. The two black eyes you gave him are finally gone."

He joined her in frowning and leaned forward to support himself with his folded arms on the table. He answered in a tired voice, "No it's not, but that's on him. He crossed one too many lines for me and I couldn't ignore it, _not again_. I don't want Tori to become another notch in his belt."

The brunette took a breath and figuratively took a step back with answering in a calmer voice, "I know his timing was really bad in confessing his feelings to Tori, but did you have to go that far? Did you have to pound his face silly?"

He shrugged his right shoulder and answered, "Bad timing is an understatement. I gave him the chance to walk away and he didn't. We swung at the same time then it went from there." He softly, but firmly pointed out, "I'm not apologizing for protecting my best friend."

The pale web-hostess held her tongue at the comment that he considered Tori as his best friend.

The former web tech-producer continued, "I have been him. I walked away when I thought I was emotionally taking advantage of you, so I do know better."

Carly sharply retorted, "The thought never occurred to him that he was taking advantage of Tori like it would have never occurred to you if it wasn't for Sam and her 'Bacon Theory'."

Freddie clenched his jaw for a moment at her bringing up their aborted relationship. He calmly replied after a few moments to reign in his annoyance, "I was about to turn sixteen, recovering from a hit that should have killed me and caught up with having the girl that I had been in love with since I was eleven finally returning my feelings. Beck on the other hand just turned eighteen and had the experience of being in a major/long-term relationship; that is not a fair comparison. He should have known better."

Carly shook her head in realizing that he was pretty entrenched in his position. She decided to bring up another point, "Don't you find it kind of pointless now that they're dating anyway?"

The question didn't appear to phase the L.A. immigrant and answered calmly, "Defending one's friend is never pointless Carls and from what I've heard about the way he's acted over the whole 'Tinkle-Aid' thing, I'm betting it's not going to last long and Jade, Cat, André and I are going to have to pick up the pieces… then I'm really going to have to pound him silly again."

The web-celebrity frowned at the possibility and softly retorted, "Aren't you exaggerating a little?"

"They've dated for less than a week and he's already implying that she would cheat on him and called her a freak for doing him a favor while he was busy with his silly benefit concert. He called Jade a freak too and we're going to have a conversation about that when I get back. You wouldn't put up with it and I know Spencer wouldn't put up with it either."

"I wouldn't put up with what?" the artist called out as he came walking back into the living room wearing a buttoned shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of blue jeans.

He looked past Carly and answered, "You wouldn't put up with Beck's treatment of girls if he was dating Carly."

Spencer laughed out as he entered the kitchen, "Oh no I wouldn't."

Carly knotted her brow in annoyance as she looked to her brother.

The older Shay sibling continued with a sympathetic tone, "Carls, I know he's your friend, but… you got to admit he's not the best in guy material."

She wore a pout and countered, "That's not fair Spencer. You don't really know him."

"I know enough from Aunt Ruby."

Carly sharply retorted in the need to defend her friend, "Aunt Ruby is biased against him."

Spencer took a moment to pour himself some soda as he answered, "He broke her daughter's heart and his behavior after hasn't exactly been the best; it's kind of hard for her not to be. I wouldn't be thrilled if you one day told me that you were dating him."

The brunette pouted, "I think you're being too harsh on him. You think it was easy on him to lose Jade?"

Freddie shook his head and nearly pleaded with the girl, "Please don't try to justify his actions, especially to me of all people."

"No, but maybe be a little understanding. He got his heart broke too."

The former iCarly tech-producer looked to his one-time love with a somber expression and quietly answered, "I can't afford to when the price is Tori getting hurt."

Carly bowed her head then passed Spencer a quick glance. He looked back with a sympathetic expression then took a sip from his cup.

Vega Residence

Beck pulled the GTO into the Vega driveway and turned off the ignition. He looked to his passenger/girlfriend with a regretful expression and whispered out, "I'm sorry. I was a jerk about the whole Tinkle-Aid thing and Moose."

Tori nodded along and grinned at him while answering, "Yeah, you were."

The long haired actor looked to her with a weary expression before the both snorted out a laugh. He bowed his head for a moment then looked up at her to whisper, "Thanks for still willing to do it… even if it turned out to be a bust."

She gave him a sympathetic expression as she answered, "You're welcome."

He leaned over and the new couple shared a soft, short kiss. He pulled back a few moments later and teased, "I promise I'll make it up to you."

She playfully challenged, "Oh, you will?"

He softly laughed, "I'll find a way."

The porch light turned on, catching the couple's attention and drawing it to see Mister Vega step outside. He crossed his arms and gave Beck an impatient expression.

Tori gave her boyfriend a bashful expression then commented, "I got to go. See ya, Monday."

He stole a quick kiss from her cheek before she could scoot out of her seat and out of the vehicle, bringing a soft laugh from the brunette.

Mister Vega continued to watch from the porch and muttered to himself, "Why couldn't he be Freddie?"

Benson Apartment  
Seattle, WA  
Saturday, May 5, 2012

Jade stood at the threshold of Freddie's old bedroom from the bathroom as she had just finished washing off her makeup and changing out of her costume and into an old Penny-T and pajama pants. She smirked as she saw that for the most part it had been redecorated after the tech-producer had left to live with her and her mother—he of course denied that he was 'living' with them and made it a point that he paid his mother rent.

Mrs. Benson called out from the entrance of the room, "Do you have everything you need?"

She looked to the Benson matriarch and cordially answered, "Yes, thank you Mrs. Benson."

The reddish-brunette gave a cordial nod and answered, "You're welcome. Well, I'll let you get to bed." She turned and headed out.

Jade turned to the made bed and slipped under the sheet and very light blanket. She snuggled her head into the pillow and relaxed with a soft smirk on her face from the thought of sleeping in another one of Freddie's beds.

* * *

Freddie fluffed his pillow as he sat on the edge of the pulled out bed to the couch, preparing for bed.

Mrs. Benson reentered the living room and walked around the back of the couch and gave Freddie a disapproving expression. She huffed out in annoyance, "A witch? She dressed as a witch?"

The tech-producer rolled his eyes and answered with a tired breath, "It's from the 'Wizard of Oz' and I do remember the time you dressed me up as a witch a couple of Halloweens ago."

She retorted with a bit of offense in her voice, "You were not a witch. You were a wizard in the vein of Tolkien, not some Satanist."

He resisted rolling his eyes at the irony and other problems with her statement: how she had always liked Tolkien despite her subtle hints of anti-Catholicism feelings that he had picked up over the years, having dressed him up as a pretty feminine wizard a few Halloweens ago and implying dark, nefarious intentions towards Magic Malika and Jade. He muttered with a hint of disgust, "I don't appreciate you implying something with Jade over a costume. You're not implying anything with me dressing up as a vampire."

She surprised him by immediately retorting, "I know who you dressed up as tonight and in your film. Stephenie Meyer didn't write him as evil."

Freddie's shot open wide and his stomach sank as he contemplated whether or not his mother was one of those 'Twilight Moms' without his knowledge. He shook his head and raised his hands up, "I'm not arguing with you over it. It was just a costume."

Mrs. Benson continued to frown, but she didn't see any point of arguing with him over the matter. "Well, I'm heading to bed, church in the morning. Will you be going?"

He gave her an apologetic expression as he answered, "We have an early flight back."

"You weren't going to spend the day?"

He hesitantly answered, "We weren't planning to…" He brewed out a regretful breath at seeing his mother's sorrowful expression. In all honesty, he still didn't feel comfortable spending a great deal of time with his mother even after all this time. However… "I'm sure we could catch a later flight and I could go with you, but you are not going to attempt to guilt trip Jade into going."

She sharply retorted, "Fine, her immortal soul is her business."

He nodded his head as that was at least another fight he could avoid having with her. However, he brought up one last thing before his mother turned to head for bed and stated in no uncertain terms, "Mother, no fire drill tonight."

She started with a hint of outrage in her voice, "But Freddie—"

"Mother, besides how disturbing it is, if you startle Jade awake that way, I can't guarantee _any_ of our safeties. She'll lash out violently before she's fully awake."

Mrs. Benson gave her son a curious expression he couldn't quite make out then in a surprising tone of concern and sympathy she asked, "Does Jade have a sleep disorder?"

Freddie was surprised for a moment, but really shouldn't have been with her going straight to a nurse's perspective on the situation. He further hesitated in answering as he really didn't want to reveal there were a number of times that he and Jade had shared a bed in a non-sexual way as he didn't have the patience to have an argument over it with her. "I'm not sure, only that we have to avoid waking her up other than with an alarm that slowly gets louder. Cat made the mistake of doing that during their last sleepover and Jade wrestled her to the bed."

She nodded her head and cleared her throat. She took a deep breath then started, "Well I think under the circumstances…" The woman was turning even paler than Jade or Carly as she continued, "…that since she's sleeping in an unfamiliar place that maybe… just maybe you should…"

He knotted his brow and asked, "What?"

"Stay the night with her… let her know she's in a safe place?"

Freddie looked on in utter shock that his mother would suggest such a thing. He cleared his throat and answered, "Thank you, I appreciate it."

She eyed him for a moment then turned to head for her room.

* * *

Freddie knocked on his former bedroom door and called out, "Can I come in?"

He waited a few moments for the door to open and seeing Jade giving him a rather curious expression. "Hey?"

"Hi, can I come in?"

She yawned as she opened the door and allowed him to step inside. She answered with a hint of annoyance in her voice, "Yeah, but I was already in bed."

He turned just as she was closing the door behind them and he said, "Well, you're going right back to bed. My mother likes to have fire drills in the middle of the night and I told her that it wouldn't be such a good idea to startle you awake like that, so she decided not to have it tonight."

She shook her head and flicked her eyebrows while letting out a soft laugh, "Smart move from your mother."

"Yeah… but it got her thinking that you might have a sleeping disorder—"

Jade rolled her eyes and muttered, "Great, she's trying to diagnosis me."

He smirked as he took a few steps to her and wrapped his arms around her. She instinctively lifted her arms and rested her hands on his shoulders.

"Yes, but she suggested that I spend the night with you to reassure you for sleeping in an unfamiliar place and avoiding any instances."

The pale girl's eyes shot open and jaw slacked.

"I had that same reaction."

The corner of her mouth lifted and seductively eyed him for a moment before pulling out of his grasp and taking his hand. She led him to the bed and he was the first to slip under the sheet. She immediately followed to cuddle up next to him. He rested his cheek on the crown of her head and protectively wrapped an arm under her arm and around her side to hold her close then kissed the top of her head and whispered, "I love you."

She let a faint smile form on her face and whispered in return, "I love you too."

The couple let themselves drift off to sleep.

Shay Apartment  
Sunday, May 6, 2012

Carly shouted in irritation as she was half awake making her way down the stairs at the banging on the front door, "I heard you! Just hang on!" For a moment she assumed it was Sam, but realized that if Sam wanted to come inside, she wouldn't be knocking.

"Alright, I'm right here!" she shouted as she opened the door. She immediately woke up as she saw that it was Jade on the other side of the door holding two cups of coffee.

The Los Angeles dark brunette offered the fellow pale girl one of the cups and started, "Sorry for the Skybucks, but they don't have a Jet Brew in Seattle."

Carly didn't hesitate to take the coffee and take a sip from the hot beverage. As soon as the liquid hit her tongue, she pulled back to finishing swallowing and muttering, "Strong."

"I need you awake."

The Seattle girl cupped the Styrofoam cup and took another sip before asking, "Why? I thought you were heading back first thing?"

"Freddie's going to church with his mother, so get dressed; we're going out."

Carly knotted her brow and curiously questioned, "Okay, where do you want to go?"

Jade softly chuckled, "You're going to take me somewhere a friend recommended I stop by the next time I was up here."

Build-A-Bra  
Seattle, WA  
Sunday, May 6, 2012

Carly sat in one of the seats in the outside one of the changing rooms reading a non-descript fashion magazine as Jade was inside trying on some of the items that she had created. The green streaked hair girl at first thought the entire concept of building one's own bra seemed outlandish once she saw what it all entailed, but once Carly explained the process and the Angeleno tried her hand at creating several different ones, the web-hostess hadn't heard a complaint or snide remark.

The brown eye girl looked up from her magazine flipping when she heard out with a hiss from behind the curtain, _"Holy chizz, Ava was right."_

The brunette called out with a teasing laugh, "What?"

Jade as quick to snap back, _"Nothing!"_

The pale Shay smirked and playfully called out, "Finding something comfortable?"

There was a pause from the other side of the curtain then heard the fellow pale girl faintly mumble out, _"Yeah."_

The web-celebrity snorted out a laugh, "I have to too."

The curtain parted just enough for Jade to stick her head out of the curtain to look at the Seattle teenager and curiously questioned, "You do?"

Carly lost her faint smile then embarrassingly looked down and answered with a bit of shame slipping into her voice, "I need it for the opposite reason that you clearly need it… I've been told once I need helping bra."

Her eyebrows turned down and slightly frowned as she felt offended for the Seattle girl. She hissed out sharply, "What janking gank told you that?"

She crossed her arms under her chest and looked away as she answered with a slightly embarrassing tone, "Sam… we were competing over a guy a few years ago and during it she make a crack about the vest I was wearing as a 'helping bra' to get his attention." She let out a sardonic laugh as she recalled another time, "She roped me into getting into entering a beauty pageant one time because she was banned." She snorted out a breath and finished on a sad note, "She wanted me to stop this girl she didn't like from winning her one hundredth beauty pageant in a row. When I tried on the evening dress, she ah… brought some fake boobies to stuff in my dress."

Jade took a sharp breath then pulled back to close the curtain.

Carly looked up at the action then back down as she suddenly felt quite embarrassed with a hint of blush forming on her cheeks.

Jade stepped out from the curtain a few moments later with Freddie's old Penny-T 'Poodle Juice' back on her. She took a quick breath then answered with a solemn tone, "Carly… I know this will sound completely shallow coming from me—for a number of—obvious reasons—but… you can't let that bother you because you are pretty and there is more to you than just your looks."

The fellow dark brunette looked up with hint of disbelief on her face: one, the statement coming from Jade and two, the reality of the statement.

The actress continued, "You know I'm telling you the truth because Freddie fell in love with you and has always thought you were beautiful. I know you have to have some male friends that would readily agree… like Beck?"

Carly gave her a grateful smile and pulled the equally pale girl into a hug. She whispered, "Thanks Jade."

Jade's eyes shot open in surprise, unsure how to take the gratitude from her boyfriend's ex, but after a moment returned the hug.

The Seattle girl released the Angeleno and Jade awkwardly continued, "Well, I have a few more to try on so…"

"Yeah," she answered with a nod and retook her seat.

After a few seconds of so after slipping back behind the curtain, she called out, "Is it true that you got death threats when that One Direction guy stayed at your apartment for a week last month?"

Carly shouted back with an irritated filled voice, "Yes, but I didn't kiss him!"

Un-seeable from Carly's perspective, Jade's eyes shot open and her mouth formed an 'O' as she looked away.

West Residence  
Los Angeles, CA  
Sunday, May 6, 2012

The time was late afternoon as Freddie walked to Jade's room after unpacking, changing and relaxing for about half an hour after arriving home. He was about to take a short nap when his phone rang and it was Jade of all people asking him to come to her room. He wasn't going to question it, so here he was knocking on Jade's bedroom door.

"Come in!"

He opened the door and immediately stopped in his tracks at seeing Jade's pale backside wearing only a bra and dark red very short loose sleeping boyshorts. It had been four months and a handful of days since he had seen her in such a state of undress—okay even more undressed during their New Year's Day lovemaking, so he was taken aback for a moment.

She turned and innocently smiled at her dumbfounded boyfriend. She wrapped her right arm over her toned abdomen and let her left index finger delicately slid across her ivory skin just above the navy cup of the plunge bra and over the swell of her breast and heart. She slightly titled her head to her right, having her hair fall behind her and off her left bare shoulder, leaving only the navy colored strap contrasting against her skin. She whispered out past her hint of a smile lips, "I took Ava's advice and Carly and I went to Build-A-Bra while you and your mom were at church. I picked up a few—several things. What do you think of this one?"

Freddie had to suddenly clear his throat while keeping his mouth tightly shut, afraid of either saying something inappropriate.

Her smile slightly grew in a seductive manner as she was getting the exact reaction she wanted from him.

He finally found his voice (barely) and answered with a slightly struggling voice, "It's a—it looks great on you."

She barely nodded as she continued to wear a smile and answered innocently, "You really think so? I like it. It fits fantastically and I'm partial to the color. I never told you this, but I have such a hard time finding something that is comfortable."

"No, you've… you've never mentioned that. I'm glad that you like it." His nervousness dripped off of his tone, "Exactly how many did you get?"

She softly laughed, "A few… I want to keep a few a surprise for later, but… I'd like your opinion on a few of the others."

He let out a relieved breath and motioned behind him with both of his pointer fingers. "You ah… want me to leave and come back?"

She softly bit her bottom lip and grinned. "No, I want you to close the door and lock it."

His eyes shot open, but he instinctively followed her instructions and closed the door and locked it.

She covered her chest with her left inner forearm and hand under her right armpit. She reached behind her back to the bra clasp and unhooked it then brushed the straps off her shoulders.

He instantly turned around and stared at the door. He sucked in his cheeks, pursed his lips and turned his attention to the ceiling. He wasn't exactly sure why he suddenly was feeling awkward as he had seen the glory of all of her beauty several times.

She softly smiled at his bashfulness after all this time. She walked up behind him and pressed herself against his back and placed a kiss on his bare left shoulder that the athletic shirt's strap didn't cover. She tilted her head up and whispered into his ear, "I'll tell you when you can turn around."

He softly laughed out, relieving some of his tension… but not all of it in various body parts, "I appreciate it."

She wickedly asked, "What do you appreciate? That I'll tell you when you can turn around or that you can stay?" She huskily whispered into his ear, "How do you know I'll be wearing my next one when I say to turn around?"

His mouth clenched tightly shut and a blush formed on his cheeks.

She tenderly smiled, left a kiss on his cheek then whispered, "I'm just teasing. I never told you this either but… do you remember the morning after we made love the first time?"

He let out a soft laugh, "How could I forget?"

"Anyway… I appreciate the respect you gave me that morning… and all the other times since then."

He swallowed and softly nodded his head as he looked to the door.

She tenderly whispered, "I'll tell you to turn around in a second."

A smile played on his lips as he answered, "Okay."

Hollywood Arts High School  
Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Tori stood in front of her open locker and was in the process of tearing apart the contents of it with most of her belongings already scattered on the floor at her feet. She shouted in frustration, "Where is it?!"

"Come on! Come on!" She opened up a sheet of music, but apparently the space between the sheets didn't contain what she was looking for and dropped it to the ground and whined out, "No!"

She pulled out and opened a plastic pencil/pen container then shouted in frustration as she closed it and shoved it back into her locker, "Dang it!"

Beck approached from her left and asked with a concerned voice, "Looking for something?"

She quickly turned to her boyfriend and desperately asked, "Yes! Why... Do you have it?!"

The long haired actor gave her a concerned expression as he asked, "No, what is it?"

She threw out her hands in frustration and answered, "I have spent the last twenty minutes tearing my locker apart, trying to find a five dollar bill that I know I put in here! I know it!" She immediately turned back to start looking in her locker when Beck called out to calm her, "Hey, hey hey hey..."

The lovely brunette turned to face him and whined out, "What what?!"

Beck patiently commented, "It's just five dollars, no big deal."

She turned to him and garbed him by the jacket lapels and shouted, "Yes it is! It is a huge doodle!" She let him go and blew out a breath then rested her back against the lockers. She softly whined out, "Oh! I'm broke. I need money."

"For what?"

She pushed off the locker and looked to him with a freaked out expression. She started counting off with her fingers, "For jeans, makeup, special cheese, a new purse for prom..."

"Wait wait, why do you need special cheese?"

She softly patted his chest, "Oh! You know I don't like regular cheese!"

He softly laughed out and raised a hand, "It's okay. I'll give you the money for the jeans and the makeup and a new purse for prom."

She slightly bowed her head and asked with a hint of disbelief, "You'd do that?"

He took a step to her and gently took her right hand. He gave her a sweet smile and whispered, "Why can't I treat you for prom? It's prom and I still need to make it up to you about Tinkle-Aid."

She let out a relieved laugh then knotted her brow and asked, "What about the cheese?"

"We'll see," he softly laughed then took a step forward and the couple shared a quick kiss.

Cat rushed to the couple, "Hey! Hey you guys?!"

Tori was the first to pull away and patiently laughed, "Hey Cat."

Beck smiled as he turned to the petite girl and greeted her, "Hi Cat."

She gently took the long haired actor by the arm and desperately pleaded, "I have a problem!"

The brunette softly laughed out, "Well you should tell Jade."

Beck raised his free hand to point down the hall towards Jade's locker where the dark haired teenager was changing out books. "There's Jade, right over there."

Cat happily replied, "'Kay, I'll go tell Jade!"

The couple let out relieved breaths and fisted bumped one another and let them 'explode'.

The distraught redhead ran to the purple streaked hair girl and called out, "Jade! I have a problem, I need help."

She looked away from the inside of her locker to Cat then over her head to see Tori and Beck down the hallway. She motioned her head to them and suggested, "Well, uh, Tori and Beck are right over there."

"But they just sent me here to talk to you!"

She looked to them to see the couple smiling and waving back to her, apparently happy to have pawned off Cat and her problem onto her. She gave them a deep frown then looked to her shorter friend.

Cat nervously began as she played with the end of her hair, "So... you know the Cowboy-Luau Prom this Saturday night?"

Jade patiently answered about the decision made by the seniors to double the dance for their prom, "Yeah, I know about the Cow-Wow."

"Well, Robbie texted me last night saying he wants to talk to me and I know he's gonna ask me to be his date."

Jade made a face and hissed out, "Gross."

Cat sharply chastised her friend, "Don't say gross, I like Robbie."

The pale girl shrugged as shoulder and retorted, "So go to the dance with him."

She knotted her brow and harshly disregarded the idea, "No, gross!"

"You just said that…"

The redhead sharply interrupted her, "Look, Robbie's one of my best friends. It'll be weird if I'm his date to a dance."

The statement triggered two sets of memories for the dark brunette: one of Freddie's stories where Carly had rejected him just as out of hand and ended up having the best time with him after the Girl's Choice Dance with a real dance. She stopped her mind from wondering any further out with the possibility of how things could have turned out if Carly had realized that who she should have been with was right in front of her. The other one was that Cat would have loved to go to last year's prom if it wasn't for the fact that someone had already asked her out before Robbie could ask her.

Jade knotted her brow and countered with a confused tone, "Why? You would have gone to prom last year with him if Tug hadn't asked you out first."

Cat opened her mouth to retort, but she couldn't verbalize it. After a few moments she whispered, "Maybe I didn't appreciate him calling me a liar when I said I had a date."

The pale teenager was interrupted from responding as Robbie made his way down the main stairwell and caught sight of the redhead talking to Cat. He immediately called out, "Cat!"

Jade softly informed with a slight turn of her head to the left, "Just because it might be weird doesn't mean it would be bad. Think on that, because here he comes."

The redhead immediately ignored her friend's advice and desperately pleaded with her friend, "Quick hide me!"

The dark brunette sarcastically answered, "Where, Cat? In my bra?"

Cat spared a quick glance to Jade's dark green army fatigue patterned shirt covered chest and took a step forwards as if she considered it for a moment then shouted, "Oh! No, that will never work."

Robbie called out as he stopped behind Cat, "Cat? Hi."

She forced out a casual tone as she answered, "Hi."

"Hi. Listen..."

"Why?"

Jade crossed her arms and turned to walk away and dryly stated, "I'm gonna go."

Cat latched on to her and stopped her from walking away with a shout, "No!"

Jade stopped in place as Robbie quietly began again, "I just wanted to ask you something."

"Oh, you wanna know my favorite Vice President of all time? Easy! Dick Cheney."

"No. Uh, I just wanted to ask you um... Ya know the Cow-Wow dance that's happening later this week..."

Cat covered her ears and ran past him and up the stairs.

He looked to Jade in surprise. "She ran away. I was in the middle of talking to her. She ran away from me. Why would a girl do that? Why..."

Jade walked passed him and he muttered, "Yeah, but you walked away."

Asphalt Café

First lunch started a few minutes ago as Jade approached one of the blue grilled tables where Dusty was eating alone. She hesitantly called out with a soft tone from the other side of the table once she reached it, "Hey."

Dusty looked up with a raised eyebrow and casually answered, "Hey?"

Jade took a seat across from him and sat her food in front of her while placing her bag next to her on the bench. She awkwardly asked, "How are you doing?"

He cautiously answered, "I'm fine. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing alright."

The Southern teenager gave her a concerned look as he could feel that her dropping by wasn't just a social call, especially when it meant skipping out on eating with the rest of her friends. "Then why do you look troubled?"

"I'm fine, it's you I'm concerned about."

Dusty softly laughed, "Oh? And know why would you be worried about little ol' me?"

"Maybe because they're going to double the Cow-Wow as our prom?"

"Why would that make worry about me?" He smirked as he continued, "If anything, shouldn't we be worrying? You're not going to try to derail this one?"

Jade pursed her lips and embarrassingly looked away.

He let out a playful laugh, "I'm just teasing." He took a quick breath then finished, "I thought the last one was a blast and I actually enjoyed the film and that diaper guy… well until he carried you off. That was bad."

She grimaced at the memory of after being named prom queen; Doug had picked her up and carried her out of the parking lot.

"For the record, I actually started chasing after you, but as soon as I was catching up with you, I saw you popping him in the nose. That was amazing how you didn't get any of his blood on your dress."

Her grimace turned into a smirk as she recalled how she got out of Doug's grip as he was carrying her away: she slugged him in the nose. He was pretty eager to set her on her feet after that.

"If you weren't in such a bad mode—and I thought maybe a dance would help—I would have asked you for a dance."

She raised her pierced eyebrow and gave him a questioning expression about the veracity of such a statement.

He shrugged a shoulder. "Hey, I showed up alone and I was dancing with every pretty girl that would give me a chance and you Jade West are a very pretty girl… especially in that dress."

She took a moment to clear her throat and answered, "Thanks… but it wouldn't have helped… Beck was in Canada and Tori got away with ruining my performance." She bowed her head and finished with a regretful tone, "You know that was part of the reason Beck and I broke up? He wasn't happy with my attempted sabotage and that along with Steamboat Suzy…" She trailed off and quickly took an interest in her food. She opened plastic container and started on her lunch.

He somberly pointed out, "Yeah, but you got the last laugh didn't you? You started your own productions and put online without any interference and more people see them in a week than you could hope to see at school. Let's not forget: you got with a far better guy."

She snapped her head up at the bluntness of his statement.

"You may have loved him and a piece of you will always love him, but you got the better guy, but that's just my opinion."

She slightly smirked and shook her head as she wasn't going to argue with him.

He took a quick sip of his drink then asked, "So, getting back to why you would be concerned with me, how does that have anything to do with Prom?"

"Well… you're not going to have a date now."

He gave her a confused expression and let that confusion slip into his voice, "Not going to have a date? Who said I wasn't going to have a date or wanted a date in the first place?"

She slightly frowned at his evasiveness or forced naïveté about his situation with Ava and Sinjin. She briefly wondered if he had taken a page out of Cat's playbook when responding to the subject of girls.

Dusty responded with a soft laugh then continued, "Actually, I was thinking about calling up Selena and seeing if she had any plans, but I think Justin might get pissed at me."

She let out a laugh from his absurd suggestion until she saw the calm expression on his face. She tried to speak for a moment then finally found her voice to awkwardly question, "You really do have her number?"

He let out a charming chuckle, "What can I say? I impressed her."

She let her incredulous feelings appear on her face which he was quick to clarify, "You to have to remember, just because she's rich and famous doesn't change the fundamental fact that she's a teenager just like the rest of us. She still has the same thoughts and feelings and wants as the rest of us. I guess she appreciates the sheer normalness of me unimpressed with the fame."

She snorted out a laugh, "You're far from normal."

He raised an eyebrow and gave her a half smirk as he playfully questioned, "I'm not sure if I should take that as an insult or a compliment."

"Compliment."

"Thanks… Speaking of celebrities we met at the PMAs, did I catch Freddie talking to Beyoncé?"

Jade recognized the near amateuristic evasion of avoiding talking about prom, but she decided to answer his question and play along for the moment, "Yes, he was telling her about the song she bought, 'The Reason' was written by André and Tori and how they didn't get proper credit for it."

He gave her a perplexed expression.

"They had written it for one of Trina's birthdays, but she sold it for a hat then the guy turned around and sold it to Beyoncé. They originally didn't get any credit for it."

"Ah," he answered with a rising of both is eyebrows.

"So hopefully she'll be sending a share of the profits from the song to them."

Dusty took a bite from his wrap and a swig from his drink to wash it down then asked, "Okay, so what's with the interest in who I'm going to prom with?" He smirked as he playfully asked, "You're not shopping around for a date are you?"

She cocked her head to the side and gave him a slight frown. She was surprised that he would be the one that swung back around to the topic.

He let out a teasing laugh as he had successfully gotten under her skin.

She crack a brief smile then answered with a somber tone, "I'm asking because… well… it's big surprise about how Ava and Sinjin are patching things up."

He cocked his head to the side then took another sip from his drink. He commented with a dry tone, "Yeah, it's a surprise."

"I didn't see that coming."

He cracked a knowing smile. "Well… sometimes people just need a little nudge to get their attention."

She looked on in astonishment at the revelation. She had to take a few moments before asking, "So you did something?"

He cleared his throat and looked down at the table for a second before answering, "I possibly crossed a line, but Ava couldn't keep spinning her wheels waiting for Van Cleef to make a move either way, so… I told him he had to make a decision either way and… he chose that he wanted to try again and so she did."

"So how do you feel about that?"

"Happy that Ava's getting her shot to fix things."

Jade questioned with a disbelieving tenor in her voice, "Really?"

He slightly turned his head to the side as he asked, "What else am I supposed to feel?"

She softly prodded, "Jealousy?"

"Over what?"

"Dusty—you can't tell me that you don't have any feelings for Ava—the romantic kind after the last couple of weeks."

The lean teenager slightly frowned as he softly retorted, "How do you know that I can't?"

"Because…" Jade trailed off then asked with a solemn tone, "Do you ever get the feeling that something just isn't right? Everything looks perfectly normal, but inside you know something is off?"

Dusty didn't know where she was going with her statement, but shrugged a shoulder and idly commented, "I think everyone gets that at times. I usually just chalk it up to my mother's Grace telling me something."

She nodded along, accepting that answer and continued, "Well I got that feeling when I saw Ava and Sinjin kissing at Karaoke Dokey. They weren't meant to get back together—work things out. I can't explain it."

"What do you by 'meant'?"

She looked down and slightly shook her head. "I don't know, just… I don't think that's how it was supposed to play out."

"How do you think it was supposed to play out?"

"Maybe you and Ava together?"

He slightly bowed his head and sucked in his lips as if to softly bite the bottom one, but not quite making it. He looked back up to her with a weary smile and softly answered, "I'm touched that you would be concerned about my romantic prospects, but I'm fine and you don't have to worry about that or if something was 'meant to be'. Team Freewill doesn't 'roll' that way—you and Freddie would understand."

She gave him a curious expression, but seemed to be right at the edge of understanding what he meant.

He pursed his lips and put on a contemplating expression. "Do you think you and Freddie were meant to be together? That it was somehow ordained for it to happen with you meeting last summer and having everything play out to be together? Or maybe you survived all the heartbreak and crap because you chose to survive it?"

Jade looked down for a moment and slightly frowned as rested her left hand over her lower abdomen.

The Southern teenager looked onto her with a concerned expression and though the table blocked most his view, he could tell through the grating that she was covering herself as if she was protecting a child that she wasn't carrying. He was about to speak when the pale girl continued with a hint of fear in her voice, "I think… I think we might've been _meant_ for other people and…" Jade trailed off and seemed to delve deeper in thought.

He patiently waited on whether or not she would finish her statement.

"…we are defying—something—that doesn't think we should be together." She looked up to meet his eyes and continued with a firmer voice and letting her apprehension slip away, "I know it sounds like bad melodramatic rip-off of Shakespeare or something, but… an angel is looking out for Freddie… and us, so there has to be something to it? Right?" She wanted to mention that the angel looked just like his mother and Freddie outright thought she was Dusty's mother, but thought that the conversation didn't need that added complication for the moment.

"Then why not just end it? If you two are just star-crossed lovers, why not jump ship while you both can before you end up like Romeo and Juliet?"

"Because…" She stopped as she saw the small smile on his face and realized the renewed profoundness of her statement, "…we love each other and no one else should really get a say in our relationship."

He snorted out a laugh then softly sung, _"__I will go down with this ship and I won't put my hands up and surrender. There will be no white flag above my door. I'm in love and always will be…"_

His singing brought a slight laugh from her then he continued with a far more casual voice than the subject they were discussion would demand, "You and Freddie are good with the choices you've made and I'm good with the choice that I made… in regard to all my romantic or potential romantic entanglements, so don't worry about it."

She raised questioning eyebrow and challenged, "What about Ava missing out on a great guy like you?"

"That's just an opportunity cost for in choice in romantic partners. You occurred it when you started dating Freddie instead of any other eligible and decent guy."

She nodded along then the pair started back on their respective lunches. The fatigue patterned shirt girl asked a few minutes later, "Okay, so what are you going to do about the Cow-Wow?"

He let a playful smirk form and teasingly answered, "Well… I have an idea…"

Advance Acting II  
Hollywood Arts High School

Cat was happily typed away on her PearBook as Freddie sat in a neighboring chair reading one of his textbooks as they waited for the rest of the class to show up after lunch.

The camouflaged girl entered the classroom holding up by the top of two hangers a blue Hawaiian shirt with a white flower pattern and a brown leather jacket behind it. She stopped just behind and to the left of Freddie and called out, "Hey."

He smiled up to her and answered, "Hi."

She stated bluntly as she held up the articles of clothing, "You are wearing this to the Cow-Wow."

He passed a quick glance over the shirt then raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Blue?"

She smiled in return as she playfully replied, "Yes, blue… you wanna know what I'm gonna wear?"

He cracked a grin then playfully answered, "I was hoping I'd be surprised by my Prom Queen when you walked down the stairs before we left… especially since I won't be able to see you in a proper prom dress."

She smirked as that idea did appeal to her, but unfortunately could let his wish come true. "That's a good idea, but I need your opinion on something."

"Okay."

"I'm gonna wear a Hawaiian skirt, a black Western top and a cowboy hat."

"Okay—"

Robbie entered the room from the stage door of the classroom. "Cat?"

Cat looked up at him then immediately closed and threw her PearBook on the classroom stage and made a mad dash out the back door.

The ventriloquist started chasing after her out of the room and shouted, "Hey Cat! Cat! Cat!"

Freddie shook his head at the sight, but Jade interrupted as she casually asked, "Which boots should I wear? Black or brown?"

Freddie rolled his eyes and decided to Cat handle her own problem with Robbie at least for the moment. He took a deep breath then thought on her question then looked back up at her. "I'm leaning towards black to match your top, but I think I'd have to see you try each set on with your outfit to give a proper opinion."

She slightly tilted her head to the side and smirk while responding, "You just want an excuse to see me in my outfit early."

He gave her a boyish grin as he answered, "Well since I'm not going to see you in a proper prom dress then maybe."

She raised her right eyebrow while questioning, "Maybe?"

He softly chuckled, "Maybe."

"So maybe?"

"Maybe."

* * *

Cat dashed down the hallway passed the curious stares of Sinjin and Burf as she took a roundabout route around the school in the hopes of losing Robbie. She finally reached the Black Box Theater and only stopped when she reached the back of the stage.

Robbie pulled the purple curtain away that he was hiding behind and greeted the redhead with a detached voice, "Hello."

"Ah!" Cat shouted and tried to dash passed him again, but he took a step in front of her and shouted, "Hey. Hey, hey, hey. You don't have to keep running away from me. I already asked Gabriela to be my date to the Cow-Wow."

Little Red knotted her brow and questioned, "Gabriela?"

"Mm-hmm."

She was only confused for a moment then happily asked, "Ooh, what'd she say?!"

"She said 'Sí'"

"That means 'yes'!"

Robbie happily answered, "I know! I looked it up."

"Well, yay!" She smiled and nodded as she commented, "You got yourself a pretty girl to take to the Cow-Wow."

He bashfully answered, "Yeah. Well, I just want to let you know you don't have to run away from me anymore."

"Thanks, Robbie."

"See ya in class," he happily answered then turned to head out of the theater.

She happily giggled, "'Kay."

As soon as Robbie was out of the theater, she picked up on of the grey folding HA chairs and tossed it against the back wall of the theater, shattering the metal chairs to pieces. She looked to the back exit of the theater and hissed out in anger, "Gabriela."

* * *

Author's Note: Okay, as you can see that this is the first half of the episode of 'One Thousand Berry Balls', but there aren't any berry balls, oh well. Next week is the Cow-Wow Prom and I hope you enjoy that double chapter (I'm splitting it into two chapters because it is so important, but posting them at the same time). Later and take care, OneHorseShay


	34. Chapter 34: Cow Wow Prom Part 1

Hello everyone! I thought I'd treat you with this chapter then give you the other on Friday because I don't want these two to be separated by a week… I just hope that doesn't get me behind a week for the following chapter. Oh well.

Let me cover some reviews I haven't gotten to then on with the story.

pbow: Luckly I'm not the one that has to make the decision, Freddie and Jade are :D

Guest: I hope that you like my interpretation of Cat and Robbie and how it plays out in the next two chapters. Freddie and Jade will see the situation and see the parallels hit home about him and Carly. After these two prom chapters, I'm looking at about 6 to 8 chapters depending if any future episode needs two chapters and wrapping up the trilogy. Yes, I have every intention of completing iWould Have Pounded Him Silly and iAlready Have a Family. I will be having additional time in the next couple of weeks with summer starting to work on those as well.

Jeremy Shane: Thanks.

darck ben: These two chapters will give just about everyone a bit of the spotlight, but don't equate screen time with the quality/significance of the advancement of a character's story. Don't be surprise if in one of these two chapters Mister Valentine has an appearance, but future involvement with the situation.

Fanfic-Reader-88: Sam always, always depended on getting a rise out of Freddie, so he finally used her Kryptonite: apathy. Complete and utter apathy.

I would completely disagree with Beck not having a shot at redemption in this story. Beck not getting a chance would actually go against the entire theme of the trilogy. The only complete monsters that I have in these stories have been Nora, Nevel and Fawn.

I think Dusty is calm about the situation is due to the fact that he made his decision in regards to both and if they were the 'wrong' ones, the only one he has to blame is himself. I think that is very in character for him to react in that way.

Cat's feelings toward Robbie? Those are very good questions to ask about Cat's feelings. iCarly fans will recognized that a girl had the same reaction when a certain tech-producer thought a certain Vega sister was hot even while the first girl was already in a relationship.

After this story, you should check out PD31's: 'Here's to Us' update and last week's 'A Place to Call Home'. Heck, even I wrote a Jedi AU one-shot to that latter story called iComfort.

Rating: T Language

* * *

Chapter 34: Cow Wow Prom Part 1

West Residence  
Saturday, May 12, 2012

Freddie blew out a breath and pulled on his leather jacket Jade had gotten him for prom. He pulled down the jacket sleeves as he looked at himself in the bathroom mirror, thinking on how strange and unexpected that this was his attire for his senior prom. He expected to get all dressed up and wear a nice tuxedo for the occasion as was customary for such a rite of passage, but Hollywood Arts was a strange high school, so he thought maybe he shouldn't expect really anything less than a less than normal prom. The stories from Cat and Tori suggested that if they weren't short of time and money, the last one would perhaps have been a themed prom other than the excess of balloons—Cat wanted pirates from outer space.

He decided to opt for keeping the blue Hawaiian shirt's hem out instead of tucked into his jeans. He looked down at his footwear and wasn't sure how long he could stand wearing the boots. He quickly decided that he was going to take a pair of his sneakers so he could change sometime during the dance.

Jade called out from down the hallway and out of her room, "Freddie?! Could you come here?"

He quickly exited the bathroom and made his way down the hallway. He stepped into her room just in time to see his purple streaked hair girlfriend slipped her straw cowboy hat on top of her head while she looked at her vanity mirror. She turned and smiled to him while adjusting the hat on top of her head. She smoothed out her skirt as she stood up from her seat.

He snorted out a laugh as he looked his girlfriend up and down with the outfit she was wearing.

Jade had tied her sleeveless silky black top into a knot just under and between her breasts and the ends of the shirt reached past the waistband of her red skirt with white flowers on it, partially obstructing the view of her bare mid-riff. She twirled in place and her red skirt slightly rose up to give him a good look at her outfit. She stopped in place and looked to him with a small smile. "It's not a prom dress, but—"

He sweetly interrupted, "You look beautiful."

She looked down and had to fight back the blush trying to form on her cheeks. She cleared her throat to regain her composure and lifted her head. She walked around her burgundy chair and stopped in front of her closet. She bent down and picked up a set of boots with each hand to show him then asked, "So? Black?" She held up the back boots. "Or brown?" She held up her left hand to display that set of boots.

Freddie took a deep breath and knotted his brow in contemplated. He cupped his chin in the same manner he had posed for his autograph pictures he was going to give away for the twenty-ten Webicon. "Black matches your top and I was leaning that way, but the brown ones go with your hat… this is a tough decision."

He stood there for a few moments thinking which he thought best went along with her outfit as she in turn admired how well he looked in the outfit she picked out for him. He finally responded with a playful remark, "I'm going to have to go with the brown."

Jade glanced to the brown boots in her hand then nodded in agreement.

He smiled and commented, "Now that is out of the way, you slip those on and I'll be right back."

She raised a curious eyebrow as he turned to head out of the room. She put that thought on hold for a moment while taking a seat in her burgundy chair and putting on her boots.

The brown eyed teenager returned less than a minute later with a plastic container in his hands. Inside was a wrist corsage of white lilies that matched the flowers on her skirt.

She smiled to him as he took the corsage out, set the plastic container on one of her circular tables next to her chair and gently took her left wrist. She held her arm out to allow him to tie it around her wrist. Once he secured it to her wrist, she mouthed, "Thank you."

He cracked a bashful grin from her gratefulness as if he was back in middle school and falling all over again. He took a few seconds to gather his wits and offer his arm to her. "May I take you to the prom?"

She beamed him a smile and took his arm. "I would love to go with you to prom."

* * *

The couple walked down the stairs, arm-in-arm and were immediately greeted by Mrs. West in the kitchen. She looked her daughter up and down to see her outfit. "You look fantastic sweetie." She slightly cocked her head to the side and laughed, "I'm glad your outfit worked out… I just thought how getting Taylor in her dress was a little bit of a challenge before our senior prom."

Jade slightly knotted her brow and softly questioned, "Challenge?"

She softly laughed then admitted, "She was about three months pregnant with Spencer at the time." She looked back and forth between the couple, smirked and playfully commented, "The other reason you're on birth control."

Freddie pursed lips and looked away towards the floor, trying to hide his uncomfortable-ness.

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and rolled her eyes. She slightly frowned at her mother and retorted with a slightly irritated tone, "We haven't since New Year's. I'm not having Sapphire anytime soon."

"Oh?" Mrs. West's eyes lit up in surprise at what to her was a revelation as she assumed after the love declaration between them, that they hadn't been intimate with each other at that level on a regular basis. She nodded a few seconds later in taking her daughter's word then playfully questioned, "So my granddaughter _is_ going to be named Sapphire?"

The younger dark haired West softly challenged, "Yes. Do you have a problem with the name?"

Mrs. West softly laughed and shook her head (which annoyed the teenager), "No… I guess we're just sticking to a theme?"

Freddie raised his right hand and embarrassingly confessed, "The name was my idea."

She clicked her tongue off the roof of her mouth and shook her head as she teased the pair, "Already picking out baby names… you're so sure of yourself Benson?"

Neither teenager had time to respond as Mrs. West pulled out her digital camera from her pocket and called out, "I want pictures."

Jade softly rolled her eyes, but Freddie put on a bright smile, grateful for the change in topic and he pulled her close to him. She relented and gave a soft smile as the couple posed for several pictures.

Once she had taken more than enough in Jade's opinion, the matriarch asked, "Are you going to any after prom parties?"

Freddie put on a weary smile as he glanced to Jade then back to Mrs. West. "We weren't planning on any, but I guess if we're hunger, we all might go out for a midnight meal?"

"If you do, just call or send me the text to let me know and just be careful with what you drink while you're there…" She softly rolled her eyes and commented as she recalled hers, "My prom was fun… what I remember of it. It started getting fuzzy near the end of it. I'm not sure if we ever really established whether or not the punch had been spiked." She looked away and raised a corner of her mouth as she finished, "I do remember waking up next to Taylor at the Dorfmans." She started laughing as she recalled, "Cupcake tired herself out partying… partying for two she said. She always used that 'for two' whenever she wanted to do something for that nine months as if that was a valid reason to go overboard. She almost made herself sick on candy that Halloween before Spencer was born… 'eating candy for two'."

Freddie asked with a curious tone with a slight smirk, "Carly's mom could be a handful?"

"Taylor was… had the energy and the mindset of a child in many ways… a little less so after the first bout with leukemia. She was like your friend Cat in many ways…" She lost her smiled as she finished with a quite tone, "…even resembles her in a way…"

Freddie remembered for a moment when the Colonel saw Cat during his visit after New Year's and how it had slightly disturbed him at seeing the redhead.

Mrs. West cleared her throat and put back on a smile as she waved them off to send them on their way. "Well enough reminiscing, you two have a good time."

The couple silently agreed with her statement then turned and headed for the door to the garage. Jade turned and waved back as she called out, "Bye mom."

Ruby smiled and shook her head before heading back to the living room.

Vega Residence  
Hollywood Hills  
Los Angeles, CA

Mister Vega was relaxing in his seat in one of the couches watching television as he heard the doorbell ring. He ignored it at first then noticed that he was the only one on the first floor. He instantly realized that his wife was with Tori getting ready and Trina had left nearly an hour ago. He wasn't sure if she had a date or not and really didn't have the inclination to find out.

He called out upstairs as he stood up from the couch, "I got it!" He approached the door and a forced smile as he opened the door to see the long haired actor. His pleasant greeting was just as forced, "Hello Beck."

The cowboy hat wearing teenager gave a polite nod of his head and tip of his cowboy hat, "Hi Mister Vega."

The police detective stated than questioned in a casual tone as he stepped aside for Beck to enter the home, "So you're going to have Tori home at a reasonable hour."

Beck turned to face the patriarch as the police detective shut the door. The Hollywood Arts student tried to laugh out in a casual manner, "Yes sir."

"Good and I expect a certain level of… _decorum_ from you tonight towards my daughter."

Beck lightly retorted with a grin, "Absolutely sir… it's not as if I'm Freddie and would do something after three weeks of knowing a girl."

Mister Vega frowned and gave him a cold stare, but before he could make any kind of retort, Tori walked down with her mother and the teenager instantly brightened at seeing her date. On top of her head was a pinkish/purplish cowboy hat, matching colored top with a blue vest with tassels making up the hem. Her outfit was finished with a light purple, almost pink shiny skintight pair of jeans.

Beck gave her a kiss on the cheek then warmly smiled to her.

Mister Vega slightly grimaced from having to watch the display of affection and Mrs. Vega didn't look much happier.

The Hollywood Arts heartthrob sweetly commented while giving her a quick glance, "You look fantastic."

"Thanks." She looked down at her legs and laughed, "I love the jeans."

He softly laughed, "You're welcome. I'm glad you like them."

Mrs. Vega held her husband's expensive camera that Tori one time used to attack her sister after Trina 'jacked a date' just before her wisdom teeth were removed. She called out, "Okay, time for prom pictures."

Tori softly rolled her eyes, but quickly acquiesced to her need to capture the moment. The couple posed for several pictures then Mister Vega took some for his wife so she could pose with their daughter then together with the couple.

After about a dozen pictures or so, Tori turned to her father and Mister Vega kissed his daughter on the cheek. He smiled as he commented, "Have a good time sweetie."

"Thanks dad."

Mister Vega gave Beck a guarded expression. He whispered to Beck, "Back by midnight… or I put an APB out on you."

Tori's eyes shot opened and her jaw slightly slacked, but Beck forced his mouth not to frown and actually gave a soft laugh trying to act as if it was a joke. "Good one Mister Vega."

Mister Vega wasn't laughing.

The long haired inspiring actor smile faltered as he turned back to Tori. She fortunately rescued him by taking his hand and leading him out the door. "Bye!"

The Vegas followed them to the door and watched as Beck led Tori by the arm to his muscle car.

As Tori and Beck took their seats then the vehicle backed out of the driveway, the married couple stated at the same time, "Why couldn't he be Freddie?" The spouses looked to each other with surprised and embarrassed expressions.

Asphalt Café and Parking Lot  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Saturday, May 12, 2012

The Cow-Wow Prom was in full swing in short order in the early evening as the Asphalt Café and the parking lot was filled with dancing and mingling students dressed in a mixture of Hawaiian style dress and cowboy wear. The area was decorated with a mixture of the two concepts with some interesting results: tiki statues (some wearing cowboy hats) mixed with old Western wagon wheels with a wagon used as a punch and food table.

The rest of the parking lot was strewed with hay and straw and off to the side near the high bushes was an area had several waist high tables that several couples were using, Jade and Freddie being one of those couples. Freddie stared uneasily at the new couple as Tori and Beck were sharing a hoedown dance and a laugh, each clearly enjoying the other's company.

Jade had slipped her right hand into his left hand resting on the table and slipped her fingers between his fingers then threw her boyfriend a glance and commented, "You look worried."

He softly laughed as for him, he was stating the obvious, "Of course I'm worried."

"Why?"

He slightly nodded his head right and left a few times before awkwardly commenting, "You know things happen _after_ prom—the things your mom was concerned about."

She gave him a half smirk and tried to reassure him, "You don't have to worry about that. Beck _never_ pressured me and I don't see him doing that to Tori. They've only been together for two weeks."

Freddie turned his attention back to the dancing couple. "That was then, but this is now. Things could have changed for him and he might think he's waited long enough, so I can't help but worry."

The sheer distrust and animosity he had for Beck slightly concerned her. Of course she was leaned over and whispered, "Then let me remind you that Tori's seventeen and Beck is now eighteen—the same problem we have? You think he's going to try something when her dad's a cop?"

He gave her a sideward glance and softly retorted, "He has a car; he can be in Vegas in four hours where they can… you know."

She raised her pierced eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes and answered, "I was… informed about how things are different there last week."

She raised her pierced eyebrow and playfully questioned, "Do you plan to whisk me away to Vegas after prom?"

He smiled to her as he wrapped an arm around her waist and answered, "No. We don't have to prove anything to each other to know we love the other and unlike your bunny Easter, we a…" He softly chuckled, "We aren't driven to be like bunnies."

She smirked and gave him a coy look as she commented, "True, but, the first time—four times, we hadn't actually got to the love part."

He turned and wrapped an arm around the small of her back to rest on her left hip. "No, but what we did… we did that for us and we make love on our schedule and express what we feel for one another, not just because it's 'supposed' or 'expected' by others to happen after prom."

She took a soft breath then quietly asked, "Have you ever really gotten comfortable with us… I mean after the last two times after our talk in Lane's office… we never really discussed it again."

He looked down at the table and solemnly answered, "I don't think I'll ever be _completely_ comfortable until after we're married. It's still something I believe in."

She wanted to continue the joke her mother started earlier in the evening about how he was so sure that they would be married one day and having a daughter, but the topic was not one to insert any humor. She brought her left hand down and rested on top of the one resting on her hip and whispered with a soft smile, "Our schedule… when we're both comfortable."

He looked up to meet her warm smile then was surprised with her stealing a kiss.

* * *

Dusty led a very beautiful young lady by the arm out of the school and under the second level of the café (as like every other dance or kickback where the café's parking lot was used as a dance floor, everyone had to park on the other side of the school and cut through it to reach the café). He was in a dark brown Western duster over his white button shirt and blue jeans with a dark brown cowboy hat on his head, but opted for sneakers instead of boots.

She was quite the eye-catching girl with wearing a summery bright white halter dress with sweetheart neckline and thin straps coming from each side of her bust line to be tied behind her neck. Her outfit was finished with a straw cowboy hat with the sides turned up on top of her head, covering her raven hair tied in a ponytail with the neck string of the hat hanging loosely on either side of her face that drew people's attention to her lovely smile.

However, her beauty wasn't the only thing eye-catching about the girl as the lovely young girl's face was so familiar that they got a few curious and confused looks from the other teenagers as they moseyed their way under the café and into the main socializing area.

The pair walked around the comedic wood cutout of painted beach goers so the students could put their faces on top and take pictures and approached the set aside area next to the straw covered dance floor of the parking lot. The first ones they met at one of the tables were Hollywood Arts' alpha couple and they looked on in shock at seeing the lovely teenager accompanying Dusty.

Dusty stopped on the other side of the table from the couple and tipped his cowboy hat and smiled as he politely greeted them, "Howdy?"

The lovely girl just smiled at seeing their surprised reaction and tipped her hat with a soft smile.

The tech-producer gained his composure first and laughed out, "Heather?"

The practically identical teenager to Jade laughed out in return in a sweeter voice than Jade's usual tone, "Hey Freddie."

Freddie walked around the table and they shared a quick hug then he stepped back to look her up and down while gently holding her fingers in each hand and arms out to each side. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she answered with a genuinely flattered and thankful tone.

The tech-producer stepped aside so Jade and the non-related twins shared an equally brief and friendly hug then the purple streaked girl laughed out to Dusty, "So this is your surprise?"

He smirked as he slightly cocked his head to the side, "Well…"

Heather picked up as she tightened her arm back around Dusty's arm in a possessive manner, "Dusty dropped by one of my modeling shoots…" She looked to the Southern teenager and smirked, "…wondering if I wanted to go to prom with him."

Freddie softly picked at him, "Pretty bold. You thought you could just ask a famous model to go with lowly you to prom and she would say yes?"

Dusty smirked and answered with a bit of jolly in his tone, "Fortune favors the bold even if I have any use for that Roman goddess… and I made the assumption that she was home schooled. I thought she'd like to go to a prom where she knew a few people and just have a good time."

Jade softly mocked, "And you having the opportunity to take a beautiful girl to prom had nothing to do with it?" She looked to Heather and stated with a sincere tone, "That's a lovely dress."

Heather looked down at her dress then happily commented before Dusty could answer, "Thank you, I love your skirt." She glanced to the corsage on Jade's left wrist and commented, "And the corsage matches perfectly with your skirt." She looked to Freddie and complimented, "You had perfect tastes."

Freddie softly laughed, "Thanks."

Jade ironically commented, "One of the positive things he got from his mother."

Dusty embarrassingly rolled his eyes as he commented to his date, "That was an embarrassing oversight on my part in not getting you one."

The model softly smirked with her playful retort, "I think dinner more than made up for it and how sweet you've been on me since you picked me up. That's what's been more meaningful than a corsage."

Dusty actually looked away slightly embarrassed and subconsciously tugged the front brim of his hat slightly down in a vain attempt to obscure his face.

Jade shook her head with a coy smile. "I doubt it."

Heather knotted her brow and gave Jade a confused expression.

The screenwriter casually answered with a slight smirk as she directed an eye at Dusty, "I'll let you in on a secret: that's just how he is."

Dusty gathered his wits and playfully retorted, "Lies, vicious, vicious lies."

Jade countered with a surprisingly somber tone, "No they're not. You are a kind, sweet and caring…" She grinned as she finished, "…badass." She looked to Heather and finished, "You're a lucky girl to have him as a prom date."

Heather smiled to her date while Dusty felt the need to further readjust his hat on his head.

Freddie decided to rescue his friend by commenting on his outfit, "Well you certainly look the part."

He softly chuckled and took a moment to look down at his outfit dominated by the Western duster then answered, "Oh, my father is a huge Western fan. What I am wearing is one hundred percent period authentic clothing from eighteen sixty-one."

Jade softly challenged, "How do you know?"

He grinned at the three then answered with an overdramatic voice, "How do _I know_? How do I know? Would you care to hear another one of my tales?"

The couple looked on in curiosity while Heather quickly spoke up, "I would. I enjoyed your last story you told little Ian."

The duster wearing teenager smirked to his lovely date then continued, "Then I will tell you fair lady the unbelievable tale: my father and my Uncle Sammy traveled back in time one time to meet Samuel Colt, the famous gunsmith. My dad had to buy the coat because when he dressed as Clint Eastwood from the 'Good, the Bad and the Ugly', people thought he was wearing a blanket. He was quite disappointed."

Freddie nodded along, trying to keep his laughter in check and smile suppressed as he questioned, "He traveled back in time? To meet Samuel Colt?"

Dusty crossed and rested his forearms on the table, naturally drawing the others to join him to rest against the table for a private moment as prom bustling around them.

Freddie slipped his hand back around to rest on Jade's hip again and she rested her left hand on top of his hand.

The Southern teenager tilted his hat upwards to remove any obstruction in being able to see his audience (while Heather stood close to him and letting her bare forearm against his left arm) then answered with a teasing tone, trying to draw them into the story he was about to tell, "Actually my Uncle Sammy was the one that got to meet him, but they didn't go just to meet him. As the story goes, they had to borrow a special Colt from the man himself so my dad could win a shootout and kill a phoenix. They needed some phoenix ashes for something, not really important for this story."

Heather eyed him with a playful smile and decided to play along with her question, "The magical bird? Like from Harry Potter?"

The Southern teenager nodded his head and answered, "Yes and this one was appearing as a person." He turned his attention to included them all as he continued, "Anyway, they were meeting in the middle of the main street and the town clock was ticking towards high noon. They stared down one another just like in the movies then they drew… my dad was quicker and put the slug right under his heart—or where his heart would be if he was a person—then he burst into flames and collapsed in a pile of ashes."

Dusty softly laughed, "He won a good old fashion Western shootout… I think it's an appropriate story to fit the theme for tonight."

The other three teenagers were amused by his story if the smiles on their faces were any indication. Freddie spoke up in a soft laugh, "So what did your dad do when the phoenix was reborn from the ashes?"

Dusty grinned nearly ear to ear as he answered, "He wasn't reborn. He was dead as in he _wasn't_ coming back."

The fellow L.A. immigrant knotted his brow in confusion and curiously asked, drawing on his fantasy knowledge, "But phoenixes are immortal. How could your dad kill it with a gun?"

Dusty stood up straight and chuckled before answering, "I told you, it was a special Colt. There are certain old wives' tales attached to _that_ Colt."

The other three stood up, seeing the lack of need of privacy from Dusty's part in wanting to continue his story.

Jade idly started playing with Freddie's fingers without thinking curiously asked with a knowing smile plastered on her face, "So it's that Colt in your room?"

Dusty softly laughed, "Maybe."

Heather spoke up, clearly the odd one out in the inside joke, "I don't understand."

Her physical twin quickly answered, "He's got an old family heirloom of a Western pistol in his room—a Colt." She looked to Dusty and commented, "You told me that it was made by Colt himself."

He softly teased, "I did?"

The skirt wearing teenager laughed in return, "Yes you did, so are we going to get to hear one of those tales?"

Dusty snorted out a breath and rolled his eyes. "I'll say yes for the sake of discussion… I'll tell you another story—more of a short, obscure legend about it, which was supposedly demonstrated with killing the phoenix."

He lifted a corner of his mouth in a half smile to her then continued for the rest in a sober tone, "Okay, it was in eighteen thirty-five, when Halley's Comet was making one of its visits overhead and the brave men were firing their first shots that would lead to the Battle of the Alamo months later, that Samuel Colt made a special gun for a hunter… a horseback hunter of monsters and all the other things that hide in the dark and go bump in the night. The old wives' tale goes that…"

He paused for dramatic pause, effectively drawing them back into his story. "…that the gun can kill anything, _anything_, in Creation."

Jade raised her pierced eyebrow and softly laughed her question, "Anything?"

He nodded his head to the side and shrugged a shoulder as he answered with a laugh, "Well there is an asterisk to the legend, it can't kill archangels or the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse, but other than them, it can kill anything. Vampires, demons…" He looked Jade straight in the eyes and finished with a surprisingly serious tone, "…pesky false gods who think they can butt into your life and get a say in it… yeah pretty much anything."

Jade's smile faltered and she slipped her left hand off of Freddie's hand to under the loose ends of her tied shirt and to rest on her abdomen.

The pair shared a quiet look before Heather laughed and softly patted her date on his arm, "You tell them with such… honesty, as if they really were true, like bards of old. That must have been one good creative writing class. You really need to go into writing. I would have believed your story if I knew it wasn't real." She looked to Jade and teasing her suggestion with a bright smile, "Maybe you two could collaborate in writing your next short film—after you finish your first album Miss Platinum Awards."

Jade broke out of her moment of contemplation and gave her a polite nod in thanks while Dusty smiled warmly at her and answered, "Thanks, I'm glad you were entertained."

He passed a quick glance over the three and commented with a jovial tone, "Well my throat is parched partners, so if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get myself and this lovely young lady a drink." He looked to Heather and offered his arm again and she happily took it so he could lead her to the food and drink table.

Freddie chuckled and tipped his hat, "We'll catch you later."

"Later," Dusty called out with a wave over her shoulder on their way to the wagon.

The tech-producer snorted out another laugh, but it was cut short as he felt Jade's hand rest back on to his resting on her hip and pull so he would hold her tighter. He looked to her with a confused expression and she whispered with hooded eyes, "Just hold me."

* * *

Dusty offered the white dressed model, "Let me get you something to drink."

She nodded with a smile, but immediately knotted her brow and gave him a peculiar look that instead of pouring her a drink, he would pour himself one first. She looked on him with further confusion as he took a sip from his drink and started visibly swishing it in his mouth then swallowed it. He smacked his lips a few times then surprised her with a bright smile, turned to set his cup down and get her a drink. Once he finished pouring it, he held plastic cup to her and reassured her, "I didn't taste any alcohol, so we're lucky and we got the pre-spiked punch."

She looked on him in confusion for a few more brief seconds until it clicked in her head exactly what she had just watched. She snorted out a soft laugh then asked with a hint of concern, "You'd think they'd spike it?"

He softly shrugged a shoulder and casually remarked, "We're at a high school—strange one that's for sure—but still a high school, so you can't be too careful. If I was still at my old high school, I wouldn't be drinking anything least long letting you drink anything." He slightly frowned and slightly looked away from her as he commented with a dry tone, "Actually if I was at my old high school, I would be getting you as far away from there as possible."

She softly sung in an eerily same tone as Jade, _"…I just want to take you out so I can get you drunk so I can have my wicked way with you. I'm just being honest 'cuz I know the other girls are thinking the same way too…"_

He softly laughed with a big grin on his face then coyly whispered, "Sorry to disappoint you, but you're not going to liquor me up and having your way with me. I left home a virgin, I'm going home a virgin," then took a sip of his drink.

She laughed along until she saw the seriousness in his eyes then quickly took a sip from her drink to hide a potentially embarrassed expression. She finished her sip then glanced around and noticed Tori and Beck dancing fairly closely then shared a short kiss.

The raven colored model motioned her head over to the pair and commented, "I didn't realize that Tori and Beck were together."

He slightly frowned as he caught site of the pair and answered, "They just got together two weeks ago. She decided to give him a chance. From what I understand, she's carried some lingering feelings for him for years, but she couldn't do anything about it because he was with Jade and the only reason why she said yes to him now was Jade more or less waiving 'Girl Code'. That whole 'you don't date your friends' ex'."

Her eyes opened up widely and her mouth slightly parted then eagerly asked, "Doesn't that make things awkward even if Jade said it was okay?"

He shrugged a shoulder and casually answered, "I'm not sure; I don't really hang out with them to see how that works other than at times with Jade and Freddie. I just know Freddie's not exactly happy with it."

She knotted her brow and softly questioned, "Why?"

"Beck never really learned anything apparently on how to treat a girl. Freddie's afraid he'll hurt her like he did Jade… and I'm not going to pity him when Freddie beats in his face again when he does."

Heather's eyes shot open and Dusty quickly explained, "The highlights: the guy that runs the PMAs dropped Vega from the show because she wouldn't play along with the bad girl act, hired Jade, Beck then made his move on Vega, to Freddie it looked like Beck was trying to emotionally take advantage of Vega being upset for being dropped, they disagreed… then Freddie kicked the mess out of him. You should have saw how bad he messed up Pretty Boy's face. The black eyes and bruises are finally gone."

The raven colored girl looked on in shock for a few moments then awkwardly questioned, "Why would he do that for Tori?"

"They're friends and he cares about her."

She cautiously retorted, "Maybe a little too much? It sounds like there could be some feelings for Tori from Freddie if he'd go that far."

Dusty quickly shook his head and gave a half smile. "Nothing more than friends. That had been building up for months with how Beck has been treating Jade and some of his other behavior towards the girls. That was just the last straw about trying to settle it with words. Heck, I had to knock him face first into the hallway floor one time when he crossed a line he shouldn't."

Heather's mouth slightly parted as she was further taken aback by the tale. "_Why?_"

"You remember when I said I didn't care for guys who think they can put their hands on women and refuse to take the word 'no' for an answer?"

She furled her brow and softly nodded her head. "Yeah?"

"Well, he wanted to talk to Jade after an incident one night, something that was said about his feelings about Freddie, but she didn't want to talk. So he thought he could just drag her into the janitor's closet we pass on our way out here and force her to talk to him. She shouted out no and told him to let her go…" His voice dropped to a cold whispered, "She didn't talk to him in that closet and I made sure he didn't put his hand on her again for the rest of that day."

She nodded her head for a moment and took a sip from her drink then looked back to him, adding that bit of information about what she knew about the Southern teenager. She raised a curious eyebrow and questioned with confusion lacing he voice, "But they're together now; what was the point of Freddie beating him up?"

"I think it was more about Vega making a decision with a clear head then possibly being emotionally taking advantage of her. Freddie may not like it, but he's not Beck: he's not going to emotionally manipulate or bully her into not dating him."

The model's eyes lit up in realization while her mouth opened. She slightly nodded as she answered, "Oh… Freddie was worried about the whole 'I'm there for you' thing where one thing leads to another that leads to another then oops, our clothes are on the floor."

He eagerly nodded his head. "Exactly, which makes girls second guess every other male when all we want to do is help… which is still good advice for a girl anyway." He raised an eyebrow while continuing, "Sounds like you have some experience in that?"

She shrugged a bare shoulder and looked down into her cup while idly answering, "Not personally in _that_ way, but I'm in the entertainment industry; there is always someone out there that wants to take advantage of you."

He softly chuckled then commented just before taking a sip from his drink, "That's why I'm glad I'm not getting into it. I won't have to worry about the next Judas."

She knotted her brow towards him and quickly asked, "But you go to a performance arts high school?"

"Only because I wanted a diploma that was worth something and there comes a point where I got tired of having to worry about being jumped for being white… even after repeatedly putting them on the ground. I don't know if Antonio ever got full use of his right arm after our very last fight where he pulled a knife." He leaned slightly forward and whispered, "And let me tell you, when the blade cuts you, it hurts worst than a paper cut, but less than betrayal. Betrayal hurts far more."

She respectfully nodded and quietly commented, "I'm sorry."

He took a soft breath and whispered, "I appreciate it, but it's the ones that have to go through that until they dropout or graduate with a worthless piece of paper that really need the compassion."

She gave him a soft smile and he returned one for a few seconds until the moment was interrupted with Ava and Sinjin walked hand-in-hand to approach the pair.

Ava happily called out, "Hey!"

Heather turned and smiled to the shorter girl and eagerly greeted her, "Hey Ava."

The Hollywood Arts student knotted her brow as she looked the girl up and down, noticing the darker hair color and missing facial jewelry. She softly questioned, "Heather?"

The model grinned as she nodded her head.

Ava laughed and the girls shared a quick hug while Sinjin looked on the scene in confusion. "Ah, Heather?"

His girlfriend looked to him and explained, "This is the Heather Fox, the model." She didn't pay much attention to the fact that Sinjin looked as if his eyes were about to pop out of their sockets as she looked back to the model and quickly asked with a welcoming laugh, "What are you doing here?"

She slipped her free arm in a loop around Dusty's arm and answered, "Oh, I'm Dustin's date."

Ava's eyes shot open with Sinjin quickly following suit with his mouth opened and closed like a fish several times before he could utter, "Your prom date is with a _supermodel?_"

Heather embarrassingly bowed her head and laughed, "I wouldn't exactly call me 'super' yet."

Dusty softly smirked and shrugged a shoulder. "What can I say, I have a type…" He let his gaze wander to Ava and softly smiled as he finished, "…sweet girls."

Ava understood the meaning of what he alluding and gave a soft smile back. She quickly shook her head and gathered her wits. She laughed then motioned to Sinjin, "Oh, I'm sorry, this is my boyfriend, Sinjin."

Heather couldn't help but respond with a curious tone, "Boyfriend? I didn't realize you had one, I actually thought…" She glanced to Dusty for a moment, but he looked back to her for a carefree expression. She let out a nervous laugh while looking back to Ava, "Nothing." The raven haired model turned to Sinjin and apologetically commented, "Sorry I missed you last time."

He continued to stare dumbfounded, apparently unable to process that Dusty had landed him a supermodel as a date.

Ava spoke up for him, "It's okay, he was… kind of unavailable at the time."

The curly haired teenager remained silent, allowing her to speak for him.

An awkward silence fell between the quartet, but Dusty quickly interrupted with a motion to the punch bowl and commented, "I suggest you get some punch before they spike it. It's quite good." He took a sip from his drink to highlight his point then smiled to the couple and graciously commented, "If you would excuse us…" He looked to Heather and with their arms still looped, he suggested, "…I would finally like to have that dance with you."

Heather quickly licked her bottom lip and smiled to him while tightening her looped arm. "Of course."

"Catch you in a bit," Dusty commented as the pair headed for the dance floor.

Sinjin uttered in disbelief as he watched the retreating pair, "He got a date with a _supermodel_ that looks just like Jade."

Ava laughed and shook her head while she looked to him. "Come on, let's try the punch then take me dancing."

* * *

Dusty stopped and turned to face Heather then rested a hand on the raven colored girl's right hip and slipped his right hand into hers. The pair gently swayed to the music

Heather quietly spoke up, "Could you clarify something for me?"

"I'll try my best," he finished with a disarming laugh.

"When we were filming at Jade's house, the mirror conversation part, I thought… I got the sense that you and Ava were, maybe not together, at least interested in one another. It's kind of why I was a little shocked that you would ask me to come with you."

He slightly bowed his head and blew out a soft breath out of his nose. He timidly answered, "I just… I was the guy that was there for her when she needed a shoulder when she and Van Cleef were on the rocks…" He let out a nervous laugh, "And no clothes were strung on the floor. Whether she developed any feelings for me during that time, I don't want to speculate, but it is a moot point now that they are back together. True they're still working on get whole again, but they're back on the same page."

She smiled to him and whispered in return, "That's… very sweet."

"Thanks."

She asked with a hushed tone, "But did you develop feelings for her?"

He raised an eyebrow and playfully answered, "Now we're getting a little personal."

She softly smiled, but the rest of her face clearly showed uneasiness as she hesitantly countered, "Maybe I just wanted to know if I had any competition?"

He suddenly found the need to clear his throat and look anywhere but her blue eyes… or down into her cleavage.

* * *

Jade and Freddie had decided that it was their turn to dance and give up their table for at least a little bit. He led her by the hand to the dancing area and quickly pulled her into his arms to dance even if the song playing wasn't a slow dance song.

Freddie rested his hands on the small of her back while her hands rested on his chest and gently grabbed the lapels of his jacket. She softly questioned, "What?"

He snorted out a laugh then answered with a playful expression, "I'm taking the moment to enjoy that fact that I'm not just dancing with a prom queen, but I'm _with_ the prom queen. I was never the guy that was supposed to have that. I don't need to rehash my life in Seattle for you—and I'm not talking about Carly or Sam."

She smiled in return. "Yes, the Robbie of Ridgeway, but… I may think proms are stupid, but if I was to take the time to imagine one… this is exactly how I'd want it: dancing and spending the night with the guy I love."

He gave her a curious eyebrow and boyish smirk.

Her smile turned into a smirk and coyly looked at him. "What? On occasions I can be sentimental."

He softly chuckled then leaned in for a kiss which she happily accepted as she lifted her hands off of his chest to cup his cheeks.

The couple slowed dance a few more song despite they weren't meant for slow dancing then decided to take the opportunity to catch up with their friends to see how they were enjoying the prom. They approached Tori and Beck and Freddie was quick to politely ask the couple, "Can I cut in?"

Tori smiled at the tech-producer while Beck slightly frowned at the interruption. Beck was about to objected, but Jade eagerly announced and grabbed Beck's hand to pull him away for a dance, "Well, I'm certainly cutting in."

Freddie and Tori laughed at Beck's surprised expression at being pulled away for a dance with his ex. The tech-producer turned to the brunette and took her right hand to start dancing for the next song. He curiously asked with his boyish smile, "You having a good time?"

The brunette eagerly answered as she got into the rhythm of their dance, "I'm having a great time."

"So no lingering problems from last week?"

Tori consciously or unconsciously, Freddie couldn't tell, suggestively swung her hips as she answered, "He apologized and got me these jeans for the dance to make up for it."

He was partially relieved that Beck could finally take responsibility for his actions in a long time, but equally concerned whether it was a genuine one or one of convenience as to not blow his attempt at a relationship with Tori after only a week together with the girl. He spared a quick down at her then up at her to laugh, "You look quite good in them."

She arced an eyebrow and slightly parted her mouth with an aborted laugh, "Not very subtle in noticing?"

He flashed his trademark boyish grin as he retorted, "Wasn't that the point?"

Tori laughed as she cupped the back of his neck.

After she finished her laugh, Freddie began again, "So, any plans for after prom?"

"Not really; he was just going to take me home."

"Good," he commented with a relieved tone.

"Good?" She frowned at him, but the disapproving expression didn't reach her eyes.

Freddie gave a weary smile as he answered, "I worry, okay? I'm not exactly a shipper for this relationship."

She softly laughed out, "You're going to get as bad as my father."

He laughed in response, "Is that an insult or a compliment?"

She gave him a playful smirk, "I'll let you know at the end of the night."

He softly chuckled as he took a step backwards then raised his hand up so he could twirl her in place then pulled her back to him.

She laughed from the dance move and him catching her in his arms and holding her close.

* * *

A few paces away the former couple danced at a quicker pace than Tori and Freddie and Jade teasing, "Enjoying the night so far?"

"Yeah, I'm having a great time… until Freddie stole my date," he finished with a soft laugh in the hopes that she wouldn't take his statement too harshly.

"Well then I hope I'm an acceptable substitute?"

He nodded his head and flashed a charming smile while answering, "Yes you are."

She raised her brow and slightly mocked with a nod of her answer, "Good answer."

He slightly bowed his head to allow him to clear his throat then responded with a slightly timid voice, "I'm sorry about the freak comment."

She gave another brief nod then surprised him by asking, "How's Tori handling it? You called her one too."

He softly smirked while answering with an awkward tone, "I found that groveling and buying jeans helps."

She raised her pierced eyebrow and playfully questioned, "So you're finally learning how to keep a girlfriend happy?"

Beck furled his brow and slightly pursed his lips.

"Sorry, that was kind of a cheap shot… but now we're even about the freak comment."

The long haired actor slightly shook his head, but even he had to crack a smile from her nostalgic behavior when they were together.

They continued to hoedown through another song before Beck slowed down his dancing and hesitatingly asked, "You really okay with me dating Tori? We never talked about it."

She nodded her head with a small, but reassuring smile as she took a step closer to him. "Yes, I'm fine with it. We told each other we'd be happy for the other moving on. We didn't and can't set conditions on who we could or couldn't date."

Beck gave her a hint of a disbelief expression as he cautiously challenged, "But Meredith—"

"Was an entirely different thing. It made me really doubt how much you really wanted to be with me when we were together, that giving her a chance meant that you really wanted to try with her back then and that hurt."

He cautiously nodded his head then inquiringly asked, "And how is that different than you worrying about Tori?"

The dark brunette pursed her lips then timidly admitted, "Because other than the stage kiss on her second day, she never came on to you and would have turned you down out of loyalty to me if it wasn't for Freddie."

He blinked in utter disbelief and had to take a few moments to gather his wits before he could respond, "Freddie? He got Tori to give me a chance?"

She solemnly answered, "Yes."

"He did me a favor?"

"_No_, he just knows Tori likes you and didn't want her to give up her opportunity to try with you. If you didn't notice, he's not exactly with you two together."

He took a soft breath the ironically laughed, "Does that mean that I don't have to thank him?"

She slightly knotted her brow in disbelief and her mouth became a thin line and drawing a laugh from Beck.

* * *

Ava and Dusty were back at the food table taking a break from dancing as the pair watched Sinjin and Heather share a dance or two, apparently Sinjin just wanted to be able to say that he had danced with a supermodel one time… or because she looked just like Jade, but neither Dusty nor Ava was going to bring up that possibility.

The brunette took a sip from her drink then idly asked, "What possessed you to ask her out?"

He shrugged a shoulder as he answered with a light hearted tone, "I could say that it was on a whim. Ask out a celebrity just so you can say you did, but… I remembered when we met her and when we were filming that she struck me as quite a sweet girl, so why not ask out a sweet girl out to prom? I done the whole stag thing at the last one."

Ava slightly tilted her head to the side and slightly nodded to the answer then gave him a questioning expression. "But don't you think it's kind of weird taking a girl to prom that looks just like Jade—your friend and the girlfriend to your friend?"

She let the statement hang as the duster wearing Dusty looked at her a moment to process what she asked and thought on it for a few more seconds until he let out a hearty laugh and instantly drew a disbelieving expression from Ava.

"What?" she asked with a soft laugh.

He covered his mouth with the back of his free hand for a second then calmed down enough to ask, "You, _one-half of a twin set_, thinking people are the same simply because they look alike? That they are interchangeable? _That's funny_."

She looked away, slightly shaking her head as she softly bit her tongue and holding back a laugh.

* * *

A few minutes approaching nine o'clock, an announcement came over the PA system, _"Oh yeah! Who's having a good time at the Hollywood Arts Cow-Wow? And don't forget to vote for this year's Prom King and Queen."_

Cat had shown up not too long ago and immediately went to the punch. She took a sip from her red plastic cup as she stood in front of the punch bowl. She turned and saw walking from under the café's structure, Robbie hand-in-hand with Gabriela.

The redhead sucked in a sharp breath then turned and dumped the contents of her drink back into the punch bowl. She turned and ran between a few teens dancing together to stop next to the tall table where Freddie and Jade had reclaimed (actually Jade frightened off another couple) after several more dances with various partners. She latched on to Freddie's right forearm for a moment and shouted fearfully, "I'm so upset!"

Freddie politely greeted the redhead, "Howdy."

Jade dryly commented as she looked away with a soft roll over her eyes, "I'd ask you why you're upset, but I don't care."

The cowboy dressed teenager passed his girlfriend a disbelieving expression, bewildered with the blatant disregard for their friend's feelings.

Cat threw out her left hand towards Robbie and Gabriela standing behind a cartoon cut out with their heads over the top and shouted, "That's why!"

Freddie cautiously asked, "I thought you told Robbie you didn't want be his date tonight."

The redhead shouted in outrage, "So?! That doesn't make it okay for him to bring another girl!"

Jade began as she softly poked the table with her right pointer finger, "So, you don't wanna be Robbie's date..."

Freddie picked up, "And you don't want Robbie to bring another date."

Cat shouted with a sense of vindication, "Yes! Thank you." She turned and quickly walked away. She reached the punch bowl again and started to get a hotdog and bun, but turned to look at Robbie dancing with his date. She threw the bun to the ground and the hotdog into the punch in disgust then turned and walked away.

The tech-producer looked at their retreating friend and flippantly remarked, "I'm suddenly flashing back to when Carly slugged me with an orange."

She softly poked, "Because you thought Tori was hot…"

He answered with a sing-a-long voice, "Yes, while she was dating Steven…"

Jade shook her head and looked back to the dance floor.

* * *

Burf reached the punch bowl and started to get himself a drink, but quickly realized the hotdog in the punch. He turned and shouted, "Wiener in the punch!"

Cat walked towards Sinjin and shouted, "Sinjin!"

He turned away from Ava and happily greeted the redhead, "Oh, hey Cat, what's going on?"

She pointed behind her towards the area set aside for dancing and demanded, "Come dance with me _right now_."

Sinjin laughed out, "Aw yeah."

They found a place on the dancing area and Cat gently took Sinjin by both wrists to lead him. She stopped them just behind Robbie dancing with Gabriela.

Cat bumped her rear into Robbie's rear and he took a stumbling step forward. He turned and laughed out, "Oh! Hey Cat." He turned back to Gabriela without waiting for a response.

"Oh hi Robbie. Sorry, I can't talk right now, I'm dancing with Sinjin."

She looked just over her shoulder to see that Robbie wasn't paying a bit of attention to her.

The redhead grabbed the taller boy by the arms and scooted backwards and around the dancing pair, so she could look around Sinjin and Gabriela. She wrapped her arms around Sinjin and pulled him tightly against her then asked Robbie, "See this? See what I'm doing?"

Gabriela turned and gave the shorter girl a curious expression while he waved her off with a laugh, "Sure." He continued to dance with his date and motioned out his arms in a wave, drawing a laugh from Gabriela.

Cat started laughing and patting the sides of Sinjin's upper arms, shoulders and cheeks. "Ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha. O-M-G, Sinjin you're so funny."

He gave her a perplexed expression and stated, "I didn't say anything."

"Oh, sure Sinjin, whatever you want." She looked past the tall teenager and saw that Robbie had his full attention on Gabriela then softly frowned.

* * *

Ava slid up beside Dusty resting against the cardboard cutout and idly commented with a soft smile, "Your ex stole my date."

He motioned his head towards Robbie and softly laughed, "I think my ex is finally coming to terms with who she likes and doing something about it, clumsily, but doing something."

"You okay?"

He softly smiled. "I'm fine."

The pair stood in comfortable silence as she watched the pair dance.

She finally broke the silence and gave him a slightly embarrassed expression. "I'm sorry."

He glanced over to her. "About what?"

She bashfully looked up to him and answered, "I'm sorry for… for using you as an emotional crutch for all that time, for maybe trying to lead you on."

He gave her a comforting smile and replied, "That's what friends are for: to help us stay up when we can't do it on our own."

She studied his face for a few moments then smiled to him as she answered, "Thank you."

He gave her a charming smile and offered his hand to her. "While she's stealing your date, I get to dance with a pretty girl?"

She softly smiled and slipped her hand into his and started dragging him for a dance.

* * *

Cat continued to dance with Sinjin and motioned her hands to point at her dance partner, but was paying attention to Robbie apparently having a good time dancing with his date.

Jade had walked off to get herself and Freddie some more punch and returned a minute or so later with drinks in hand. She handed Freddie a red plastic cup and he gladly accepted it, "Thanks."

"Sure," she answered as she retook her place on his left side.

Each member of the couple took a sip from their respective cups while Jade looked on to Cat dancing with Sinjin. Freddie quickly pulled his lips away from his drink then pulled out a hotdog from his punch and looked at it with a confused expression. "There's a wiener in my punch."

She ignored his comment as she watched Cat dance with Sinjin. She asked just before taking another sip from her drink, "Ya think Cat's trying to make Robbie jealous?"

Freddie softly laughed, "Where would you get that from?"

She looked to him and gave him a soft frown, which only pulled out a soft laugh from him.

Cat laughed out, "Wow. Sinjin, you're such a good dancer!" She ducked as Sinjin raised his right leg over and swept it over her head to do a complete spin. She straightened up and shouted, "So much better than Robbie!"

Robbie knotted his brow in confusion with Gabriela passing a quick, odd glance.

The redhead kept her focus on Robbie, so she didn't see Sinjin's raised right foot and it collided with the side of her face and she went tumbling to the ground. "Ow!"

Sinjin sucked in a sharp breath and shouted, "Oh Cat! I'm so sorry!"

Jade shouted in horror, "Did you see that?!"

Freddie blinked as his jaw dropped. "Yes, yes I did."

Some random students looking on the scene shouted out, "Guys! Somebody find Lane!"

A few minutes later, Cat was lying on one of the checkered tablecloth covered blue tables as a number of students were gathered around her.

Lane held an ice pack and tenderly asked, "You feeling okay?"

"Yeah." Cat answered with a sleepy voice, "I've just got a little head on my bump."

Robbie casually asked, "Did you go to nursing school?"

The guidance counselor sharply looked to Robbie standing to his left and at Cat's head and curtly asked, "Are you sassin' me?"

The ventriloquist looked to Lane with a confused expression as he answered, "No."

"You sassed me."

"I'd never," Robbie vehemently denied.

Lane angrily continued, "I don't like being sassed."

"I wasn't sassing you."

"So you're making fun of me?"

"No. Of course, not."

"You better watch out."

"I'll watch myself..."

Lane grew angrier and pointed down to Robbie's feet as he snapped, "I'm the guidance counselor at this school. I will call your daddy."

"Oh, please don't."

"Watch your tone."

"Okay."

"I _will_ be respected."

Freddie rolled his eyes at what he saw how ridiculous Lane was behaving and Jade looked away in embarrassment while being held by one arm by Freddie.

Dusty was more vocal and questioned, "Or what? You don't respect us, so why should we respect you?"

The guidance counselor turned sharply to Dusty and snapped, "I will call you dad too."

The former webmaster let out a hearty laugh and Lane instantly jaw dropped at the blatant disrespect. Dusty caught his breath then answered with a cheerful tone, "Yeah… you go do that, but don't come whining to me if afterwards he leaves you in some dark corner, balled up crying like a baby."

"Don't you sass me."

Dusty continued to speak with a jovial tone, "I'm an adult too; I can't 'sass' you. I'm just calling you out being a jackass just to be one."

Freddie spoke up with a sympathetic tone, "Lane, you are being ridiculous and embarrassing yourself. Maybe you should just let it go?"

The guidance counselor let out a breath while looking to the former Seattleite then calmly stated, "Okay, everyone, go on back to your dancing and snackin'. Let Cat have some air."

The students started to break up and get back to the dance. Heather looked to her date in curiosity as he led her back to the dancing area.

He gave her an innocent expression as he answered, "I don't like bullies, even if I don't care much for Shapiro."

Robbie started on his way to find Gabriela, but Cat called out and gently grabbed his left wrist, "Wait... will you stay with me?"

He nervously laughed out, "Why me?"

She looked down and straightened her skirt over her lap then rested her hands on her knees as she answered, "Because I want you to stay with me 'til I feel better."

"Okay."

He took a seat to her right, but as he was doing so, she asked, "Unless you wanna go be with your dumb date?"

He quickly pointed further down into the parking lot and answered, "Nah. I think she's enjoying Sinjin's show."

The pair looked out to the dancing area to see Sinjin holding up his hands, each one covered with one of his sock puppets. One was female with long blonde curly hair and the other with a blue sea captain's hat. The female puppet started, "Well, Captain, I say... Love will keep us together." The captain puppet spoke with a deep voice, "That's right, Tennille."

She replied, "Muskrat Love."

Gabriela started clapping and laughing, "_¡Sí! ¡Sí!_"

Ava softly laughed as she was just as entertained.

Robbie whispered, "I'm sorry you got kicked in your head."

"I'm sorry I didn't come with you to the dance in the first place," she softly replied as she slipped her right hand into his resting on his knee and laced her fingers with his fingers.

He awkwardly asked, "Is my hand sweaty?"

She giggled, "Yeah. It feels like a fish."

* * *

Tori shouted into her microphone from atop of the second level of the café, grabbing everyone's attention, "Okay, Hollywood Arts... Who's ready to rock the Cow-Wow?!"

She and André, who had finally arrived after getting off work from his part-time job, had slipped up there while everyone was looking to Cat.

The crowd shouted up in return their approval.

The brunette shouted out, "Alright, well then hang on to your hulas... And your cowboy hats... And anything else you wanna hang on to."

Jade wrapped an arm around the back of Freddie's neck and pulled him close to her as the couple looked up to see Tori finish, "This is a song written by André and me, and it's called 'Here's to Us'."

Tori softly started, _"Ooh ooh-oo ooh-oo ooh ooh." _She picked up, _"Here's to the Mondays."_ She motioned out a hand across the audience as she sang the next line,_ "Watching all the cars on the freeway. I ain't got a thing to do." _She looked to André and pointed to him as she asked,_ "Can I sit here next to you?"_

She walked to him and placed her right forearm on his shoulder._ "And oh oh oh."_

She turned back to look at the crowd below her and continued, _"Yeah I kinda wish I got paid. Because my card got maxed out, yesterday. Could you give me a shot? And I'll work with what I got." _She wagged her finger, _"Not a dollar in my pocket. But I rock it like I ain't broke... Ya know?"_

"_Ooh ooh-oo ooh-oo ooh ooh. Here's to us. Uh-oh-oh. Here's to us."_

Robbie and Cat rocked in place along with the beat.

The lovely brunette walked over and wrapped an arm around André_. "Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh-oo. Here's to us. Uh-oh-oh._"

_"Here's to never winnin' first place. Here's to cryin' on your birthday."_

Cat laughed to Robbie to the line about the birthday.

_"Here's to every single heartbreak."_

Freddie and Jade immediately turned to one another and shared a kiss.

Heather noticed Dusty pass a quick glance to Cat then to the back of Ava's head as she jumped in place with Sinjin during the lyric. The model instinctively slipped her hand into the Carolinian's hand and gave it a squeeze. His eyes opened in surprise and suddenly felt his throat constrict and the need to clear it.

"_Here's to us. Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh-oo. Here's to us. Na-na-na na-na-na. Na-na-na na-na-na."_

Tori walked around André to look over to the side of the platform and down to Cat and Robbie. The pair waved up at her while Freddie turned his head to face Jade and comically puckered his lips. She gave him a quick peck then the couple looked back up at Tori.

_"I'm a player, I'm a hater, but I swear, you would never know. Because I got a smile on, I'm an ex-con, that just got on parole."_

Lane pointed up to the platform with both his pointer fingers with a big grin on his face.

_"Could've been a contender, a pretender like Brando playing a role, but I'm not. So what? And that's just how it goes."_

André sang into his microphone, _"Ah. Oh."_

Jade raised her cup and shouted, "Yeah!"

"_Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh-oo. Here's to us. Uh-oh-oh. Here's to us. Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh-oo. Here's to us. Uh-oh-oh."_

Sinjin motioned his sock puppets along with the song with Ava laughing hysterically.

Tori threw her left hand up in the air and shouted,_ "Here's to never winnin' first place. Here's to cryin' on your birthday. Here's to showin' up anyway. Here's to us. Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh-oo. Here's to us._"

The brunette rested her left hand on the rail along with her right elbow as she quietly finished,_ "Here's to... Here's to the Mondays."  
_  
The crowd burst into cheer. Jade hoop and hollered out and raised her plastic cup to softly clap against the side, "Woo!"

Robbie softly rubbed his pointer and middle finger over the bandage over her bump.

Cat smiled and softly commented, "Thanks for petting my head bump."

"Can I tell you a secret?"

She looked away and answered, "Sure."

She turned her right ear towards him, but he turned her chin to him and gave her a soft, chaste kiss on the lips. He pulled back and gave her a soft smile.

Cat took a moment or two before her eyes shot open and sucked in a sharp breath. She jumped off the table the next moment and started winding her way through the dancing classmates.

She got on her pink bicycle and started peddling and navigating around her classmates and shouted, "Outta the way!"

Robbie frowned and rested his chin on his palm, his elbow supported by his right knee.

* * *

Jade and Freddie walked up the stairs to the second level of the café structure. She smile to the pair and complimented, "Great song."

Freddie quickly followed up, "That was fantastic."

Tori happily returned, "Thanks."

The brunette took the red plastic cup from Freddie and took a sip from his drink. "Uh!" Freddie gave her a surprised expression that she was so willing to drink after him, but then figured that it wasn't much of a big deal with them having several staged, yet passionate kisses between them.

She suddenly stopped sipping and pulled the cup away from her lips and mumbled, "Mm!"

She held up the hotdog and gave the former Seattleite a confused expression. "A wiener?"

Freddie shrugged his shoulders and idly commented, "It comes with the punch."

Tori laughed with a shake of her head and continued to drink from his cup.

* * *

Author's Note: I hoped you liked this first half of the prom. I will admit that it is more of a setup for the next chapter, but the second half should be up by either Thursday or Friday instead of having to wait an extra week.

The dress/outfit Heather is wearing is what Liz Gillies wore during her appearance at the 23rd Annual Einstein Hamptons Family Day. It should be easy to find if you're curious to see 'her'.


	35. Chapter 35: Cow Wow Prom Part 2

Hello everyone. I've got the second half of the prom ready to go and hope you like it.

Guest: Thank you. You are seeing the parallels between Freddie/Carly and Cat/Robbie. You just might be right about Jedi's actions in this situation, but that doesn't mean they are immediate or any actions in this chapter are immediate or permanent solutions.

Jeremy Shane: Here is the next one.

PD31: You did notice how much she denied in the animal hospital that she didn't love Freddie like that. Denial is not just a river in Utah. Jade and Freddie having pre-marital sex the first time is still having ramifications for them after all this time and it might just be catching up with them due to Beck's remark to Mister Vega. Dusty is not conventional type of guy and he does have a particular type of girl: sweet. I'm not sure if Trina's date will have as much significance as you want.

darck ben: Dusty's story? I have no idea what you are talking about :P We'll see how Cabbie plays out; I just know that I won't please everyone with the choices of pairings I make.

Challenge King: I can say that you will eventually see Mister Vega's reaction to Beck's comment at some point. Dusty has good taste then again it is a little surprising because in-universe, he got a supermodel whose face is plastered everywhere to go with him to prom.

Fanfic-Reader-88: Mrs. Shay's memory will always be a ghost to Mrs. West. I wouldn't say they hated Beck, just that they see a far better guy for their daughter staring them in the face. Dusty kept with his type and asked someone he thinks is that way and had the nerve to do it. New love interest? You don't actually expect me to answer that? :D

The Cabbie parallel to that interpretation of Creddie is quite hard to miss. Let's just hope it is a better outcome.

Freddie will step in if he has to between Bori and it would get messy. Dusty just doesn't like bully.

Twilight Warrior 627: Maybe he just wanted someone nice and sweet to go with? I would say it is a commentary of his choice about outside verse the inside of person and what is most important with Ava being the one there (other than perhaps Sam) that understands that it isn't the outside that defines the person, but the inside. What will happen to Robbie and Cat? Good question, one that may not be answered in one chapter. False gods and interference? Another good question.

PD31 has updated 'A Place to Call Home' and 'Here's to Us' and I suggest that you check them out.

Okay, on with the story.

Rating: T Language, Suggestive Themes

* * *

Chapter 35: Cow Wow Prom Part 2

Beck soon came up behind Freddie and Jade and slipped around them to eagerly give Tori a quick kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his hands on the small of her back then happily congratulated his girlfriend, "You were great."

The songsmith pulled his guitar strap over his head and set down the musical instrument in a guitar stand while he asked with a snorted out laugh, "What about me?"

Beck looked over Tori's right shoulder to look at his friend and laughed, "You want a kiss too?"

André laugh out, shook his head and waved him.

Jade had walked around the couple to give her praise to the rest of the band, especially her semi-friend the bassist Georgia that had leant her talents to her during the Full Moon Dance.

"Here," Tori handed Freddie his cup back, but the brown eyed boy looked to cup with a hesitant expression. He seriously considered getting another cup.

Jade noticed his expression while walking back to him and looping her arm with his arm. She looked to him curiously.

He quickly answered her unasked question, "I wouldn't be bothered if I didn't know where her lips had been recently."

As if to highlight his point, Tori and Beck shared another kiss.

The red skirt wearing teenager softly laughed into his ear, "You remember I kissed him for almost three years, right?"

He half rolled his eyes and countered, "I try _not_ to think about that. I doubt you think on the times I kissed Carly for those few days."

Her eyes opened a little wider and took a sudden interest in sipping her drink then whispered in return, "Point."

* * *

After everyone finished with the last of their congratulations, the couples and André made their way down the spiral staircase and were immediately met by Robbie, Heather and Dusty. The model was the first to approached them and eagerly congratulated the pair, "That was fantastic."

Tori laughed out, "Thanks."

André looked on in surprise at the white dressed girl then looked back at Jade then back to Heather as it took his mind a moment to process that he was looking at the model. He let out an embarrassed laugh, "Heather?"

She flashed him a bright smile that was an identical one to one of the smiles Jade had given to him when she recorded his song late last year. "Hi André."

His throat was caught for a moment at that sight, but quickly cleared it to answer in a polite tone, "Sorry, you just caught me off guard." He looked around to the others and curiously asked, "What did I miss?" clearly referring to the model's surprise appearance. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?"

Apparently André missed that the model was holding Dusty's hand, so she slightly lifted their joined hand to enter the songsmith's view and answered, "I'm Dustin's date."

He looked to the former webmaster with a clearly surprised expression.

Dusty returned with a boyish grin.

André asked with complete astonishment, "Your date to senior prom is _a supermodel_?"

Sinjin shouted over the L.A. immigrant's shoulder as he and Ava approached, "I asked the same thing."

Dusty looked over his shoulder for a split second then threw up his free hand and looked on dumbfounded. "Really? Is it that hard to believe that a nice, sweet girl would go to prom with me?"

André and Sinjin countered at the same time in a louder tone, "She's _a supermodel_."

Beck picked up in a laughing manner that suggested that perhaps he meant it as a joke, "And you are an admitted sexist and are pretty sanctimonious."

Dusty knotted his brow and frowned at the three.

Ava wasn't too happy with their assessment of Dusty, especially Beck's comment.

Heather looked at the school's heartthrob with a disapproving expression, losing what little benefit of the doubt she was giving him in not hearing his side of the story from him callously questioning her judgment about a guy, especially since the moment the Southern teenager had showed up at her shoot to ask her out he had been nothing but a gentleman to her.

Freddie spoke up with an equally light tone as Beck, but was clear attention getting shot at his girlfriend's ex, "Mischaracterizing someone through omission of words and distortion. That's a new low… even for _you_."

Beck turned an irritated gaze towards Freddie, but fortunately Tori spoke up, "Boys, save it for Monday; let's remember it's our prom?"

Freddie happily nodded along. "Quite right… and I can finally get to deal with that 'freak' comment too. We have plenty of dancing to get in before last dance, so I'm going to get too it."

The long haired actor didn't look happy and Freddie couldn't care less.

The tech-producer gently took Jade's hand and was about to start his way back to the dancing area, but André looked around then curiously asked, "Hey, where's Cat?"

The dark curly haired teenager timidly admitted, "She got on her bicycle and rode away."

Dusty directed a frown at Robbie and asked with a terse tone, "What did you do?"

Robbie fearfully admitted, "I kissed her and she ran away then got on her bike and peddled away."

The lean teenager nodded along then attempted to reassure him, "Now she's just playing hard to get."

The ventriloquist knotted his brow in confusion and looked up to the Southern teenager.

Freddie joined in support and patted Robbie on the shoulder, "Sorry to hear that too Rob."

Jade spoke up with a sympathetic tone, "Cat'll come around."

Robbie looked up in surprise from the unexpected support from Jade, "You really think so?"

She let out a soft breath and looked to Freddie with a hopeful expression, but he gave her an unconvinced expression. The dark brunette looked back to Robbie and answered with a surprisingly regretful voice, "I—I don't know Robbie."

The duster wearing teenager questioned with a curious looked to the group, "Is one of us going to swing by Cat's house and go get her? She's probably calmed down by now from the shock. Are we just going to let her skip out on the rest of prom?"

Robbie's mood instantly brightened at the possibility that his night with Cat could still be salvaged.

Beck asked, "Are you volunteering to go get her?"

Dusty looked at him curiously while answering, "I don't think it really matters which one of us goes to get her, just one of us does it."

The actor passed a swift glance to the identical looking girl to his ex-girlfriend then to Dusty to reply, "Don't you think your date might be a little annoyed you want to go pick up your ex-girlfriend?"

Heather's eyes opened wider and her lips slightly pursed at the revelation to her.

Dusty smirked back as casually retorted, "Don't you think that _your girlfriend_ would be a little annoyed that you're flippantly disregarding probably her best friend on prom night?"

The long haired teenager frowned in annoyance.

The tech-producer continued to Dusty in support of Tori putting off yet another confrontation, "I think we should just give Cat some space to ah… deal with her feelings. She can always get on her bicycle and ride back."

Tori nodded in agreement with her brown eyed friend. "Just let her deal…" She glanced to Robbie with a sympathetic expression.

Dusty shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll leave it to your judgment…"

"So let's get back to this hoedown," the purple jean wearing teenager eagerly agreed with a plastered smile on her face. She took Beck by the hand and started leading him to the dance floor.

The others followed them with Robbie picking up the rear looking disappointed at that outcome and started on his way to find his date.

* * *

The night went on for teenagers, sharing dances with one another, other classmates and just enjoying each others company along with the rest of the student body. Robbie was able to snap out of his sour mood for the remainder of the night and catching up with Gabriela.

Trina finally made an appearance in a particularly sexy dressed cowgirl with a fairly handsome fellow senior, Mark McCallan. He was of course known around the school as a very good kisser and to Tori as the one that got away when Trina had 'jacked her date' when the older sister had answered her phone while she was in the shower. Trina had missed that opportunity for a date due to having to get her wisdom teeth pulled, but apparently he was willing to give her another chance a year later.

Trina was quite proud of whom she had snagged for her prom date. Unfortunately, apparently she got on his nerves fairly quickly and attempted to avoid her as much as he could get away with without her noticing with frequent trips to the food table, restroom and politely accepting dances from other girls. The older Vega sister didn't seem to notice the last part as Freddie, Dusty and grudgingly André would dance with her in turn during those occasions.

The prom was winding down to about the last half hour as Dalton, the current TheSlap webmaster, took his position behind the microphone at the second level of the café.

There were a series of boos directed at him from various spots in the crowd with someone going so far to shout up at him, "You suck emo boy!"

He frowned down at the crown, but pushed on by announcing with a forced smile, "I'm proud to announce the results of this year's vote on Prom King and Queen." He brought up his red PearPad and tapped it to bring up the results. He uttered without a thought as he looked at the screen, "What?!"

The crowd looked on him with curiosity as he stood there looking at the results but refused to read it.

"Just read it already!" another student shouted in frustration.

The dark haired webmaster cleared his throat as he felt as he was going to choke on his words and visibly looked paler, "According to your votes, this year's Prom King and Queen are Dustin 'Dusty' Hale and Ava Cohen!"

A knot of students (suspiciously made up almost exclusively as Slap members) instantly started cheering at the news.

Ava laughed and instantly covered her mouth with both her hands trying to hold back a squeal. The others around her immediately congratulated her while Sinjin looked on in surprise. He took a few moments to gather enough wits to congratulate her.

A few paces away Dusty whispered in an instant, "I demand a recount."

Heather raised a corner of her mouth in a half smile and countered, "You won; you don't demand a recount."

He looked to her with an astonished face and repeated in a desperate tone, "I still want a recount."

The pale model let out a soft laugh at his comical response.

The prom court separately approached the pair and started leading them to the café and up to the second level to the continued cheers of the entire body.

Once the pair reached the second story platform, Dusty took his cowboy hat off of his head and a lovely junior placed a crown on top of his head.

A handsome junior at the same time was placing a tiara on Ava's head.

After placing the crowns on their heads, they directed the pair to the microphone to speak.

Dalton frowned at the L.A immigrant and Dusty smirked and gave a dismissive wink at his replacement then turned to the microphone.

A silence fell over the student body as they waited for their Prom King to speak. He gave them a guarded expression and looked over them for a moment as if they were his subjects. He noticed a particular group of students in the crowd together cheering the loudest as TheSlap crew. He spotted the cute curly haired blonde that was member of Robbie's Robarazzi crew when she was a freshman. She was one of the ones that Dusty had kept on and not maneuvered out of the club (photoshopping giant bottles of ketchup in André's hand was a little to close to watermelon and fried chicken and had no use for people like them) as he saw her along with the rest of the freshmen as impressionable kids that didn't seem to know any better.

She gave him a knowing wink which he curious thought on for a moment, but didn't have time to really contemplate the meaning.

He pushed up with his left pointer and middle finger against the side of the crown to tilt it at an angle to rest on his head then motioned to Ava on his left and commented with a 'big ham' of a voice, "In the spirit of some famous words by the deadite hunter Ash Williams: 'Hail to the queen baby'!"

The crowd only paused for a split of a second then burst into cheer, clapping and hollering out in support of their queen. Someone in the crowd started chanting, so followed by others, "Hail Queen Ava! Hail Queen Ava! Hail Queen Ava!"

Ava sniffled as a few tears rolled down her cheeks being moved by the support. She had to cover her mouth for a moment to help hold back the emotions.

Dusty stepped away from the microphone and let Ava have his place. She took several moments to gather herself then started with a strained voice, "Thank you, ah… I don't know what to say other than that. I never thought that I would be a prom queen." She stepped away from the microphone as she couldn't think of anything more to say.

Dusty boyishly grinned at the brunette and asked with a charming voice to fit the occasion, "So we get another dance?"

She softly laughed, "I guess we do. Got to put on a show for them." She daintily offered her hand to him and he took it to lead her back down the spiral staircase.

The crowd parted for the 'royalty' so they could take the center of the designated dance area then the DJ started playing a slow dance song for the pair.

Dusty placed a hand on the small of her back and clasped her left hand into his right palm. She slightly bowed her head to hide her embarrassed smile. He whispered, "You look very lovely tonight, my queen."

She softly bit the bottom and softly blushed from the compliment.

Sinjin stood among the circle of students watching their king and queen and frowned at the sight, not pleased at all with what he was seeing.

Jade noticed the expression and resisted the urge to smack him upside of his head… then failed and smacked the back of his head.

He grabbed the back of his head and rubbed it as he turned to her, his feelings of complete shock on his face.

Freddie looked wide eyed as well at seeing his girlfriend's action.

She coldly eyed the glasses wearing teenager as she whispered with an impatient tone, "You got your girl back because _of him_. Don't be such a gank about it."

He looked down embarrassingly and continued to rub the back of his head.

Heather had overheard the exchange and looked on with mild astonishment at Jade and Sinjin then to the pair on the dance floor.

The song finished and the dancing area filled back up with students to get in a few last dances before it ended. The royal couple separated with Dusty catching up with Heather and Sinjin pulled Ava out to the floor for a dance.

As the final minutes of the prom winded down, the group of friends along with the royals and their respective dates gathered around their usual lunch table (which was covered with a checkered table cloth).

Freddie playfully picked, "How's the crown?"

Dusty smirked as he held the side of the crown. He answered with a sly tone, "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown."

Jade commented, "Henry the Forth."

He chuckled, "You know your Shakespeare?"

She grinned while answering, "I'm dedicated to my profession."

André commented, "I hear Karaoke Dokie is staying open late to have an after party. Does anyone want to go?"

Freddie quickly answered, "I think that's a great idea, finish this night together. I could grab a midnight meal."

The others started to quickly agree: Jade looked down at her phone and commented, "I'll call mom." While Beck regretfully pointed out, "I was supposed to have Tori home by midnight."

Trina looked to her sister with a perplexed expression, "Dad didn't give me a curfew."

Freddie resisted the urge to speak the first thing that came to his mind: _'That's because he doesn't love you'_. However, he decided for a more diplomatic approach, well at least for the Vega sister, "Maybe he's still getting use to Beck with Tori and has his concerns? You know fathers: always overprotective of their daughters."

Beck snapped his head and gave Freddie a sharp look.

"But that doesn't explain me," she nearly whined.

The tech-producer struggled for an answer for a second then hesitantly continued, "Because… you're eighteen and he's trying to respect you as an adult now. That's quite a step for a dad to accept his little girl growing up."

Trina put on a self-assured smile from Freddie's conclusion while Tori was on her phone speaking to her father.

The younger sister blew out an annoyed breath while brushing so hair behind her left ear. "But dad—"

Freddie motioned over the take the phone and suggested, "Let me talk to him." Tori handed him the phone and he quickly held it up to his ear. He started with a jolly tone, "Hey Mister Vega, it's Freddie. I was just calling to let you know that we were all going to grab a late dinner at Karaoke Dokie." He paused for a second to listen to Mister Vega then looked to Beck. He continued, "No sir, she won't be alone with Beck; we're all going."

Beck frowned at the tech-producer.

Freddie shrugged his shoulders and looked back to the taller teenager with an expression questioning how would he want him to respond to Tori's father? The tech-producer continued, "Okay, we shouldn't be out too long… yes sir. We'll have a nice time. Talk to you later." He pressed the end call button then handed the phone to Tori. He turned to Beck and chuckled, "I guess he likes me."

Dusty wanted to say something sarcastic, but thought better of it and pointed out the obvious to him, "Then if we're going, I'm going to go pick up Cat."

Everyone gave him perplexed expressions.

He innocently looked back at them. "What? We're going to an after party and no one wants to see if she wants to come? Why am I having to be the one to think about this?"

Robbie quickly agreed, "Dusty's right. Cat's night shouldn't be ruined because of me."

Dusty glanced to him and wanted to point out that he wasn't going to get Cat just so the ventriloquist could get a second chance tonight but stopped himself.

Jade spoke up, "You go pick up Cat—if she'll come—and Heather can ride with us. You'll just meet up with us at Karaoke Dokie." She looked to her physical twin to see if she was alright with such a suggestion.

Heather laughed, "Riding in two classic cars in one night? Sounds great to me."

Mark decided that he was ready to call it a night, saying he had church in the morning. Trina accepted the answer, but the others were not so keen on buying the explanation, however no one saw the point in contradicting him.

The group started their way to cut through the school to their respective vehicles. Trina wandered over to Freddie as they walked and whispered to him, "You didn't have to pretend with me Freddie."

"Maybe not, but it wasn't everyone else's business either."

She smiled and muttered, "Thanks." She surprised him with a soft kiss on his cheek.

Valentine Residence

Dusty had left the duster and cowboy hat in his back seat and pulled out the hem his white button shirt out from being tucked into his jeans. He finished rolling his second sleeve to his elbow as he reached the door. The time was close to eleven thirty when he tapped the doorbell and waited for about a minute until the front door opened to reveal Cat's older brother, Frankie. He casually greeted the older Valentine sibling, "Hey Frankie."

The older Valentine sibling looked to Southern teenager with a surprise expression. "Dusty?"

"Yeah…" He passed a quick glance up and down the mid-twenty something young man and finished, "You look pretty good man."

He let out a soft chuckle, "Thanks, I feel good. What are you doing here?"

Dusty thumbed over his shoulder to his car and answered, "We're all meeting at Karaoke Dokie for an after prom meal. She ditched out earlier in the evening and we didn't want her to miss out, so I'm picking her up."

Frankie nodded then stepped aside to allow him to enter. He motioned up the stairs and commented, "She's in her room."

Dusty gave him a polite nod then trotted up the stairs. Once he reached the second floor and stopped at Cat's door, he softly knocked.

"_Come in!"_ he heard from the other side of the door.

Dusty pushed open the door to see Cat sitting cross-legged on her bed, having changed into a pair of pink pajamas, and typing away at her laptop. He snorted out a laugh as he looked up and around, "I haven't been in here in a while."

She looked up from the PearBook with a surprised expression. "Dusty? What are you doing here?"

He smirked as he answered, "We're all meeting up for an after prom dinner and I'm here to pick you up. We can't leave out 'Little Red' in wrapping up the night. That's what Harris calls you, right?"

"'Kay, 'kay…" she answered happily at first, but her second ''kay' was considerably down beaten. She let a bashful frown form on her face then glanced down to the bed comforter. She asked with a quiet voice, "Will Robbie be there?"

"Yeah, but he's not going to kiss you again if you don't want him too. I'm going to be there, Freddie's going to be there and Harris. You have nothing to worry about…"

She nodded her head and looked back to her laptop, apparently relieved.

"…but that raises the question: Why did you bolt on Shapiro? You two looked happy sitting together and holding his hand."

Her purple stuffed giraffe Mister Purples was sitting next to her and she pulled the stuffed animal to her chest and continued to look down at the bed, refusing to answer him.

He nodded for a second and put on a regretful smile. He walked over to have a seat in her desk chair then commented with a light tone, "Okay… Cat… you're either an idiot or a tease."

She snapped her head up to look at him with a flabbergasted expression.

He nodded and casually continued, "Yeah, I said it. You obviously like Shapiro and tried to make him jealous. You stole Van Cleef away from Ava for a dance solely to get his attention and now that you got his attention, you go run off? Talk about giving the boy mixed signals."

She knotted her brow and shouted back with a surprisingly harsh tone, "That's rich coming from you that would dance around about making a move on me after we broke up when you were clearly interested then you go toying with Ava."

He countered without hesitation, but with a little annoyance filtering into his voice, "I gave you a chance to be honest with me again before the whole Evan thing blew up in your face and you closed up and kept this act up. You were the one that couldn't or wouldn't be honest with me. There was nothing on my end about mixed signals. I never led you or Ava on."

A little bit of the old Cat before Kenan's party filtered into her voice, "So what did you do with her for all those weeks?"

"Be her friend."

She raised an eyebrow and asked with a far less childlike voice she had adapted over the last year, "Really?"

He countered with a slight smirk, "Who did she go to prom with? You think that was an _accident_?"

She challenged in return, "So you don't like her?"

He slightly tilted his head to the side and replied, "I don't think that's any of your business either way."

The brown eyed young lady frowned and looked back down at her open laptop.

Dusty relaxed back in his chair and blew out a brew. He asked with a solemn tone, "What's it going to be Cat? Are you going to keep this game up or are you going to find the courage and tell him you like him."

She frowned at him with a harsh glare as she snapped back, "Maybe I don't like him that way."

He knotted his eyebrows and harshly challenged, "Bullshit."

She frowned at him and furled her brow in a disapproving expression at his language.

"Regardless of how screwed up he is, you still like him enough to try to get him jealous." He took a step forward and held out his hands cupped together in front of her. "He is being handed to you on a silver platter. All you have to do is take it and be happy. It's that simple."

She stared back up at him, but put up a guarded expression.

They maintained the staring contest for a few moments until Dusty shook his head and blew out a breath.

He continued with a sad tone, "Fine, if you're still sorting out your feelings for Shapiro then that's that, but in the meantime you can't pull that jealousy play again, especially trying to use _other girls'_ guys in the process. It's disrespectful to Shapiro, the other guy, the other girl and especially to you."

She understood the sadness, but she didn't miss the underlining warning to her in the last part of his statement. The idea to be on the other side of a line with Dusty was not a place she wanted to find herself on if his reaction to Jade weeks ago was typical.

"In the meantime, are you in or out about going to Karaoke Dokie? We're burning moonlight and I have a very lovely sweet girl waiting on me."

Karaoke Dokie

André eagerly entered the restaurant with the rest of the group following, apparently quite hungry after not really getting to eat anything solid since his lunch break at work a good six hours ago. Freddie, Beck and Sinjin escorted their respective girlfriends by the arm. Heather followed and adjusted Dusty's grey hooded black leather jacket on her shoulders that he had given her to wear before leaving to pick up Cat (he had packed in the back seat of his car just in case). Despite it being a May night in the City of Angels, the night air was particularly chilly and he had given it to her to cover her bare arms, shoulders and upper back. He would have giving her the duster, but it was just too bulky and awkward for the model to comfortably wear. Robbie and Trina brought up the rear, much to the older Vega sister's annoyance of having to walk with the ventriloquist.

The group of friends pushed two tables together and decided to sit in a semi-circle on one side so they could all look at the stage. Tori and Beck of course paired off together at one table while Jade and Freddie paired off at the other table. Sinjin and Ava sat at the right end of right table. Heather took a seat on Jade's left and Robbie sat next to the model. The raven haired model gave him a passing glance to signal that she expected him to move when Dusty arrived. Trina slightly frowned that she had to sit between Robbie and her sister. She would have much preferred to sit next to Heather so she could discuss modeling possibilities and opportunities.

The place was packed with other Hollywood Arts students and there was already a pair of students on the stage performing karaoke.

A waiter approached the group and quickly took their order of drinks and some went ahead and ordered their meal, already knowing what they wanted. Freddie suggested a couple of things to Heather and she decided to try the buffalo nuggets.

As they waited for their food, the group broke up into separate conversations with one another or watched their classmates sing. Heather hesitantly asked her twin with a soft tone in the hopes no one would overhear her, "Could you clarify some things for me?"

Jade took a quick sip from her drink then answered, "Sure."

"So Cat is Dustin's ex-girlfriend?"

The actress gave a hesitant nod and slowly answered, "Yes. They dated for a week at the end of last summer before school started, but it didn't work out."

She slightly knotted her brow while continuing, "Do you know why they broke up?"

"Ah… why do you ask?" the future musical superstar countered with a sudden uneasy feeling washing over her at talking about her friends' failed relationship.

Heather glanced to her drink realizing that Jade was hesitant talking about a relationship involving her friend, however she continued in a forced casual voice, "He's going out of his way to go pick up his ex-girlfriend… I was just wondering if he still had some feelings for her."

Jade realized at that instant the motivation behind the girl's questioning and felt the need to defend her friend and reassure her at the same time, "What I learned the hard way in regards to Dusty is that he cares without reservation or how it looks to other people. He had some lingering romantic feelings for Cat after they broke up, which he never hid, but he clearly moved on from Cat a while ago as someone he could be with."

The dark haired twin nodded and put on a rather hastily guarded expression (which Jade could see through) and turned back to her drink.

Jade leaned over and whispered to her twin, "Why did you say yes to him? Why does a supermodel go out with some random high school student?"

She took a sip from her drink then smiled to her apparent twin. "He seemed pretty friendly and genuine when I met him. You have to admit he was a sweetheart to your brother with that story. I guess I'm a softy for sweet guys." She shrugged a shoulder and timidly continued, "And… he's my type: he's confident, yet he can be bashful in a cute way, he's funny and he's sweet and he's been far more mature than most guys I deal with our age."

Jade snorted out a laugh and raised her brow as she agreed, "I couldn't agree with you more on the mature part. Freddie's a bit of a child when it comes to his Galaxy Wars and all his nerdy geeky stuff, but for the important stuff… I really don't know how I could do better. I can always count on him to be by my side."

The darker haired girl timidly replied with a hint of a regret lacing her voice, "That must be real nice. The 'glamorous life' really can be lonely…"

After the food arrived, the group continued to chat among themselves about school in general and what they liked about the prom. Trina had forced Robbie to switch seats with her so she could speak to Heather about how the older Vega sister would make a fantastic model. Heather politely listened at Trina making her pitch about with Jade fortunately interrupting at times to get Trina to ease back without being too rude.

A few minutes after that Dusty and Cat walked into the restaurant. The redhead had changed into casual clothes and Robbie's face lit up when he saw her.

Freddie happily commented, "Glad you could make it."

Cat grinned at Freddie then bashfully smiled at Robbie when the pair met each others eyes. The pair walked around behind Tori and Beck to have a seat next to André. Heather noticed that the ventriloquist couldn't keep the grin off of his face while Cat started stealing shy glances at Robbie.

While the model was processing that Cat was keeping her attention to Robbie, Trina took the hint from Dusty's glance and scooted into the seat Robbie had just vacated to sit next to her sister. Dusty took Trina's seat to sit next to Heather and smiled to his date as he got comfortable. It was a tight fit for everyone, but they were able for the most part sit on one side and the edges of the pushed together tables to comfortably look at the stage.

The lean teenager asked the model, "Enjoying the midnight meal?"

She was pulled from her distraction and gave him an awkward laugh. She nodded her head. "Yeah. Freddie was right about the buffalo nuggets."

"Good, but I hope you don't forget about dessert."

"I won't. I love my chocolate."

Dusty smirked as a sign of pride of her attitude and she returned with a bashful smile.

Jade slightly leaned across past Heather and curiously asked the Carolinian, "What did you do to get Cat here?"

He shrugged a shoulder and casually answered, "I called her out as either being an idiot or a flirt and it pissed her off."

The dark brunette's eyes shot opened when she realized that he was telling her the truth.

"She needed a swift kick either way, especially when trying to use other girls' guys to get him jealous then running away."

She raised her pierced eyebrow to him and lightly commented, "Giving a second one in week and a day?"

He smirked and answered just before taking a sip from his glass, "I guess the cupids are on vacation in the City of Angels this week, but… she's wants to play hard to get with Shapiro that is her business, but she can't draw other people into in mess with their relationships… especially since I just got them back together. I had to draw the line for her. I don't want her to hurt other people or herself and that's how it would have turned out if she continued."

Jade nodded in acceptance of his reasoning.

Heather gave her date a half smile with a sense of self-assurance.

Dusty looked over his shoulder and raised a finger to attract a waiter to get a drink and order his meal.

Burf was one of the teenagers enjoying the after party and decided to take his turn on stage. He took the microphone and began, "This is a short song that I think still fits with one of the themes we've had tonight. They can't exactly play Kid Rock's 'Cowboy' to fit the theme, but this is one of my favorites. I'm going to have to sing it 'a capella'."

The crowd looked on curiously as Burf clapped his hand against the side of the microphone then started off, _"Just the good ol' boys… never meanin' no harm."_

Dusty excitedly picked up from his seat, drawing the attention of those seated around him, _"Beats all you ever saw. Been in trouble with the law since the day they were born!"_

Burf pointed to him with a laugh, _"Staightnin' the curves." _

Dusty jumped up from his seat to join him on stage then picked up a spare a microphone and took the next line while looking at Burf, _"Flatnin' the hills!"_

The pair joined as they turned to each look at one side of the crowd, _"Someday the mountain might get 'em but the law never will!"_

Burf took over, _"Makin' their way, the only way they know how!"_

Dusty brought his pointer and thumb close together and winked to Heather as he sang the next line, _"That's just a little bit more than the law will allow!" _

The raven haired model softly bit her bottom lip then glanced down at the table with a hint of blush forming on her cheeks.

_"Makin' their way, makin' their way, the only way they know how!"_

Dusty echoed Burf with a wide sweep of his right hand, _"The only way they know how!"_

Burf laughed as he scanned the audience that was surprisingly getting into the song, _"That's just a little bit more than the law will allow."_

Dusty glanced to the HA clique, _"Just the good ol' boys… wouldn't change if they could!"_

The afro wearing teenager bellowed out, _"Fightin' the system like a true modern day Robin Hood!"_

Dusty finished in a slower tone and purposely drawing out his thicker Southern accent, _"I'm a good ol' boy. You know my momma loves me, but she don't understand they keep a showin' my hands and not my face on TV!"_

The pair took a bow to the crowd that burst into cheer, apparently liking the duet.

Dusty trotted down from the stage and walked around the table to reclaim his seat.

Heather wrapped an arm around Dusty's shoulders and laughed, "You didn't say you could sing."

He boyishly grinned while innocently answering, "Yeah well… my mother had the voice of an angel, so I try not to show up everyone else. It's not a fair competition."

Freddie shook his head and rolled his eyes at hearing the explanation.

The group continued to chat, eat and watch other HA students perform. Robbie and Cat seemed to be talking without too much nervousness, apparently avoiding the subject of his kiss. The respective couples enjoyed their conversations, while André and Trina seemed to be the odd ones outs, but that didn't stop them. They each went out to talk to mingle with the rest of their classmates. The impromptu couple for the prom easily was comfortable with one another with Heather not hesitating to lean against to him when she wanted to whisper something to him.

About twenty minutes later, Jade spoke up, "I have a song that I'd like to sing." She gave Freddie a quick kiss on the cheek then stood up from her seat. She approached the DJ and he queued up her requested song.

Jade walked to the stage and took a seat on the stool behind the microphone, crossed her legs and adjusted her red skirt over her knees. She flashed a smile to Freddie then she looked out across the filled restaurant and softly started off, "_You won't find him drinking at the tables. Rolling dice and staying out 'til three. You won't ever find him being unfaithful. You will find him, you'll find him next to me._"

She looked across the crowd and rested her left fist over her heart. _"You won't find him trying to chase the Devil for money, fame, for power, out of grief. You won't ever find him where the rest go. You will find him, you'll find him next to me."_

She lifted her left hand and slightly tilted her head up as she picked up her volume, _"Next to me wooh hooo, next to me wooh hooo, next to me ooooh. You will find him, you'll find him next to me."_

She glanced to Freddie as she continued with the audience starting to clap along, _"When the money's spent and all my friends have vanished and I can't seem to find no help or love for free. I know there's no need for me to panic cause I'll find him, I'll find him next to me."_

"_When the skies are grey and all the doors are closing and the rising pressure makes it hard to breathe. Well, all I need is a hand to stop the tears from falling. I will find him, will find him next to me."_

She looked over the crowd as she continued, _"Next to me wooh hooo, next to me wooh hooo, next to me wooh hooo. You will find him, you'll find him next to me."_

"_When the end has come and buildings falling down fast. When we spoilt the land and dried up all the sea. When everyone has lost their heads around us, you will find him, you'll find him next to me."_

A smile played across her face as she sung the course, _"Next to me ooooh, next to me ooooh, next to me ooooh. You will find him, you'll find him next to me." _

The dark brunette turned her attention back to Freddie. _"Never in my life have I met someone like him. I'm blown away by his love for me. If you ever wonder where it is you'll find him, you will find him, you will find him next to me."_

Beck slightly frowned at the possible dig in his direction while Freddie grinned at his blue eye girl.

"_Next to me ooooh, next to me ooooh, next to me ooooh. You will find him, you'll find him next to me." _

She softly finished with a solemn tone,_ "You will find him, you'll find him next to me." _

She softly smiled to the crowd once she finished and the Hollywood Arts clique shot up from their seats and started clapping. The other patrons immediately joined in the cheering.

Jade looked to Freddie with a hint of a smile.

He softly chuckled as he continued to clap.

Vega Residence  
Hollywood Hills  
Los Angeles, CA

The time was just after one in the morning as Beck pulled the GTO into the Vega driveway to take both Vega sisters home since Mark had been Trina's ride. Trina considerately called out from the backseat, "I'll give you two some privacy." She leaned forward and turned her head so she could whisper into Beck's left ear and away from Tori, "Don't you put your hands anywhere she doesn't want them to go or I'm going to take my dad's taser to your little Beck."

Beck's eyes shot open wide and his jaw slightly slacked.

Tori knotted her brow in confusion to her boyfriend's reaction to what she didn't hear.

"I'll see you in a few minutes Tor," her sister happily called out as she slipped out of the back seat and out of the vehicle.

The younger sibling shook her head from the oddity of what just happened then happily commented, "Tonight was fantastic."

He shook off the older Vega sister's threat and put on his boyish smile. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. You were fantastic performing."

She playfully bowed her head. "Thank you."

He leaned in and intended to steal a quick kiss, but Tori shot up her hand and cupped the back of his neck to hold him in place for her to deepen the kiss. Beck eyes shot open in surprise from feeling the tip of her tongue cross his lips then push through. He didn't argue and parted his mouth somewhat in realizing that she enjoyed French kissing.

They exchanged kisses like that for about a minute or so until the flicker of the front porch light cutting off and on caught their attention. The pair pulled back to see Trina and Mister Vega standing at the open front door. Her older sister had a grin on her face as her hand was inside the home where Tori assumed she was the one playing with the light with their father's approval.

Tori idly commented with a grin, "I guess it's time for me to go."

"Yeah, but let me walk you to your door."

"Of course."

The couple exited the vehicle and Tori without thought put her hat back on top of her head as they made their way to the door.

Trina winked at her sister then turned to head inside while Mister Vega forced a smile at seeing Beck.

"'Night," Tori whispered then quickly pecked Beck on the lips.

He smirked to her and answered in a playful tone, "Goodnight."

He politely waved at Mister Vega as he turned to head back to his car and the lovely teenager went inside.

The police detective blew out a breath and shook his head as he stepped back inside and closed the door behind him.

Valentine Residence

Robbie walked Cat to her door as he had been able to borrow his father's car for prom and was able to give her a ride home. Cat placed a soft kiss on his cheek and the curly haired teenager let out a nervous laugh.

The redhead sweetly commented, "I'll see you Monday."

Robbie eagerly nodded along.

Cat turned to head inside, but the door opened to reveal Mister Valentine. He saw Robbie grinning ear to ear gave Robbie a curious expression with one corner of his mouth raised.

"Hi Daddy," the girl cheerfully greeted her father then placed a kiss on his cheek before dashing inside.

Mister Valentine smiled as he commented with flat toned voice, "Goodnight, Robbie."

He shut the door just as Robbie answered, "'Night Mister Valentine," but he didn't care, he got to salvage his night with spending it with Cat.

* * *

In another part of the city, the cherry red Mustang pulled in front of the surprisingly modest home for the supermodel. The front porch light was on, signaling that someone was waiting up for her.

Dusty snorted out a laugh, "Well here you are, safe and sound."

Heather nodded her head slightly as she met his eyes and nervously commented, "Yeah, safe and sound. I had a great time."

He boyishly smiled in return. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

The pair stopped in a slightly awkward silence as they both broke eye contact.

He tried to let out a disarming laugh, but it was clear to both that it was filled with awkwardness, "I guess… I guess I'll see you around on TV and magazi—"

He was cut off with her cupping his left cheek, turning his head to face her and placing a soft kiss on his lips. His eyes shot open in surprise from the pleasant contact.

She pulled back a few moments later and met equally shocked, wide opened eyes from her action. She broke the silence with a nervous barely audible whisper, "Call me." She palmed a piece of paper into his right hand then pulled away, opened the door, stepped out of car. She pulled off his jacket to set in the passenger seat then closed the door and headed towards her front door while putting her cowboy hat back on her head.

Dusty's eyes shot open and he jaw slightly slacked as he watched the retreating form of the model. She looked over her shoulder and gave him a bashful smile with a tip of her hat.

He looked down at the piece of paper and saw her name with a heart on each side and a phone number under the name. Once he shook off the shock, he did the most logical course of action: he immediately pulled out his PearPhone and stored the number while trying to memorize the number as quickly as possible.

West Residence

Freddie blew out a breath as he stared up at the ceiling and spread out on his bed. He had changed into an athletic undershirt and pajama bottoms as quickly as possible as he had been a very long day for him since he had put in an almost an eight hour workday before going to prom and he was completely exhausted. He was looking to a good night sleep, but the night wasn't over.

Jade crawled onto the bed from the foot of it until she reached his lower abdomen and straddled it. She smiled down at her muscular boyfriend as she rested her hands on her bare thighs as she was wearing some very short sleeping shorts (apparently pulling a page out of Cat's choice of sleepwear). Her nightwear was completed with one of his old grey Penny Tees (Kazu's Toro) and he could easily tell from the chilly temperature of the room that she wasn't wearing anything underneath the shirt.

He rested his hands on top of her hands and smiled back at her.

They remained silent, each quite comfortable in their position and just enjoying the closeness and perhaps in the back of their respective minds how easily in their position they could start to make love.

The dark brunette, minus her hair extensions, was the first to break the silence and whispered down to him, "I love you Freddie Benson."

"I love you too Jade West."

She broke into a full blown grin and leaned forward to cup his cheeks and place a chaste kiss on his lips. She slipped down to his left and cuddled up to him.

He lifted up just slightly so he could reach down just enough to grab the sheet and pulled it over them. Once he covered both of them with the light blue sheet, he placed a kiss on the crown of her head. A smile played on his lips as he whispered, "This is how you end prom night… with the person you love."

She softly laughed, "Yes it is."

The couple contently drifted off to sleep in each others arms.

Shay Apartment  
Seattle, WA  
Sunday, May 13, 2012

Carly brushed her bed-hair out of her face as she walked back into her room after going down stairs to get a morning cup of coffee. She wasn't much up for company this morning and preferred if possible to spend the entire day in her room and block out the outside world other than what she let in online. She looked her door behind her as she didn't want anyone to bother her. Sam would have to kick the door down if she wanted inside and unless it was some kind of an emergency, Sam wouldn't dare do that at this point and be at the wrong end of the dark headed girl's wrath.

She turned on her dual flat-screen monitor/television to go online and immediately a web-chat request flashed on the center of her screen. She looked at the screen name and was a little shock by the identity, but her curiosity was instantly peaked and overrode her feeling of ignoring everyone today. She accepted the request and a few moments later, the Southern teenager appeared on the screen.

The brunette let out a surprise laugh, "Dusty?"

The bed-headed boy grinned back at the lovely web-celebrity and answered with a cheerful voice, "Hello my favorite celebrity."

"Hi. This is a nice surprise. How are you?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing, but since you asked first… I am doing quite well."

She teased, "So prom was good?"

He let out a chuckle, "You know about prom…" He trailed off then forced another chuckle out, "Right… Pretty Boy." He put on a bright grin and continued, "It was great. I had a great time, got to dance with a lot of pretty girls. I even took a beautiful, sweet girl with me as a date… she gave her phone number and told me to call her as I was dropping her off at her house and I still have my virginity at the end of the night, so it worked out pretty good for me."

She let out a giggle at his words and his nonchalant manner in which he delivered them, but then the dark brunette knotted her brow. "So wait, you didn't go with Ava?"

He bowed his head slightly and cleared his throat. He looked back up and casually answered, "No, I didn't; she went with Van Cleef. They are patching things up. Why the assumption?"

"Because Eva is certainly under the impression that Ava dropped Sinjin and you two are an item, you just won't admit it."

His eyes shot opened and he took a deep breath.

"You made an impression on her during Spring Break and she's talked about you, but I guess now Eva can't give you a call,"

"I ah… I don't know how to respond to that."

"I guess it depend if you're going to give your prom date a call back."

He let out a soft laugh and nodded his head, "I'm calling her back; I'm just trying to figure out when exactly I should call… too early makes me sound desperate, too late makes it look like she's just an afterthought and that's not the impression I want to give her." He let out a laugh and slapped his forehead with the palm of his right hand. "Duh… I'll simply call her and ask when I should call her."

Carly slightly frowned and darted her eyes back and forth as she narrowed them. "Ah Dusty… but you have to call her in the first place."

"I know. It's just so crazy it _might_ work; besides I'm too literal for all these 'love games'. I save that stuff for my dad, Mister Casanova."

She nodded along and smiled doubtfully. "Okay… good luck with that."

"Thanks."

The pair fell into a comfortable silence for a moment then Carly asked her surprise web visitor, "What's with the call? It's kind of out of the blue."

His face fell into a serious expression and answered with a solemn tone, "I just wanted to… Happy Mother's Day… as only people like us can wish it."

She took in a breath and started clearing her throat as she felt the sudden upsurge of emotion. She sniffled without realizing it then cracked a soft smile. "Thanks."

He nodded.

She took a deep breath the put on a brighter smile and continued, "So what's her name if you don't mind me asking?"

If she wanted to change the subject, he was more than happy to do it as they each dealt with this day in their own way. "Hoping to tease out some kind of juicy details?"

She let out a giddy laugh, "Absolutely, I want to know everything about this girl and what happened at prom with everyone."

He lifted a corner of his mouth and with a little bit of smugness answered, "Her name is Heather and she's a very nice and sweet girl."

"Heather? That's a lovely name…" She slightly turned her head and softly smirked then inquisitively questioned, "Wait? We're not talking about Heather as in…"

He innocently grinned.

"No, really, you…" Her eyes shot open as she asked in disbelief, "You went to prom with _a supermodel_?"

He leaned back in his chair and threw his hands out. He laughed incredulously, "Why does everyone keep being surprised that she would go with me? Am I actually repulsive to girls without knowing it?"

"No, you are quite the handsome and sweet guy, but… she's a supermodel and… she looks just like Jade. You don't find that a little weird?"

He lifted his eyes slightly to look at the ceiling and raised his chin as if he was contemplating something then calmly answered, "I guess if I only cared about surface appearances." He rolled his eyes and sarcastically commented, "Yeah, a guy caring about a supermodel least long just any other girl's personality." He looked back at the soft brown eyes and finished with a laugh, "I must be nuts."

Carly softly smiled and recalled what Jade had told her during their trip to Build-A-Bra. "No, I don't think it's nuts."

He gave a polite nod.

She raised her hands and eagerly demanded in a playful manner, "Now, give me the deets on _everything_."

West Residence

Mrs. West took a deep breath as she stirred from her sleep and rolled over onto her back at hearing her daughter's voice, "Happy Mother's Day mom."

She brushed the hair out of her face then blinked several times to see her daughter on her right and Freddie standing at the end of her bed, both still dressed in their sleepwear.

Jade took a seat on the edge of the bed she smile and pulled her mother into a hug.

Ruby returned the hug and gave a soft kiss to her cheek. "Thanks honey."

She released her daughter so the pale teenager could retake her seat on the edge of the bed.

Mrs. West pulled her legs to her and crossed them while fully sitting up. She looked to Freddie still holding the tray and giving a timid smile. "Breakfast in bed? It was late night for you two."

Freddie cracked a soft smile and admitted with a hint of tiredness in his voice, "Yes ma'am it was and…" He glanced to Jade as he continued, "…as much as I would have loved to sleep in…" He looked back to Mrs. West as he finished, "…we had more important things to do: I had to make sure my gift and flowers made it to my mom in time and have a nice talk this morning before she went to church and I had to fix you breakfast."

He had a seat on the opposite side of the bed to Jade and sat the tray in front of the matriarch.

"I appreciated it Freddie, but you didn't have to do this."

Freddie smiled and solemnly explained, "Over all these months you've been a second mother to me. I thought it was only appropriate to do something for you. I don't know how many mothers would have let a boy she barely knew just move in and welcome him into her home or get them a car then restore it and all the other things you've done for me over the last year."

She smirked while answering with a toying tone, "Well, you had a lot of things going for you… Steven likes you, Taylor would have liked you… my daughter loves you."

"And we do get a nice monthly check from you each month for rent," Jade playfully pointed out.

Ruby softly retorted, "That was only to give him a sense of independence and not wholly charity on my part and I still need to give you some of it back."

Freddie looked to her with a curious expression.

"You never thought it was odd that before you turned eighteen and I was your legal guardian that I could actually charge you rent?"

He looked to Jade with an astonished expression.

She let out a soft chuckle. "I have it as a nice little nest egg for you."

He shook his head as the thought never occurred to him during the entire mess of the last year.

Ruby took a sip from her coffee while he was caught up in his thoughts. She closed her eyes and blew out a soft breath from her nose. She whispered out, "God, this is some good coffee."

Freddie snorted out a laugh at seeing where his girlfriend got her coffee addiction.

After Mrs. West finished her breakfast, (with Jade stealing the occasional piece of food from the tray) the three made their way down the stairs.

The first thing Mrs. West noticed as she reached the kitchen was two bouquets of flowers sitting on the kitchen island.

Jade explained pointing to the various colored roses, "That is our set, but—" She pointed to the blue carnations arrangement as she finished, "—those arrived just before we came up top give you breakfast."

Mrs. West walked to the kitchen island and pulled the card out of the second arrangement.

Freddie cautiously asked while she read the message inside the card, "From Mister West?"

The matriarch looked up from the card and directed a small smile to the extended house guest. "No, they're from Steven."

The tech-producer gave a respectful nod.

Jade glanced away. She wondered if all the other flowers her mother received on previous Mother's Days were from her father or from Colonel Shay. It would fit in with all the other flowers her mother received every year on her birthday and Christmas. Deep down she knew the answer, but even after all this time with her strained relationship with her father, it wasn't a pleasant conclusion to draw.

Freddie drew Jade out of her thoughts as he continued speaking to her mother, "We thought we'd take you out and treat you today. We have you scheduled for a nice day spa session to just relax then we're going to spoil you with a nice lunch then this afternoon your mom and dad are coming for a visit."

Ruby smiled at the couple for the thoughtfulness of the day and gave an accepting nod. "Thank you, but before we get this day going, I need to make a phone call."

Mount Pleasant Cemetery  
700 West Raye Street  
Seattle, WA  
Sunday, May 13, 2012

Spencer took a deep breath and looked down at the familiar headstone.

_Taylor Faye Shay_

_Teacher, Friend, Sister, Daughter, Mother, Wife_

_The World is a Little Less Joyful without You_

_January 1963 – August 2001_

He knelt down cattycorner to the headstone and placed the bundle of flowers in front of it. "Happy Mother's Day mom." He rested his left forearm on his left knee and continued with a soft smirk that he didn't feel, "I'm doing alright as an artist. I got a few of my sculptures in the SAM and a few in Canada. I think they made the connection that I was your son."

He nodded along then sadly commented, "Carly… she's just hold up in her room again this year. I'm not sure what to do. I don't want her to be alone, but I don't want her to spend time with me if this is how she handles today."

He took a deep breath then let it out, "I miss you mom."

The artist sat there quietly for a few minutes until his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw the caller ID. He smiled as he hit the accept call button on the phone then brought it to his ear. "Hi Aunt Ruby."

Heaven

A playful smile played across Taylor Shay's mouth as she heard her son's words and she sat on the park bench looking out on the meticulous kept green grass and every imaginable flower surrounding a crystal clear lake. A soft breeze blew past and lifted some of her dark brunette hair off of her shoulder on the apparently late spring morning as there was no identifiable sun in the sky.

In her right hand was a paint brush and canvas in front of her on an easel as she painted the scene in front of her: the lake and surrounding scenery, children (the souls that never really had a chance at a full life) were playing along the edge of the lake and on the open grassy area attended by parents, grandparents or the occasional angel.

The dark brunette randomly spoke as she continued to focus on her painting, "Do you need some company on Mother's Day?"

The redheaded angel dressed in a white summer dress stood cattycorner to Taylor's left and took an unneeded breath before hesitantly asking, "You don't mind of if I join you?"

Taylor continued as her brush glided across the canvas, "No."

Anna nodded her head then took a seat to her left and the pair looked at the scenery in quiet companionship.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed the Hollywood Arts Prom. I hope to see you next week for 'Robbie Sells Rex'. Always appreciate the feedback. Also, it is a story, not a serious discussion on theology.

Special Guest Appearance by Tina Fey as Taylor Shay  
Special Guest Appearance by Julie McNiven as Anna  
Special Guest Star Miranda Cosgrove  
Special Guest Star Jerry Trainor  
Special Guest Appearance by Nicholas Brendon as Mister Valentine  
Guest Star Cody Christian as Dusty Hale  
Guest Star Munro Chambers as Dalton


	36. Chapter 36: Robbie Sells Rex

Hello dear readers! Another hopefully fabulous chapter. A little warning, this is a fairly long chapter, but the next one will be relatively short. The most obvious thing would be to balance them out, but the story doesn't break apart that way. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

Let me cover a few reviews I haven't personally answered.

PD31: Well, unfortunately Freddie is quite taken and I don't see him leaving Jade or it suddenly becoming a threesome between them. Sorry buddy. It seems that Beck just can't help but do very stupid things to annoy Freddie, I don't even mean to really write him that way, it just happens. Most writers don't purposely invent Scrappy, but sometimes they just happen (I'm not saying Beck is one, just similar development).

Jeremy Shane: Thanks and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

darck ben: You're welcome. It's actually nice to have a ready made person to fill in for Mister Valentine when I need him, I just haven't had the need for him so far in any real capacity. When I can finally get back to iWould Have Pounded Him Silly this summer, I expect to use him since Freddie is spending a good portion of the summer with the Valentines. That's entirely up to you if you have Nicholas Brendon as Cat's father and if you need any suggestions, just PM.

Agent-M-0167: Thanks, I hope I meet your expectations in this chapter.

Challenge King: I guess we'll see how fortunate Dusty will be in the relationship department as he has struck out twice (by his own choice) so far in the last two stories. Mrs. West has been a second mother to him as I don't see many mothers doing that much for the boy her daughter loves. I hope you like this chapter.

Rating: T Language

* * *

Chapter 36: Robbie Sells Rex

Black Box Theater  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Monday, May 14, 2012

Tori took her place behind a clear podium on the left side of the stage to the audience and spoke into a microphone to the gathered students including her friends minus Beck and Cat, "Good morning. Hey. Um, I'd like to introduce our guest lecturer. My friend... The head of Neutronium Records and the producer of the Platinum Music Awards! Mason Thornesmith!"

Mason walked towards the stage and his cell phone buzzed. He apologetically spoke to the brunette, "Oh, sorry darling, got to take this." He pulled out his cell phone and brought it to his ear. "Yeah, what is it?"

Tori nervously continued to the audience as he took the call, "Uh... Mason's gonna be teaching us about how much fun and how exciting the music business can be and hopefully he'll..."

He shouted loud enough to interrupt the brunette and draw everyone's attention, "What?! No, you tell him he better be in that recording session or I'll have his fat head on a fork! Where's... oh Max, it's you. Yes, guess what... You're fired, now run home and tell your pregnant wife."

Jade shook her head and whispered, "If I ever had any lingering doubt about not signing with him, they're gone."

Freddie leaned over and gave Jade a peck on the cheek then whispered, "Then he'd die trying to put your head on a fork."

His comment instantly brought one of her tight lipped smiles to the pale's girl face.

Freddie smirked and shouted to Tori, "Tori, you might want to take Quincy up on his offer and ditch Mason while you have the chance before he wants to put your head on a fork!"

Mason immediately directed a frown at the muscular teenager while putting away his cell phone.

The former Seattleite lost his smile and stared just as coldly in return to the president of Neutronium Records. They had a short staring contest that drew everyone's attention, but Mason soon broke it off and took a deep breath. He rested his hands on the sides of the podium for support and forced a happy tone as he began, "Hello, kids."

He received in return a course of polite hellos from the gathering.

Tori happily asked while motioning to her boss, "So Mason, what advice do you have for the students here at Hollywood Arts who are trying to break into the music business?"

He tilted his head slightly to the side in contemplation then answered with a cheerful start, "Well, I'd say, ya know um... If you work hard, stay focused..." He snorted out a breath and finished with a sad tone, "Eh, who are we kidding? Prepare for your dreams to be crushed."

Tori leaned against the podium with her forearms and embarrassingly asked, "Questions?"

A number of students raised their hands including Robbie which Tori immediately noticed. She called out, "Uh, hey, Robbie."

"Hi. Robbie Shapiro, class treasurer, seafood lover…"

Dusty put a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing at wondering if anyone else saw the irony that they put the Robbie in charge of the senior class' money. If he could have trusted Robbie not to go nuts again on TheSlap other than his food commentary, he would have made him treasurer.

Robbie continued with a self-assured tone, "…here at school, I'm known as quite the guitar player."

Rex spoke up, "And quite the doof-bag."

"Anyway... Uh, my guitar instructor says that I'm excellent when it comes to picking..."

Rex laughed out in interruption, "Especially his nose! Heh heh."

"Rex!"

Mason hesitantly began, "Um, actually Robin..."

"Rob-bee."

Mason curtly responded, "Never correct me."

Freddie relaxed back in his chair next to Jade and shouted out, "His name is Robbie!"

The older gentleman frowned at the tech-producer while the Seattle native stared in return.

Mason turned his attention back to Robbie and finished, "Uh I would like to speak with you when we're all finished here."

Robbie asked in surprise, "Really?"

Jade breathed out just as much in surprise, "Really?"

The graying haired man nodded his head and confirmed, "Really."

André idly commented, "I never knew Robbie liked seafood."

Trina shouted as she stood up next to André and began scooting down the aisle to reach the walkway, "Mister Thornesmith..." She shoved Robbie aside to clear her path and he went face first into the floor.

"Ah! Ow!"

She held up a CD jewel case. "This is a collection of my music... It's uh, called 'Songs in the Key of Trina'."

André shouted and pointed to a teenager dressed in a red and blue jumpsuit rushed into the theater from Tori's right, "Hey, hey look out!"

Tori pointed at him and shouted, "It's the Flour Bomber!"

He stopped just in front of Trina and threw a small Tupperware bowl of flour into her face. Her face and chest was completely covered in flour. He shouted in cheer and ran past the flour drenched girl out the back of the theater while Jade turned in her seat and shouted, "Grab him!"

Trina shut her eyes tightly and trying her best not to start crying the started blowing out flour away from her face.

Black Box Theater

The bell rang signaling the end of the period and the students were filing out of the theater after the hour and a half Q&A session with Mason. Trina whined out as she continued to clean her face off while looking at herself in her pocket mirror, "Ugh, I can't believe that Flour Bomber! He ruined my chances to sing for Mason Thornesmith."

André curiously asked, "Um, Trina... Have you ever recorded yourself singing and played it back and ya know, listened to it?"

Trina snapped back, "I get it. I'm not the best singer, but Ginger Fox can't sing _at all_ according to Freddie and look at her."

Freddie nodded along in agreement, "She can't."

The songwriter closed his mouth and looked away.

Jade rested her back against one of the support beams with her arms crossed under her chest, "I'm so sick of that Flour Bomber. I am gonna find out who he is and why he's flour bombing people."

Dusty sitting in a seat on the opposite side of André and Trina pointed out what he thought was obvious, "It's only been like three hours since he showed up. Is it really that big a deal for you? And what's that going to accomplish? There's like a thousand of us here. When you find out who it is, you're probably not going to know who it is or have any emotional satisfaction in finding out who and why."

The dark haired girl hissed out in annoyance, "I still want to know."

Dusty snorted out a laugh and shook his head.

Back on stage with Tori, Mason smiled at the ventriloquist as he stood with Tori on the stage. "So Robbie, let's say you uh swing by my office tomorrow, four o'clock. How does that sound?"

"Scrumptious."

Rex muttered out, "Oh my God, you're blowing it already."

Mason softly laughed while pointing to Rex, "I like this Rex. You bring him to the office tomorrow."

"Sure."

* * *

Cat ran into the theater and shouted to André, Trina and Freddie, "Is it true?! Did the Flour Bomber really strike again?!"

Trina snapped out with an annoyed tone, "What do you think?"

She innocent asked, "I dunno, what do I think?"

The older Vega sibling pointed to her face, "Look at me. Do you not see what's on my face?"

The redhead pointed to the girl's chin and asked, "The chin pimple?"

As Mason started on his way out and Robbie eagerly approached Cat, André and Trina, Freddie slipped up next to Tori and whispered, "I really think you should rethink about staying with him."

She blew out a breath and softly retorted, "I'm already under contract with him."

He smiled and answered with a reassuring tone, "Well, what I learned from Spencer and his seventy-two hours of law school is that in every contract, there is a loophole. It's how we got out of our Daka shoe endorsement deal."

Tori looked over her shoulder to see that Mason had left the theater. She looked back to Freddie and leaned over close to whisper, "I'll think about it."

Her answer brought smile to his face as he answered, "Good."

Vega Residence  
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Mister Vega was sitting at the kitchen table sipping on a cup of coffee while reading today's headlines on a PearPad. He looked up from his reading and smiled as he heard his youngest daughter trot down the stairs and approach the kitchen.

"Hi sweetheart," he called out as she made her way to a cabinet to grab some cereal and a bowl.

"Morning dad," she answered as she placed the box and bowl on the table then headed to the refrigerator to grab something to drink. She poured herself some orange juice then had a seat cattycorner to her dad at the end of the table to start on her cereal.

He pushed over his plate in case she wanted any of his gourmet eggs that his wife had prepared for him before heading out for the day. He had noticed recently that she had been doing a lot of little things for him, which made him curious as their anniversary wasn't anytime soon or either of their birthdays.

She smiled to him and quickly started on her cereal and taking from his plate.

The police detective cautiously asked, "Tori, could I ask you something sweetie?"

She swallowed the spoonful of cereal then teased her father, "I guess it depends… are you asking what color I want for a car?"

He knotted his brow in confusion about why she was questioning him about a car.

She softly laughed, "You still owe me a car for taking Trina to Yerba with me. I think it is about time to pay up since graduation is in a month."

He took a deep breath and remembered that he did promise his daughter that he would get her a car if she did take Trina. He slightly bowed his head and put on a small smile. He let out a laugh and answered, "Alright, I'll take you car shopping on Memorial Day Weekend, okay?"

"Great, but you're not going to wiggle out by getting some beat up bucket unless you get it restored. Did you see the before and after of Freddie's car?"

"No, I didn't get a chance, but she is a beauty, but… you're the one about to become a mega-music star; maybe I should ask you to get _me_ a new car next year?" He let out a soft laugh then took a sip of coffee.

She got up from her seat and stood behind her father to rest her arms on his shoulders and wrapped them over his chest. She whispered sincerely, "Don't worry dad. After I get my millions, I'll make sure everyone is taken care of. I'll get you any car you want and I'll get you and mom a new house," then gave him a kiss on the cheek.

He let out a soft laugh and patted one of her forearms across his chest. "That's sweet."

Tori released him and retook her seat and started back on her breakfast. "So what did you want to ask me?"

He licked his lips then tried to ask in a conversational tone, "I was wondering how old is Jade."

She took a few moments to chew her morsel of food then casually answered, "She's seventeen, why?"

He put on an even expression then commented before taking a sip of his coffee, "And Freddie just had a birthday a few months back… his eighteenth wasn't it?"

The brunette swallowed down nervously then softly questioned with a strained voice, "Why?"

He shrugged a shoulder and answered with a surprisingly calm voice honed over year of being a police detective, "Oh, I was just curious."

The youngest daughter again questioned but with a more blatantly nervous voice, "Why?"

He slightly frowned and regretfully answered, "Just something Beck brought up before you came down on Saturday."

Tori's eyes shot open wide and quickly asked, "What did he say?"

He paused in answering and that just gave the teenager all the more reason to ask again, but in a sterner voice, "What did Beck say?"

Mister Vega's mild questioning of his daughter apparently just turned on a dime into an interrogation of him. She continued to look at him in demanding an answer that quickly turned into a glare.

He finally relented, "He suggested that I shouldn't be concerned about him with you because he's not like Freddie: sleeping with a girl he knew for about three weeks."

Tori's eyes shot open wide and from seeing the look in his daughter's eyes, he realized in an instant that she knew the veracity of Beck's statement. However, he was taken aback a moment later by the look of anger in her eyes from his normally sweet daughter.

The brunette took several calming breaths then answered in a flat tone, but heard a faint hint of anger under her voice, "Whatever you are thinking dad, drop it."

He attempted to gently point out, "Tori, Freddie could get into serious trouble—"

"_They're not_ and don't ask me anything else and betray the trust of a friend. Just accept that answer and let it go."

He was about to ask how she could know that for sure, but seeing the look in his daughter's eyes told him he wasn't going to get it out of her and he certainly couldn't threaten her in anyway. Besides, his wife would just overrule any kind of threat or punishment and make him sleep on the couch just for the aggravation.

He put on a tight smile and nodded his head.

The rest of the breakfast was in silence as Mister Vega watched his daughter practically fume as she finished her meal.

Tori finished her breakfast (and practically clearing his plate) just as the doorbell rang. She got up from her seat and headed to the door. She opened the door to reveal Beck's smiling face, but she looked coldly in return. He quickly lost the smile then cleared his throat and cautiously asked, "What's wrong?"

She answered him in a detached voice, "I'll get a ride with Trina."

Beck's face fell in confusion and was about to ask why, but she continued with a detached voice, "I'll see you at school," then shut the door in his face.

In Route to Hollywood Arts

Trina rolled her eyes as she asked her sister sitting in the passenger seat of her car with a tired voice, "Okay, so why are you riding with me again?"

Tori rested the back of her head against the headrest then answered with a tired breath, "I don't want to ride with Beck today."

She huffed out a breath, "What did he do now?"

The younger sister blew out a breath through her nose and looked out the passenger window.

Trina softly whined, "Come on Tori."

Tori snapped her head towards her sister and answered with an impatient tone, "When he was picking me up from prom, he said something to dad."

"Wha'd he say?"

She clamped up again, but Trina pushed on, "_Tori_."

"Okay, he was trying to keep dad from worrying about him, so he tried to make himself look good by telling him that Freddie and Jade have slept together and wouldn't be like that with me."

Trina remained silent for an entire minute, which was quite long in comparison as it was only a five minute drive and it was Trina being quiet after all. However, as they were reaching the school, she finally spoke up in a tone that suggested that she already knew the answer, "Jade is seventeen, right?"

"Yeah."

The older sister hissed out, "Damn…"

"Not exactly how I would phrase it, but yeah…"

The older brunette passed the quickest of glances to her sister and curiously questioned, "What's dad going to do?"

Tori braced her elbow against the passenger door and palm against the side of her head as she muttered in a tired tone, "I told him to drop it."

"You think he will?"

"I don't know."

"We got to tell mom. She'll tell dad to drop it."

Tori nodded her head in agreement with her sister's idea.

Trina shook her head in disgust as she muttered, "I can't believe… actually yes I can believe that gank would pull that."

Tori narrowed her eyes on her sister and snapped, "Where did that come from? You use to be interested in him."

"Yeah, until I saw how he really was like. I can't believe it took Jade that long to break up with him. She really lucked out with Freddie…" Trina started smiling and daydreaming while she pulled the car into a parking spot.

Tori looked out of the passenger window as she couldn't disagree with her sister, but didn't want Trina to see her expression of how much she agreed with her.

Hollywood Arts High School  
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Tori had quickly gathered herself and her bag in the car then stepped out to find the odd couple, leaving Trina behind without a second thought. She wasn't in her mind being rude to her sister, but she felt the urgent need to find Jade and Freddie and let them know what had transpired. Fortunately someone up there was watching out for her as she approached the entrance, she caught sight of the couple walking hand-in-hand as they entered the school.

She quickly caught up with them just after they entered and were about to turn right to stop by Jade's locker when she called out, "Freddie, Jade?"

The pair stopped just around the right corner to the door and Freddie smiled to the lovely brunette. "What's up Tori?"

She blew out a quick breath the hurriedly asked, "Could I talk to you two, alone?"

The former Seattleite knotted his brow and passed a glance to Jade to meet an equally confused expression. "Okay?"

She grabbed each one by a wrist and started dragging them towards the janitor's closet.

As soon as the three entered, Tori closed the door behind them and flipped on the light switch.

Jade asked with a slightly annoyed tone, "What's this about?"

This time around Tori wasn't hesitant in her answer, "Beck told my dad that you two have, ah…" but her throat suddenly felt constricted in trying to complete such an answer.

Jade slightly turned her head and demanded, "What?"

She flicked her brow up and embarrassingly commented, "You know... been… intimate with one another. _Really_ intimate."

Freddie's face hardened and jaw clenching tightly as he realized the implications.

Jade shouted with a knotted brow, "He _what_?!"

The passersby outside turned to look at the closet, but the tone of Jade's voice convinced them to continue walking.

The darker brunette quickly followed up, "What is your dad going to do?"

"I—I…"

The pale teenager took a step forward and outright glared at Tori before hissing out, "Damn it Tori, _what will he do_?"

Tori lifted her hands and started playing with her fingertips as she nervously answered, "I don't know, but I told him to drop it."

Freddie spoke up with a calmer voice, "Will he?"

"I don't know."

Jade looked away and palmed her forehead. She took several calming breaths then asked the lighter brunette, "What did you tell him?"

"He started to say that Freddie could get into trouble, but I cut him off and I told him you two weren't. I told him not to ask me anymore questions because I wasn't going to betray your trust. He dropped it then I left with Trina for school."

Freddie knotted his brow and asked while looking to his girlfriend. "How could she betray you?"

Jade slightly bowed her head and answered, "When we were at Nozu when Sikowitz was making us go out on a 'date', Tori was curious about some things and misguided on some others. I just straightened out a few things that she might have been thinking… girl talk."

The brown eye boy nodded his head in acceptance then looked back to Tori.

The pale girl continued with an irritated filled voice, "Why would he tell him that? Why now of all times? He's known since the first day from Carly."

"He was picking me up for prom and since my dad was being all protective of me, I guess Beck felt he needed to reassure him." She licked her lips and commented regretfully to Freddie, "So he decided to compare himself to you… saying he was the better guy than you since he wouldn't sleep with a girl he only knew for three weeks."

Freddie clenched his jaw tightly and outright growled as he felt the figurative knife go in him. His mind instantly went back to that night they had shared and started debating whether or not he had made the right decision that night. He would always cherish that night with her and never regret the act itself, but his mind really started questioning the _timing_ of when they shared that experience even though more than half a year ago he was alright with the timing.

Jade shouted at Tori, "He is _not_ the better man!" She turned her head slightly to glimpse Freddie in order to compliment him, but she caught a look in Freddie's eyes and a chill immediately ran through her as she saw that Freddie was debating such a thing.

He commented in a regretful tone, "Maybe a better man would have found the words that night to expression how he felt about you…"

She took a breath while maintaining a look straight in his then retorted in a tone as if she was taking a solemn vow, "Maybe, but I could have been a better woman and found the words too for you."

The couple shared a look, one in which Freddie was denying that such a thing was possible with Jade, but quickly got the message of what she meant which caused a smile to start tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Tori looked down at her feet at the sudden feeling of intruding on something intimate between the couple.

Freddie took a quick breath then turned his attention back to the lighter brunette. He commented with a resigned tone, "I guess we'll just have to wait and see… if I get my butt hauled off to jail."

Jade crossed her arms under her chest and frowned at such a prospect.

Tori started fiddling with her fingers again as she bashfully commented, "I'm sorry."

He gave her a reassuring smile and spoke in a gentle tone, "Not your fault…"

The bell rang out side to signal that the students should be heading to their first period class. Tori looked over her shoulder from the sound then back to the couple. She gave them a bashful smile then turned to leave in order to give them a moment of privacy.

As soon as the closet door shut, the pair looked to one another and Freddie softly swore, "Damn."

West Residence

Mrs. West was pulling on her blazer jacket and grabbing her purse and keys as she was trying to make her way out the door for a mid-morning meeting at the office to help negotiate another round of talks with Heather Fox's representatives. Once again she was questioning her boss Dan's intelligence as somehow he thought that having her negotiate (one stepped removed) with a girl that looked identical to her daughter gave _them_ an advantage against Fox's representatives.

She didn't contemplate that much further as she gathered the last of her things and was about to head for the garage when the doorbell rang. She snorted out an irritated breath and rolled her eyes while heading for the door. She took a quick peak through the peephole and saw a fairly, ruggedly handsome Hispanic gentleman with a gold police badge clipped to his belt.

Ruby called out from behind the door, "What do you want? Do you have a warrant?"

Mister Vega knotted his brow and answered with a disarming tone, "No ma'am, I'm not here as a police officer. I'm here as one parent to another. I'm Mister Vega, Tori and Trina's father."

Ruby opened the door and gave him a guarded expression. She motioned towards the banister behind him while she took a seat on her porch swing. "Okay so, what's with the visit? One of you finally wants to bring up the rivalry between our daughters?"

He leaned against the banister and laced his fingers for his hands to rest in his lap. He curiously looked at her while cautiously answering, "I wasn't much aware there was one."

Ruby raised an eyebrow, somewhat shocked by the lack of involvement the man apparently had in his child's life to be ignorant of such a basic thing about his daughter. "Okay, if it's not that, then what do you want to talk to me about?"

"I was a little concerned with some news in regards to your daughter that Beck implied on Saturday night just before he left to prom with my daughter."

She snorted out dismissively, "I'm sorry, but I'm not up for listening to the boy that broke my daughter's heart."

He nodded his head and gave her a respectful expression about such a delicate matter. "I can understand that, but I felt that I should let you know. When I was giving him the old father speech about his behavior towards my daughter during prom night, he compared himself with Freddie and suggested that Freddie and your daughter… may have had… relations in the past and maybe still do. I don't know what rules you set up in your home having him live here with your daughter and it's none of my business as a parent—"

The lovely pale woman took a breath and interrupted him with a curt tone, "It certainly is not."

He took a calming breath then continued, "However, as a police officer, I would like to inform you that if it is going on, Freddie being eighteen and your daughter being seventeen… he could get into serious legal trouble if they are having sex. He could be charged with rape and if there was any way to prove that they had sex when they were both seventeen, they could both be charged."

Ruby snorted out on a laugh and softly questioned, "If I may ask you something?"

He politely nodded as he answered, "Of course ma'am."

She asked in a carefree voice, "How often do your daughters have sex with one another?"

Mister Vega took a sharp breath and quickly gave her a cold stare.

Her lips formed a hint of a smirk and she continued in a casual voice, "It so easy to make baseless accusations… especially from a boy who broke up with my daughter then she found someone far better than him a few weeks later."

The police detective could not argue the points, especially that latter one of the quality of man which he found Freddie.

She continued before he could respond, "See what he's doing? He's still bitter after all this time that my daughter could move on and be happy without him. Just imagine for a moment what he'll do after your daughter realizes what a loser she's dating and dumps him."

She raised another point that he could see and agree with her. He slightly bowed his head then continued with what he hoped was a disarming tone, "Ma'am, I think very highly of Freddie. He did save my daughters from Yerba aft—"

The raven beauty was quick to interrupt, "_My Steven_ got your daughters out of that Hellhole and I wouldn't be surprised if he was the one that personally sent that bastard that did that to your daughters straight to Hell."

The name Steven pricked at him from the memory of his daughter's last boyfriend that had seemed like a good guy, but turned out to be a complete loser. He was hoping that she wouldn't make the same mistake with Beck. He continued with a submissive tone, "Yes… and Freddie's been there for my daughters since then, so I'm only here as a courtesy to make sure that he doesn't get into any kind of trouble. I wouldn't want that to happen to him."

"I can appreciate that and thank you for the concern, but…" Her voice dropped to one that dared him to challenge her words, "…if you or your police friends approach my underage daughter and try to question her without me being present, I will file a complaint against you and the department for trying to violate my daughter's rights then I will personally sue you and the department and trust me, I can get some very good lawyers… just ask my ex-husband."

She got up from her seat and stated in a business like tone, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to get to."

"Yes ma'am," he answered while she turned back to her door and entered the house.

He slightly shook his head and wondered how Freddie lived with the pair.

Asphalt Café  
Hollywood Arts High School

Dusty laughed out after taking a sip from is drink, "I heard Vega number two dragged both of you into the janitor's closet… so she decided that she wanted in on the relationship? Solving the whole Jedi versus Teddie versus Jori fight by just all getting together?"

Jade narrowed her eyes on the former webmaster as she and Freddie sat across the lunch table from him. The tech-producer coughed for several seconds as he was mid-sip with his drink while Ava sitting next to Dusty shook her head in disbelief.

At the neighboring table, Tori and Beck were sitting across from one another at their usual lunch table with André, Cat and Robbie looking back and forth at the on-the-outs couple. Apparently Beck still didn't know why Tori was mad at him and it was becoming quite frustrating for him as she refused to tell him. However he figured it had something to do with his ex-girlfriend and thorn-in-his-side sitting at another table today.

The former Carolinian softly chuckled, "I'm just messing with you. It's starting to become a bigger fight than the whole Creddie and Seddie fight. I guess having several hundred million people seeing you will do that to you and all the media surrounding it before and after." He raised an eyebrow while playfully commenting, "You have fan-sites dedicated to you."

"Here we go again…" The brown eye boy shook his head then continued with an exasperated voice, "We were in the closet because Tori had to tell us that Beck told Mister Vega about… us."

The former webmaster raised an eyebrow. "As in…"

"As in we've been together—together."

Dusty's eyes shot open and Ava surprised them by letting out, "Shit…"

The three looked to the longer, lighter brunette with curious expressions then she embarrassingly commented, "Sorry… this is bad."

Freddie muttered, "It could be."

Dusty blew out a tired breath as he looked like he had run out of patience. "What are you going to do to that piece of crap now?"

The pale girl gave him a curious expression and he quickly pointed out, "When he starts pulling stuff that could land your boyfriend in prison or maybe even _you_, it's pretty bad and something needs to be done."

The Seattle native uttered with mild disgust, "I haven't decided."

Jade gave him a concerned expression, but didn't really know what to say. She had her own simmering anger towards Beck that she had to control for the moment instead of immediately trying to figure out a way to make him sorry for a very long time. The idea that this was what it was like between her mother and father troubled the girl since it was apparently so easy for love to turn into anger and resentment. Also, scratching in the back of her mind was a ghost of a memory of watching another couple's love turning into resentment and that began to trouble her further, especially since she really couldn't recall the memory.

The leaner teenager continued, "Well, in the meantime, deny _everything_. The fifth amendment is your best friend."

Freddie politely nodded his head and answered, "I will remember that… but turning to a more pleasant topic so our lunch isn't entirely spoiled… have you talked to Heather since prom or was that just a one time thing?"

Dusty softly smirked and took a sip from his drink then idly commented, "A gentleman does not kiss and tell."

Ava raised her brow and let out a soft laugh, "So you two have kissed?"

"I admit _nothing_."

Freddie snorted out a laugh as his mood slightly improved seeing that his friend looked amused rather particularly guarded on the subject. "I'm not asking you about kissing her, just if prom was a one time thing for you two."

Dusty looked across the three for a moment seeing that their curiosity. He realized if he was going to talk about this, these were the three people he would share such knowledge, so he cleared his throat then hesitantly answered, "Well if you must know, I called her Sunday—she gave me her phone number as I was dropping her off at home—to see when I should call her back. I wasn't exactly sure _when_ she said 'call me' meant, so I had to find out… which she found quite amusing. I obviously asked her to pass along a Happy Mother's Day wish to her mother—which landed me an invite to spend Sunday afternoon over at her house for dinner after she learned that my mother wasn't here for the day."

He shrugged a shoulder and took a sip from his drink before continuing, "At first I wasn't going to go. I had no interest in going from a 'we feel sorry for you' invite, but… my dad made the point quite clear: 'You want to turn down a dinner invitation from a supermodel? Are you nuts?' So I went. I had a nice time."

Jade and Freddie were taken aback, each wondering if their assumptions were true about Dusty's maternity, did she see her son on Sunday? However, the pale dark brunette put that aside and spoke up, "Your father seems to have a way with words."

Dusty grinned. "Dad is very straightforward."

Ava teasingly asked, "So are you two going out?"

He softly smiled to her. "We're… _talking_ to one another."

"Talking? You're _talking_?" she asked grinning ear-to-ear.

"Yes, we're talking."

"Does that mean I can tell my sister not to try?"

He glanced to Freddie and Jade with the pale girl giving him an unsettled expression as if the news bothered her. He brushed it off then looked back to Ava and answered nonchalantly, "That would be the… _prudent_ thing to do."

One of the other students at the café suddenly shouted, "It's the Flour Bomber!"

Everyone turned their attention to the red and blue dressed mystery man running from the café's parking lot and dashed away from their seats to get out of his line of fire—flour. He stopped just feet behind Dusty and Ava. The Los Angeles based twin attempted to scoot out of her seat while Jade attempted to jump up out of her seat in a vain effort to climb on the table and tackle him, but Freddie leaned over to shield his girlfriend and held her in place.

The Flour Bomber pulled his arm back, ready to dump the flour on Dusty, but stopped when the Southern teenager calmly stated without looking away from his food, "I came from Northridge High School, I'm white and I was no one's bitch. I want you to think about that for a moment."

Dusty sipped his drink without a care as FB lowered his arm and started taking a few steps backwards. He turned and ran away in the direction he came.

Practically the entire café turned their attention to the former webmaster while Jade was fuming that she missed her shot at him.

The lean teenager smirked as he jovially commented, "I guess we know he's a high school student or a recent graduate."

Neutronium Records  
Los Angeles, CA  
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Robbie and Cat arrived at the office at about four in the afternoon. The ventriloquist straightened his hair, wore a tight fitting T-shirt and a pair of tight black jeans.

A lovely young blonde assistant escorted the pair into the office and spoke, "Okay, you guys just have a seat and Mason'll be here in a minute."

Cat turned and asked the assistant waiting at the door, "Um, have you heard of Bibble?"

"Sure, the British snack."

Robbie slowly warned, "Cat..."

Cat snapped around and pointed to her friend, "Shush up!" She turned and looked back to the assistant and asked, "Yeah, um, could you point me in the direction of Mason's Bibble?"

"I've been told not to give you any Bibble."

"Hmm... maybe you're thinking of someone else."

"You're Cat Valentine."

"No, I'm Cat Valen...Stine." She smiled to the blonde and pointed to her as she finished, "Hey, were you at my Bat Mitzvah?

The assistant smiled and turned to head out of the office, pulling the door shut behind her.

Cat turned to see Robbie standing bowlegged. She softly pleaded with him, "Don't be so nervous."

"I'm not nervous."

"Then why are you breathing so heavy?"

He softly whined in response, "Because these pants are a little snug in the rump."

Mason happily entered his office from the back door to the left side of his desk, "Well, hello. If it isn't my new friend Robbie and my old friend Cat."

Robbie nervously laughed, "Hey, Mason. You like my snazzy outfit?" He did a spin in place then smiled at the record president.

Mason ignored him and commented while looking at the puppet, "And there's Rex."

"All day."

The redhead spoke up, "Mason, quick question..."

"No Bibble," he quickly cut her off.

"You don't know that's what I was gonna ask."

"Oh, then what's your question?"

She hesitantly asked, "How ya been?"

Mason gave her an expression that suggested he didn't believe her for a moment. He turned a moment later to look back at the door he just entered and called out, "Francis, come on, get yourself in here."

A tween boy walked out of the door clenching a cone full of bibble with his left arm and stuffing his face with his other hand. His hair was disheveled and the left side of his button blue shirt was pulled out of his pants.

"There he is. Robbie, Cat! This..." He slightly frowned and finished introducing the preteen with a hint of embarrassment, "…is my son, Francis."

Robbie began to greet him, "Well, hello Fra..." but Cat excitedly interrupted, "Bibble!"

Mason softly admonished the redhead, "Cat."

She looked up to the music record president and innocently asked, "How ya been?"

"Alrighty then. My work here is done." He patted his son on the shoulder then turned and headed to his back office door.

Robbie took a step forward asked with mild shock, "Wait, I thought we were gonna talk about my music career."

He casually remarked, "Well, sometimes we think things that never happen," then turned and headed out of the office.

Francis continued to munch on a handful of bibble.

Cat tried to comment with an idle tone, "I see you have a... Bag of Bibble."

"You can't have any."

"Not even for..." Cat reached down her shirt and pulled out something from her cleavage which she quickly identified, "Chocolate covered nuts?"

"Nah, keep your nuts."

Robbie leaned forward and asked, "Francis, is your dad coming back?"

"No. He brought you here so I could buy your little friend."

He flatly asked, "Cat?" He shrugged a shoulder and asked, "How much?"

She looked Robbie and asked in a stunned voice, "Robbie?"

Francis snapped, "Not the chick! Him."

Rex's mouth dropped open and uttered, "Eh!"

"But... but Rex isn't for sale."

"I'll give you two thousand bucks."

"Two thousand... what?!"

Cat walked around Robbie to stand on his right and attempted to slip her hand into the bag of bibble, but Francis slapped her hand and the redhead cried out, "Owie!"

"So we got a deal or what?"

"No."

Rex pointed out, "Think about it Rob. Two G's... That'd buy you a lot a body wash."

Robbie looked away and commented, "Well, I do use a lot of it."

"My offer's good for twenty-four hours."

"Alright. I'll think about it." He immediately turned to go, but noticed that Cat remained in her place in front of the child. "Cat, you coming?"

The petit girl stared at Francis and held up a hand and curtly instructed him, "Wait for me outside."

Francis insisted, "I ain't giving you any Bibble.

Cat capitulated, but asked anyway, "Okay. But... Will you at least breathe in my face?"

He huffed a breath into her face and the redhead immediately smiled and nodded her head. "Oh, yeah, that is Bibble breath."

He gave her a strange look while she knotted her brow and demanded will pointing to her face with her left pointer finger, "Do it again!"

Cat Valentine: Does ANYONE out there have BIBBLE? I'll do anything for bibble! G. FEELING: Desperate

West Residence  
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Freddie was sitting at his desk typing away at his computer working on some homework while Jade sat on Freddie's bed working on lyrics for her first album for a late summer release and a possible fall tour.

Mrs. West knocked on the opened door and called out, "Hi, sorry to interrupt."

The couple looked up from their respective works and Jade answered, "Hey."

She walked inside and took a seat at the left side end of the bed and glanced between the pair. Freddie swiveled his chair to face her as the raven colored woman continued, "I had an interesting conversation with Mister Vega this morning. He stopped by just before I left for work."

The couple instantly put on worried expressions and looked to one another.

She immediately noticed them and realized that they must have had some idea about what he had come to see her about. She quickly put the pieces together that Tori filled them in at school. Seeing Jade worried expression turn into outright fear, she continued, "He was concerned about what kind of trouble Freddie could get into if you two are having sex since you're still seventeen and he wanted to let me know because he doesn't want Freddie to get into any kind trouble."

Jade let out a visibly relieved breath.

"But I told him not to speak with you without my presence and if he did, I would file a complaint against him and the department then sue him. Hopefully he's smart enough not to test me."

She looked directly into her daughter's eyes and stated with an unwavering voice, "Jade, this is very important: Do not talk Tori's father. I don't care if he asks you what time it is, you tell him you are remaining silent. I'm not taking the chance that he's just not trying to snowball me."

The pale teenager nodded her head and softly answered, "I will remember that."

She glanced between them and asked in a cautious tone, "So you two really aren't?"

Freddie shook his head and gave a halfhearted smile. "We're not because of that and… as much as I love Jade, I'm not completely comfortable for us to be that intimate until after we're married."

Mrs. West cracked a smile to the answer then turned to look to her daughter and asked, "Is that going to be a problem for you?"

The teenager was caught off guard by the question then answered with a slightly confused expression, "No, I don't. I don't want Freddie to do something he's not comfortable in doing."

The matriarch nodded and reassuringly smiled to her then stood up from her seat. "Okay, as long as you two are happy and safe. I'll let you get back to what you were doing." She turned and headed out of the room, but pulled the door shut behind her.

The couple looked to one another and simultaneously let out a relieved breath. Jade jumped off the bad and dashed to the muscular teenager. He grabbed her just as she jumped into his lap and she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck to hold him tightly.

He whispered, "We're okay, we're okay."

Hollywood Arts High School  
Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Jade started her way down the left side stairway wearing a gorgeous blue Dana Mathers prom dress. It was a high/low hem dress with a beaded left shoulder strap and a ruffled bottom and of organza material. The dress was a mostly open back with an asymmetrical weaved beaded straps across her bear back. Her outfit was finished with a pair of blue high heels. She held a box speaker in her left hand a radio mic in her right hand to call out, "Here I am... just walking through school... hoping the Flour Bomber doesn't ruin my awesome, expensive outfit by, ya know... Flour bombing me."

She looked down the hall towards the janitor's closet. She idly commented with a raised brow, "That better not happen." She continued to look around and didn't see him. She dismissively finished, "Okay."

Freddie smiled as he saw his girlfriend turn and walk towards him. He happily commented, "There's my girl. Looking as beautiful as ever. I've always said that blue is her color."

As she held on to the mic, she smiled, pointed at him and commented, "I wanna know who that Flour Bomber is."

Dusty asked the obvious question, "And you're wearing that dress to catch his attention?"

"Yup. And when he tries to get me, I am going to grab him and wrestle him down to the ground."

The more muscular teenager softly laughed, "He might like that."

Dusty laughed, "A part of me would like that."

The pair looked with odd expressions to the former webmaster.

He looked back to the couple in an innocent tone, "What? I'm still a heterosexual male and _look at you _beautiful." He looked her up and down then back up to meet Jade's eyes and commented with a soft laugh, "Lord have mercy, your legs look like they go on forever." He continued to let out a small chuckle while looking to Freddie, "And you go home to that every night."

Jade softly smirked at the compliment while Freddie shook his head trying to keep the smile off of his face.

* * *

Tori and Cat stood by the brunette's locker as Robbie walked around the corner. He immediately greeted the pair, "Hey. Hi girls."

The pair replied in unison, "Hey. Oh, hi."

Robbie whined out, "I can't talk!" then started walking away.

André politely called out to his friend as he approached the girls from the opposite direction, "Hey Rob."

The ventriloquist quickly bumped into and walked past the songsmith and shouted, "I don't know!"

André continued walking to the girls and thumbed behind him as he asked, "You guys worried about Robbie?"

Tori was quick to answer, "Totally."

Cat explained, "Yeah, he called me in the middle of the night last night and just yelled... 'What do I do', 'what do I do', 'what do I do', 'what do I do?!"

"And what'd you say?"

"'I dunno', 'I dunno', 'I dunno', 'I dunno'."

André nodded as he praised his redheaded friend, "He's lucky to have you as a friend."

Freddie and Jade walked side-by-side, his arm wrapped around the small of her back and resting on her right hip and her arm over his shoulders, spoke up, "You guys talking about Robbie selling Rex?"

"Oh, yeah."

"Yeah."

Jade sympathetically commented, "I can't imagine Robbie without Rex. It's like Sikowitz without clown pants. Or Tori without that stupid monster purse."

Tori looked on oblivious to Jade's insult and asked, "What? What's so funny?"

André answered, "Nothin'. Um. Where were we?"

Tori picked up, "Well, I think Robbie should sell him."

Cat asked in concern, "Why?"

The brunette shouted back, "Because! I think we all know that Robbie's relationship with Rex is... Ya know... it's not natural."

Jade laughed out, "Oh, this coming from the girl who saved Rex's life last year after we had him good and dead?"

Tori sighed, slightly tilted her head and closed her eyes.

Dusty spoke up coming up between Freddie and André, "Why is he freaking out? Why doesn't he just make another one and sell that one to the kid?"

Freddie nodded along to the suggestion but the rest of them gave him confused and dumbfounded expressions.

He tilted his head to the side and continued in a tone that questioned if they were really serious about the expressions they were giving him, "Oh come on, he had to make it in the first place. Besides, he had to put the puppet back together again after it was all smashed up, so he has to know how to make another one."

Cat quickly pointed out, "But then it wouldn't be Rex."

Dusty patiently looked at his ex for a moment then calmly answered, "Continuing to assume the puppet is real for the sake of discussion and he's not a golem like Mary thinks, unlike the rest of us, the puppet's equivalent of a soul resides in Shapiro like a horcrux. You could incinerated the puppet and Shapiro could make another one then stick his hand in it and presto, 'Rex Powers' is back."

André knotted his brow and commented as if he couldn't believe what he just heard, "You know, you've thought way too much on this."

The glanced to the songwriter and idly answered, "I'm just taking it out to the logical conclusion for what is in Shapiro's head, what you accept as real for him and trying to reconcile it to what I know about how the universe works."

Sikowitz ran up to the group of students and shouted, "Ooh, kids kids! Have you seen an unholy woman with a horrible little girl?"

A dirty blonde walked around the corner at the end of the hallway with a young girl in tow and shouted, "Mister Sikowitz!"

The acting teacher quickly dashed grabbed Jade's right arm and pulled the couple in front of him to hide himself behind them. He shouted, "Oh dear."

"Mister Sikowitz, I see you there."

He stepped out around Jade and Freddie then answered with an irritated filled voice, "Mrs. Hellbert! Isn't it bad enough that I have to live across the street from you and your vicious little daughter?" He raised his left hand up dramatically and questioned, "Must you bring her to my place of work?"

"I brought her here to apologize for what she did this morning."

André curiously asked, "What'd she do?"

The preteen girl shouted back sarcastically, "None of your stupid business!"

André surprised them all by attempting to charge the girl, but Freddie and Dusty were each able to grab an arm and pull him back. The guys' shouts mixed, "Hey, André. Hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey!"

Dusty pulled hard and shoved the songsmith against the lockers behind them and shouted, "Back off!"

The songsmith took a step forward and he and the former webmaster stared each other down.

Everyone took a step back with fearful expressions and other students loitering in the halls turned their attention to the pair.

Freddie stood off to the side and raised his hands up to try to calm the pair, "Guys take a breath."

Dusty took a step back while maintaining a cold stare and commented, "Try it again and they'll have to carry you away."

André clenched his jaw then harshly countered, "You so sure about that?"

The Southern teenager snorted out, "I've put bigger _boys_ than you down before."

The songwriter's eyes shot open and slightly bowed his head as he angrily questioned, "_Boy_?"

"You're the one who's charging at a little girl, what else am I supposed to assume you are? If you had the spine to charge me instead, I'd have a higher opinion of you, but you let oh Pretty _Boy_ rub too much off on you: picking on girls, but it looks like you've taken it one step further."

"Guys!" Freddie shouted to get there attention before they really could get swinging on one another.

The pair stared for a few more moments then everyone turned their attention back to Sikowitz's situation, the tension ebbing only slightly.

The little girl looked to Freddie and immediately shouted, "Freddie Benson!" She laughed, "It's Freddie Benson from iCarly!"

He nodded and smiled to the blonde. "Yep, I'm Freddie Benson."

"You should have got with Sam!"

Jade immediately frowned and instantly took a dislike to the girl while Freddie realized why the girl would pick Sam. He patiently countered, "I've been told that… but I'm happy with Jade."

She slightly frowned, but refrained from saying anything.

Sikowitz crossed his arms over his chest and continued, "I'll tell you what she did! This morning I was showering _with_ my bathroom window open and this little egg-chucker nailed me in the head!"

The girl shouted back, "It ain't my fault your head broke my egg!"

Freddie couldn't help but to start laughing. His friends looked to him in disbelief.

He innocently replied, "What? I would have loved to have seen that."

Mrs. Hellbert asked with a curt tone, "Would you please stop encouraging my daughter?"

He politely bowed his head and answered, "I'm sorry ma'am, but it's just… well he deserves it."

The child smiled from the approval of her former idle.

Sikowitz pushed his annoyance for Freddie away for a moment so he could start to charge at the girl and shouted, "I will end you."

Freddie jumped in front of Sikowitz and blocked him then gave him a good shove away. The teenager spat out in disgust, "Oh, I'm bad if I'm willing to hit a girl back if they swing first, but it's fine if you charge at a little girl."

The eccentric teacher shouted while pointing past him to the child, "But she's a little monster."

"So is Sam. Now you know what I had to put up with nearly every day for almost four years."

The mother ignored the pair's potential argument and shouted down at her daughter, "You say you're sorry!"

"No!"

"Say it!"

The child defiantly shouted in return, "You say it!"

"Rhoda!"

She looked to the acting teacher and shouted with a motion down with her hands, "I'm sorry!"

Sikowitz re-crossed his arms over his chest and replied, "Thank you. And I hope you've learned you have to show adults some degree of respect."

Freddie spoke up, "But don't think that includes him."

His words drew an annoyed expression from the mother while Sikowitz frowned, but continued as he strolled to the child, "You can't just..."

Rhoda interrupted him by kicking him hard in the right shin.

He shouted out, "OH!"

The girl started running away towards the school exit.

Mrs. Hellbert started chasing her daughter down the hallway and shouted, "Rhoda! Not nice!"

The balding acting teacher started crawling around to turn into the direction of the entrance then towards it as he dramatically shouted, "Come back here! I will get you if it's the last thing I..." He stopped in place and dropped his voice to speak in an almost conversational tone, "Great Jeepers, I think my leg is broken."

The teenagers turned and slowly walked behind the crawling teacher. Freddie threw his head back and looked at the ceiling and huffed out, "Oh my God, another girl with super strength."

A random student standing at the bottom of the stairwell shouted, "It's the Flour Bomber!"

The red and blue mystery man ran down the stairs and stopped just in front of the teacher. He pulled back his arm then threw the flour in Sikowitz's face, covering his head.

The Flour Bomber started dancing in place on one foot, making strange mumbling noises then dashed off down the hallway.

Jade attempted to chase after him and shouting into her hand-mic and hold up the speaker, "No! Don't bomb him! Bomb me!" She turned to the others and whined, "We're never gonna know who he is!"

Sikowitz sat there and blinked, dumbfounded about what just happened.

André commented, "Poor Sikowitz."

Cat followed up, "He looks like a big hairless doughnut." She softly laughed, "Now I'm hungry." She walked around him, her red high heel platforms clicking on the hallway floor as she made her way down the hallway.

Tori blew out a breath and shook her head before turning to head for class which was in the same direction Dusty was heading.

The Flour Bomber ran around the corner at the end of the hallway and towards the pair, holding up two Tupperware containers filled with flour; ready to throw them in the faces of the pair. However, he stopped, apparently recognizing the grey hooded black leather jacket from yesterday.

The former Northridge student calmly stated, "Remember me? I'm the one from Northridge, so do you really want to do that?" He pointed over to Tori and finished, "Same goes for her."

The Flour Bomber took a few steps back then dashed to double back.

Jade attempted to chase after him, but she could only move so fast in her dress and her high heels. Once she reached the corner, he was long gone. She turned to Dusty and questioned in outrage, "Why did you let him go?!"

"And throw the first punch that would give Helen an excuse to get me out of here? No thank you. I don't have the time or energy to drag her through court with graduation this close." He cracked a hopeful smile and stated, "You still look gorgeous."

She closed her eyes and took several calming breaths. She opened her eyes and annoyingly smirked, "Next time." She started pass him and back to walk with Freddie to class.

Tori gratefully smiled to the lean teenager and thankfully commented, "Thanks."

He smiled to the brunette and answered, "You're welcome."

Neutronium Records  
Los Angeles, CA  
Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Francis was sitting on the edge of the right side end of his father's desk playing with a ventriloquist doll dressed as a turn of the twentieth century German school boy as the same blonde assistant that had greeted Cat and Robbie the previous day opened the door and escorted them along with Tori leading the pair.

Cat whispered into her taller friend's ear, "That's the weird boy."

Tori slightly turned her head to answer her redheaded friend, "Ah." She started leading them to the child as the assistant exited behind them. The brunette began with her right hand resting on her upper chest, "Hi Francis. Um, my name is Tori and this is...

Francis hopped off the desk and snapped off at the brunette, "Gimme the puppet!"

"Eh," Rex sounded.

Cat insisted, "Let's see the cash."

"No prob." He pulled out a stack of cash in his pocket and held it up with his left hand, "Two thousand bucks and I'll throw in Goonter."

"I don't know." He turned Rex's head so that they could look at one another and continued, "I mean, selling Rex... Doesn't that make me a terrible friend?"

"Man, I'd sell you for half a sandwich, even tuna."

"It's okay, Robbie. I mean, Francis seems like a..." Tori softly laughed, "Nice boy."

The boy let out a rude-fully burp and the brunette instantly frowned down at him and slightly shook her head.

A smile lit up Cat's face as she sniffed the air from is burp and she commented, "I smell Bibble!"

Mason's son called out impatiently, waving the money about, "Well? Give me the puppet."

The girls turned in place and looked at their glasses wearing friend.

"Alright then," Robbie muttered in defeat.

"Bye bye, cheekbones."

Tori softly mewed out, "Aw." She took his right hand and softly patted the top of it while returning the farewell, "Bye Rex."

"Later Valentine."

Cat sadly uttered with a pat on his right shoulder, "Bye."

Robbie took a step past them and held out Rex which the boy quickly took and shouted, "Sweet!" The next moment Francis tossed the stack of bills towards Tori, but rather than catch the money, it bounced out of her hands and clear above the teenagers' heads to the side of the room. The younger Vega sister quickly walked over to get it while Francis held the puppet.

He laughed out, "I gotta try him out!"

"No, please don't..."

The boy quickly interrupted him and corrected, "He's mine now and I'll do what I want."

Cat bent down and picked up the other puppet as Francis finished, "Now I'm just gonna stick my hand right in here."

"Oh my God," Robbie whined out and clenched his right fist over his heart as if he was in physical pain.

The disheveled child did exactly that and asked the puppet, "Hey Rex. Say 'knock knock'."

"Knock knock."

"Who's there?"

"Cows go."

"Cows go who?"

"No. Cows go moo." He laughed at his own joke and happily commented, "I'm awesome."

The next moment Robbie fainted and collapsed on the floor, much to the shock of the girls.

Francis motioned in disgust towards Robbie, "Well, drag his carcass out of here."

"Come on, Robbie," Tori called out as she grabbed Robbie's right wrist and Cat his left one and the pair started dragging the teenager out of the office.

West Residence

Freddie leaned back in his desk chair, enjoying a brief moment of respite to just lazily surf on-line and catch up on some news before heading down to grab dinner. He only needed a minute of browsing to find a particularly troubling headline which immediately put a look of shock on his face.

"Oh my God…" He shook his head as he continued reading the story.

"Damn…" he swore in disbelief then reached for his phone resting next to his mouse. He brought up his call list and tapped the name. The other end rang several times before it picked up, "Carly? _Gibby did what?_"

Hollywood Arts High School  
Thursday, May 17, 2012

Freddie and Jade were gathered around Tori's locker with Tori, André, Ava and Dusty just before the first period of the day and the tech-producer was catching them up with his conversation with Carly late yesterday afternoon.

Dusty rolled his eyes and muttered in complete disbelief, "For the love of God… Gibby flashed his junk on TV?"

Freddie slightly frowned, "It was an accident."

The girls made faces at the sheer disgust of such an image which the brown eyed teenager noticed and brought up, "Carly threw up at seeing it."

Tori started looking as if she was getting paler if not outright sick on her stomach.

The leaner teenager frowned and questioned in disbelief, "How do you accidentally drop your pants… _without any underwear on_?"

Freddie palmed his forehead and let out a breath. "His luggage got lost and he didn't have time to buy any other underwear."

"He couldn't have just worn the ones he was wearing in the first place? Were they that funky?"

"I don't know. I don't try to understand what goes through Gibby's mind."

Dusty raised a hand and continued, "Okay, I can't remember if I have every brought this up to you, but saying this as a longtime fan of the show: he was the worst thing to happen to that show. He should have never been added."

The former Seattleite blew out a breath as he found it hard to argue with the point.

Tori apparently was able to settle her stomach then ask, "So what's going to happen?"

"The FCC is threatening to take down iCarly if they don't pay something like a five hundred thousand dollar fine."

The others hissed in shock and sympathy.

Dusty shook his head and snorted out in disgust, "So the bastard's making _another_ power grab? Oh goody."

The group look flabbergasted at him other than Freddie.

He looked at the others back indignantly, "What? The FCC doesn't have the power to do that as much as he and his cronies wish it were so. It's a blatantly illegal and a power grab. This isn't China or Iran. We still have rights in this country and due process is one of them, especially over an area they don't have control over."

Freddie spoke up, "Dusty's right."

Tori spoke out in shock, "What?"

The brown eyed teenager shook his head and pointed out, "The FCC doesn't have the power to regulate the internet, so they simply can't take the site down. The Justice department could if the site was involved in fraud or illegally trafficking copyrighted material or you know… hosting very bad material."

Dusty clarified, "The type of stuff that you should just really take the guy out back and shoot him for what he's doing to a child."

The others looked as if they were going to be sick again, but Freddie quickly continued to turn their minds away from that, "And any case, since the show was shown after ten p.m. and it wasn't obscene, indecent, but not obscene, they shouldn't even be able to fine NBC in the first place least long trying to shift it to them."

The Southern teenager snorted out with a laugh, "Well, he is running out of money for his utopian bullcrap. He can only steal so much from our unborn grandkids."

André raised a hand and sharply spoke, "Enough with the Obama bashing."

Dusty cocked his head to the side and flippantly asked, "Name something I just said that wasn't factually true?"

Jade interrupted, "Could you two save the political argument for another time?"

The pair stared at each other for a few seconds before finally letting it go.

Tori hesitantly asked, "So what are they going to do?"

Freddie shrugged a shoulder and answered, "Well, I have an idea to save them…"

TheSlap Computer Room  
Hollywood Arts High School

Freddie finished setting up the webcam at the top of one of the desktop computers. He had passed a glance to Dalton, but he boy wasn't willing to challenge his presence. The brown eyed teenager tapped a few keys to start up the recording and bring up the iCarly site.

He smiled into the camera and began, "Hello iCarly fans. I know it's been a while since you've seen me, but I've heard some disturbing news. The FCC wants to illegally take down iCarly for what happened with Gibby on the Jimmy Fallon Show. What happened with Gibby was obviously an accident, but they just want to take down iCarly because they know that Carly can't pay a half a million dollar fine. So, I'm asking one of our biggest fans for a favor in order to save the show: Mrs. Obama, if you could do me—all of us—the favor and let your husband know what is going on and tell then to stop? I'd really appreciate it. We'd all appreciate it. Thanks Malia and Sasha for watching."

Robbie Shapiro: I miss REX. I hate Goonter (no offense Goonter). FEELING: Regret

Advance Acting II  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Thursday, May 17, 2012

Sikowitz was erasing something off the top of the whiteboard as Jade impatiently asked the rest of the class, "But why? Why would a guy dress up and walk around this school, blasting people in the head with flour bombs?! Why?"

Once the acting teacher finished his erasing, he turned and asked, "The question no one's asking is why? Why is he doing this? Why?"

Jade looked over to the others in disbelief.

Freddie pinched the bridge of his nose. "For the love of…" He looked up and snapped at the acting teacher, "Jade just asked that! Could you lay off the hallucinogens for a few days? _Please?_"

The balding teacher crossed his arms over his chest and frowned.

Freddie rolled his eyes in disgust.

André spoke up in an attempt to further the conversation and prevent and argument between the pair, "Come on, who could it be?!"

The redhead shouted, "Oh! I have an idea!"

Tori eagerly shouted, "Tell us."

Cat jumped up from her seat, "We make hamburgers! But weiner-shaped, right? And we put 'em on hot dog buns and we call 'em Hot-durgers!"

The all gave her a strange look, but she retorted to them in a dismissive tone, "I don't care I'm gonna do it anyway."

She had a seat just as Robbie quickly walked inside with a disheveled burgundy buttoned shirt and grey sweatpants. He quickly rattled off while taking a seat on the left side of the class, "Hey guys, sorry I'm late. What's up André? I'm here. Start the lesson, start." He took a breath and rested his face in his palms.

Sikowitz brought his left hand up to his mouth and rested the elbow against his other forearm resting across his stomach. "Robbie, are you all right?"

The glasses wearing teenager looked up and shouted with an impatient expression, "Yes! Why would you even ask that?"

Jade turned her head in the direction of the sitting teenager and answered, "Uh, because you look sloppy..." Her voice shifted into what sounded like Rex's voice to Robbie's ears as she continued, "And your hair looks dirty, and I dunno, you just seem all freaked out."

Robbie leaned forward too get a good look at her and shouted, "What?! Wh-why are you talking like that?!"

Jade gave him a confused expression as she continued to question in Rex's voice, "Why am I talking like what?"

Robbie shouted, "Stop it, stop that!"

The dark brunette turned her attention to Sikowitz and gave him a look in the hopes that he understood what was going on. Tori motioned a hand towards Jade and spoke up, "Robbie! She's just worried about you." Her voice shifted to Rex's voice as well as she finished, "Now why don't you just calm down and quit acting like a fool?"

Robbie grabbed the side of his head and started shouting, "Ah! Ah!"

The songsmith interrupted, "Hey, are you freaked out because ya sold Rex?"

The ventriloquist quickly denied in a panicked tone, "No. Look, I don't need Rex. I'm a grown boy. I don't need anybody."

Cat turned in her seat and disputed him, "Aw, Robbie, everyone needs friends. Especially..." The redhead's voice was the next to change, but to Robbie's eyes, her face morphed into Rex's face, "Weirdos like you, who wear turtle pajamas like a doof-bag."

He stood up from his seat and opened his hands out to her. "Rex!"

"Aw, you miss Rex?" Cat questioned in her own voice.

"Yes! No! I... ah, don't look at me!" He plopped done in his chair for the briefest of seconds then shouted, "Oh, I just need to go home! I just need to take a nap. That's all I need to do is just go home. A little rest and relaxation would be..." He opened the door just in time for the Flour Bomber to throw a bowl of flour into his face.

Once again the mystery man let out an odd laugh then dashed away. Robbie turned to face the others then collapsed as a heap on the floor.

Freddie blew out a tired breath, "Great, he's finally lost it."

Asphalt Café  
Hollywood Arts High School

Cat sat up a pink decorated hotdog cart in front of the Food Cart, serving her creation to the last lunch period of the day. She had a sign next to the cart in the same color scheme with a cartoon cow printed on it. Apparently Sikowitz realized he wasn't going to get anything accomplished in class, so he decided to just let them go for the rest of the period.

Cat put together one of her creations and handed it to a blue dressed freshmen girl and took her money. "Thank you! Enjoy your hot-durger!"

"I will," the random student answered and walked away.

She raised a pink bullhorn and called out, "Hot-durgers! Come and get your Hot-durgers!" Several students quickly got in line for their hot-durgers and the petit girl greeted the first girl in line. "Hi."

"Hi."

* * *

Sikowitz was walking from the Asphalt Café's parking lot back to the Café as Mrs. Hellbert shouted out from behind him with Rhoda in tow, "Sikowitz. Mister Sikowitz! Mister Sikowitz!"

He turned around and shouted, "What do you want?!"

"For you to drop the charges against my daughter!"

"Yeah, Sikowitz!"

The mother wrapped her around her daughter's shoulders and whined, "They're gonna put my baby in juvy!"

He raised his finger and pointed to the child as Tori and Freddie approached from his right, "I told you if she threw one more egg at me, I would contact the police, and last night..." He grabbed the hem of his shirt and raised it while finishing, "…she egged me right in the tummy!"

A considerably dark purple bruise was across his abdomen above his bellybutton.

Rhoda defiantly corrected, "I was aiming lower!"

Tori pointed to the girl then to Sikowitz's stomach while speaking, "She did that?"

"Who asked you, chicken hips?!"

Freddie quickly spoke up in defense of his friend, "She does not have chicken hips. She has fine hips."

She looked to him with wide eyes.

He rolled his eyes and answered, "You wear those jeans for a point, remember?"

She looked down embarrassing then snapped at Rhoda, "Watch it, strawberry grunch-cake!"

The blonde child shouted then charged at Tori, "That tears it!"

She started slapping Tori's right arm and the brunette started returning the slaps in-kind and shouting, "Ah! Get off of me!" The brunette started shouting louder as she quickly realized the slaps from the child were quite painful, "Stop! Hey! Stop! What is she doing?"

Freddie grabbed Rhoda by the wrists and pulled her away. She tried to struggle out of his grasp, but he pulled her arms to his chest and harshly stared down at the girl. "Don't make me hurt you. You may have super strength, but I can take a beating long enough to _break you_. Understood?"

The child sucked in a sharp breath at seeing the cold stare directed at her and swallowed down nervously. He let her go then turned to Tori and led her by the right arm back to the Café.

The nemeses stared at each other, readying to see who would move first.

* * *

André and Trina were sitting at the usual lunch table while the songsmith was on his cell phone, "But he... Mister... Mister Thornesmith... It's a puppet. It's a pup... it's not alive. It's... but, why?"

André annoying commented, "Thanks for hanging up on me." He turned to the older Vega sister sitting next to him and looking herself in a mirror. He asked with a hint of disbelief, "Why are you looking at yourself in a mirror?"

Trina calmly retorted, "Why wouldn't I?"

Tori and Freddie approached the table and had a seat together while the brunette was still catching her breath. She rubbed the side of her right arm (still looped with Freddie's), trying to ease the pain, and shouted with a high pitched voice, "I was just in a fight with a twelve year-old!"

Trina smugly correctly, "No, you just _lost_ a fight with a twelve-year-old."

"She has super strength like Sam! It makes a difference."

The older sister rolled her eyes.

Freddie added, "It does make a difference. I've shrugged off enough beatings from her."

Trina wasn't going to argue with Freddie so she turned back to her mirror.

Tori looked to André and asked, "Did you call Mason?"

"Yep."

"Will his son sell Rex back to Robbie?"

"Nope."

"Oh! Why would a twelve-year-old boy be so stubborn about keeping a dumb puppet?!"

Trina interrupted with her annoyance dripping off of her voice, "Yo. Idiot. If you wanna get a twelve-year-old boy's attention away from a puppet then get him something he'll like better.

Tori raised a curious eyebrow. "Like?"

The songsmith eagerly suggested, "Donuts."

Trina spat out in disgust, "I have no time for this," then got up from her seat, grabbing her drink and book bag and walk away.

Freddie and André watched her go and one thought passed through the tech-producer's mind: 'Vegas' and their Daisy-Dukes'. Tori's attention was caught by Sikowitz and the Hellberts starting up their shouting at one another from the parking lot. She turned back in her seat to look at the boys and smirked. "I know something an obnoxious twelve-year-old boy might want."

André laughed along and motioned with a hand towards her. "Cupcakes."

Back at the ham-durger cart, Cat was fulfilling another order with the customer thanking her. He turned for the next patron and Cat happily asked, "Hi. What would you like on your hot-durger..." She was cut off as the red and blue costumed teenager threw the bowl of flour in Cat's face.

"Oh!"

She blinked and pitifully whined, "It's not as fun as it seems."

Tori Vega: I did NOT lose a fight with a 12 year old girl! Ok SO WHAT IF I DID? Be quiet! FEELING: Girl-Slapped

Freddie Benson: She has super-strength ToriVega! It makes a difference! Ask Sam Puckett. FEELING: Reminiscent

In route to Neutronium Records

Freddie was behind the wheel of his Charger with Tori in the passenger seat and Rhode in the back. The muscular teenager was not shy in his objections, "Giving her a guy is going to solve her problem? That's ridiculous."

Tori eagerly pointed towards her friend and retorted, "You mellowed out Jade. You were the best thing to happen to her."

He resisted rolling his eyes since he was driving and countered, "No, Jade mellowed herself out after seeing what her behavior got her: the lost of the guy she loved and her friends ditching her to go to Yerba while she was trying to put her heart back together. You have to be a friend to have friends."

The brunette turned her attention to the front windshield and frowned at her regret of leaving Jade behind to celebrate the summer with a getaway. The most comforting thought about what she saw was a horrible choice was it gave Jade and Freddie the chance to meet again without the rests' presence and down the path that would lead them to today.

Neutronium Records  
Los Angeles, CA

Francis walked up next to his dad, who was busy working at his desk, and called out, "Hey dad!"

Mason blew out a tired breath and answered, "What?"

"Knock knock."

He decided to humor his son and ask, "Who's there?"

"Woo."

"Woo who?"

"Woo-hoo?! What are you so happy about? Ha!"

He muttered out in a regretful tone, "Ya know, I never wanted to have children."

Francis looked oblivious to his father's comment as Mason's blonde assistant pushed open the door and entered the office. She called out, "Robbie Shapiro is here to see you."

Mason answered in a tired voice, "Oh! Alright. Send him in."

Robbie timidly entered the office carrying a little yellow jacket and boots and answered, "Hello."

"Yes, Robbie, you wanted to see me and Francis?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to drop off Rex's raincoat and hiking boots."

"Good, give 'em. I got a super funny joke about a raincoat."

"Yeah well, I don't think I can stand watching another minute of this," Mason commented in an exasperated voice and stood up to head out his back office door.

Robbie approached the desk with Francis while unknown to the pair, the office door slightly opened and Freddie, Tori and Rhoda looked into the office. The brunette motioned her head towards Francis and told Rhoda, "Him."

Rhoda whined, "I don't wanna."

"Oh! You..." Tori angrily hissed back, "You do it, or Sikowitz is gonna send you to juvy."

Freddie let his thoughts known, "I am still so torn: I'm enjoying you tormenting Sikowitz, but does the world need another Sam in the making?" He glanced to Tori as he finished, "Maybe she should go to juvy while there's still a chance to save her from not turning out like Sam."

The lovely younger Vega sister threw him an annoyed expression, but he held his ground.

Rhoda got tired of the bickering couple in her eyes and approached the pair from the behind. She paused for a moment then looked over her left shoulder back at the pair.

Tori knotted her brow and made a face while pointing at her, daring her to defy her.

The blonde child grabbed Francis by the shoulder and turned him around to face her. He shouted in confusion and outrage, "Who are you?"

She grabbed him by the shoulders and brought him in for a quick kissed him on the cheek.

He hissed out in disgust and tried to wipe the side of his cheek with his free hand, "Uh! Gross! That was..."

Tori smiled at the reaction from her vantage point of her head peaking around the door.

The ventriloquist in the making started smiling at seeing the blonde girl smiling in return then threw Rex on the floor.

Robbie shouted in outrage, "Francis, you threw Rex on the floor!"

"So? I don't need a stupid puppet." He looked to Rhoda and smiled, "I got me a woman." He took her by the hand and started to the door.

Tori and Freddie let them walk past while Robbie picked Rex off the floor with the puppet mumbling, "Oh."

Tori hopped to him and laughed out, "Yay, you got Rex back!" She gave him a half hug on his left side while he answered, "I know! I missed you so much!"

The puppet looked away and Robbie asked with a concerned filled voice, "Rex, what's wrong?"

"You were with another puppet."

The younger Vega sister's eyes shot open in disbelief and her jaw slacked. Freddie didn't look any better at the scene unfolding in front of him.

Robbie laughed out nervously, "Yeah, but it was only for one night. It didn't mean anything."

"This other puppet... Do you love him?"

"Goonter?!"

"Don't say his name. Ah!"

"No, I was just alone..."

The pair slowly started walking backwards to the door.

"Oh my God…" Freddie turned to Tori and stated, "You were right, this really is unnatural."

"I wish _I _hadn't found out about this."

He tightly grabbed her hand and turned to head out the door as quickly as possible with lovely girl as she called out over her shoulder, "Bye."

Hale Residence  
Los Angeles, CA

The time was the early evening as Dusty was relaxing in his bed watching Fox News as the channel was playing a replay snippet of a Presidential news conference.

The President softly laughed as he answered, "Yes, my family loves iCarly and I want to reassure the public that the FCC will not arbitrarily shutdown it down or any other website or service providers. That was just a snapped and uninformed and quite frankly stupid decision on their part to make such a threat and I'd like to apologize to the entire iCarly crew for the trouble that they were put through from an obviously inadvertent accident. I've instructed Attorney General Holder to look into possible other misconduct by the commissioners…"

Dusty snorted out a laugh, "At least he didn't need a teleprompter this time."

Hollywood Arts High School  
Friday, May 18, 2012

A random student shouted and pointed to the blue and red dressed mystery man, "The Flour Bomber!"

He was rewarded with a face full of flower and the Flour Bomber turned and let out an odd laugh before dashing towards the exit, however he was met with Dusty entering and blocking the exit.

The mystery man let out an odd sounding, "Oh," then turned to dash up the main stairwell. He took the right hand path, but was quickly stopped by meeting Jade's harsh expression and disgustingly throwing her bag on the floor, symbolically throwing down the gauntlet for him to charge her.

He fortunately had enough sense not to do such a thing and let out an, "Ah!" then turned to head in the other direction.

However, as he tried to dash of the left path, he was stopped by Freddie walking down them and giving him a cold stare. He shouted oddly again then started running down the main stairwell and down the hallway in the direction of the janitor's closet.

The others immediately gave chase to him with a random student among the ones lining the hall and lockers shouting out, "Somebody stop him!"

He made it to the end of the hallway and turned at the corner to start down the short hallway, but Cat ran down it and spread her arms and legs out as she hurled herself at him, "Oh."

He shouted in surprise from the small redhead tackling him back onto the ground, "Ah!"

Little Red quickly got on her feet and shouted, "Help me!" She grabbed him by his right wrist and tried to pull him up. A number of male teenagers helped her and pulled him to his feet.

Jade shouted, "Take his mask off!"

Cat took the goggles off of his face then the red ski mask.

The dark brunette raised her right pointer finger to the teenager's face and shouted, "Ah ha!"

Cat curiously asked, "Who is that?"

Jade knotted her brow and asked with a perplexed and soft tone, "I don't know. Hey, who are you?"

The tall teenager answered in a bored tone, "I'm Tom. Tom Vineman."

Dusty motioned a hand towards him and asked just as dumbfounded, "Do... do any of these people know you, because I don't have a clue who you are?"

"Nah. I go to East Hills High. We're on semester break."

Cat still looked quite confused at the stranger and it filtered in her voice, "So then why are you flour bombing people here?

He shrugged a shoulder and lazily answered, "I dunno. Just bored… and my mom bakes, so she had a bunch of extra flour." He motioned down with the Tupperware bowl stuck to his hand and blew out, "Phoo."

The bell signaled for the next class, but it was ignored as Freddie commented, "This feels like the complete opposite of a Scooby Doo moment."

Dusty confidently pointed out, "I told you, but… we're still taking him out back and beating the crap out of him, right?"

All the boys looked to one another then started nodding followed by a series of yeahs.

Tom's eyes shot open as Dusty and the other male teens lifted him off of his feet and started carrying him down the hallway to the senior wall.

Jade, Freddie, and Cat turned and started on their way back down the hallway. The taller girl muttered, "That was still kind of let down."

Freddie took Jade by the hand and shrugged a shoulder, "I guess the mystery of not knowing was more satisfying then finding out it was just some random guy."

She nodded along then said, "So tell me again about that 'Scooby Doo' moment again so I can get a little satisfaction in a mystery."

He grinned, happy to oblige her. "Well, it started with Carly's obsession with proving Bigfoot is real…"

* * *

Author's note: I hope you enjoy this chapter. I hope it offered something to everyone. Next week will be 'Pear Eye in the Sky', my interpretation of 'Bad Roommate'. I'll see you then.

Special Guest Appearance by President Obama as himself.


	37. Chapter 37: Pear Eye in the Sky

Hello everyone. I have a new chapter for you, but it is a shorter chapter than what I usually post (busy completing the last chapter of 'iGuess We're Roomies'). However, I hope to post the next one sooner than next Thursday because of it and enjoy this chapter.

Let me cover some reviews.

Jeremy Shane: Thanks

Agent-M-0167: The Robbie/Rex relationship, I called it probably a year ago or more in my Creddie crossover with Victorious. Freddie outright called Rex Robbie's sex puppet and nearly shoved him up the boy's rear after he used Rex to make a comment about Carly and his sex life (Freddie and Carly are married at the time).

The pre-marital sex has always popped up from time to time in the story due to Freddie's religious views on the matter and the legal implications of being in California instead of Washington State. I'll let Beck explain why in the story. Tori is upset because Freddie is her friend if not by now her best friend on equal footing of André.

TenorSax93: I hope you got my PM

pbow: I've done the same thing and if I didn't have those, I use light white bread. I'm surprised the school didn't shut her down as she was competing against them for the students' money. The government never likes it when you compete with them for money.

darck ben: I saw go for your idea. Outside perspectives are interesting to read.

Challenge King: I wasn't actually entirely happy with the FCC situation, because I never worked in the idea that Freddie technically owns iCarly as he invented the name and did all the heavy lifting.

Twilight Warrior 627: I'm tempted to touch back on that relationship and explain what Rex truly is in the story before I'm done. About how things are going or will go for Dusty and Heather Fox, we'll see. He's just some Southern boy who wants to get out of California after graduation and she's a famous model that travels. Not an easy combination.

Fanfic-Reader-88: Nothing has happened to Beck yet. I think Freddie is getting to the point where he just doesn't care about how Beck runs his mouth. He's the one that has Jade and he has a bright future in more ways than one. Living well is the best revenge and Sam is learning that the hard way. I'll reserve comment on why Beck said anything.

In California, the age of consent is 18; Seattle and Nevada it is 16. As their law is written, they could have both been charged before Freddie's 18th Birthday and anything after before Jade is 18, he could be charged. It is quite serious. Whether it is widespread in enforcement is irrelevant, it is still on the books.

PD31: So you're voting to turn this into a Jade/Freddie/Tori story?

I will stay mute on agreeing or disagreeing with characters in the story.

As you pointed out, 'iMeet the First Lady' the Secret Service stated that she was the most powerful person in the country and higher than the president… they should have all been arrested for treason.

Rating: T Language

* * *

Chapter 37: Pear Eye in the Sky

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Monday, May 21, 2012

School had just let in for the day and the hallways were filled with students before they were to head for their first period class, which of course meant the obligatory socializing among the students. Tori and André were off near Jade's locker and the school entrance talking to a number of their classmates from their songwriting class while Freddie and Robbie were standing on the landing of the main stairwell looking at the ventriloquist's aqua PearPad.

The tech-producer laughed out, "Whoa... that's insane."

Robbie held up a finger as he interrupted, "Wait, wait, wait, watch what happens when I zoom in."

"No way!"

The curly haired teenager nodded to disagree, "Yeah."

Cat happily walked down from the left stairwell to the pair from Robbie's right, looking very lovely that day in her blue summer dress. "Hi."

Robbie danced his fingertips over the screen and continued to comment, "Oh and now you can turn it this way..."

Freddie chuckled, "Oh they have outdone themselves this time."

The redhead knotted her brow and called out, quite annoyed at being ignored, "Hi!"

Robbie finally turned his attention to his would be girlfriend and answered, "Hey Cat."

The more muscular teenager followed up while still looking at the screen, "Hey."

She looked over Robbie's arm to see the PearPad and asked, "What are guys looking at?"

Robbie happily answered, "Pearmaps upgraded their app. Now you can look at any place in the whole world..."

"In super high rez… which they failed to let us know at the store. It's kind of hard to push a product when they don't let us know."

"No way!" She quickly looked up to Robbie for clarification. "I don't get it."

"Just show her," Freddie suggested.

Robbie slightly turned to show the redhead his PAD and answered while manipulating the screen with his fingertips, "See, here's an overhead shot of our school..."

"Cool."

He ran his fingertips over the screen, zooming in the picture. "And now I'll just zoom in..."

"I'm falling!"

Jade called out as she strolled behind them down from the right side staircase, "What... you guys looking at the new Pearmaps app?"

Freddie took a sidestep to his left to allow Jade to slip up beside him and for him to wrap his right arm around the small of her back while Robbie answered, "Yeah, now you can zoom in from any angle."

Cat grabbed the PAD and pulled it to get a better view of the screen. "Oh my God, that's where we eat lunch!"

Robbie happily joined, "Yeah! The Pearmaps satellite must have taken this shot a few months ago."

The former Seattleite pointed to the ceiling with his free hand and overdramatically commented, "From space!"

The redhead looked up to the ceiling and waved, "Hi!"

Jade quietly pointed out, "Cat, we're inside."

The petit girl stopped and slightly frowned in embarrassment.

Freddie noticed something on the screen and asked while pointing at it, "Hey! Is that us?"

Cat excitedly yelled, "Oh my gosh, that is us!"

Jade idly agreed, "Oh yeah, I'm wearing my red boots."

Freddie knotted his brow and commented to Jade then questioned Robbie, "You looked great in those jeans that day too, but uh, can you zoom in tighter on Jade?"

The glasses wearing teenager playfully answered then started manipulating the screen, "I think... a zooma-zoom zoom."

The picture zoomed into the right side of Jade's face with her left pointer finger looking like she was picking her nose as she looked down at her PearPad.

Robbie muttered, "Um..." followed by Cat, "Oh!"

Freddie pulled slightly away from his girlfriend as she angry retorted, "No! Okay, no... I'm not..."

Cat softly spoke up, "Picking your nose?"

"Cat!"

The redhead quickly turned and walked away several feet before stopping and looking back at her friends.

Jade quickly caught up to Cat then turned to look back at Robbie and Freddie. "I was not, picking it. I was just scratching the outside of my nose, like this..." She took her left pointer finger and started scratching the side of her nose.

Robbie motioned with a hand towards her and commented, "Well yeah you see, from this angle, it just looks like you're picking..."

She quickly cut him off, "Don't say it! Okay, nobody mentions this to anyone."

Robbie agreed, "Promise."

Cat innocently asked, "You mean you picking your nose?"

"Cat!"

The glasses wearing teenager directed a "Shh!" at Cat.

Jade quickly continued, "I was scratching it."

The redhead answered in a tone that suggested that she wasn't entirely convinced, "Right."

Freddie spoke up, "It's like when you're scratching above your upper lip just under your nose with your ring finger. You do it without thinking." He mimicked the gesture he just described with his left ring finger.

Jade's brow knotted. "What?"

He softly smirked while letting out a soft laugh, "It's just one of your many little quirks I've noticed over time."

The comment seemed to placate her for the moment with the hint of a smile forming on her face and long enough so Freddie could start them down the stairs without further incident. However, just as they were reaching the corner where the dark headed teenager's locker was located, Robbie and Cat let out a laugh.

The couple snapped their heads around hearing the laughter and Jade gave them a deathly glare, instantly silencing the pair.

Vega Residence

It was early evening when Trina was opening her package on the kitchen table while Tori was relaxing on the couch towards the door and reading a book. She was using her mother's lap as a pillow and had her feet propped up on the backrest of the couch under a blue, wintry blanket.

Mrs. Vega was reading a message off of her phone and let out a soft laugh.

Tori looked up at her mother in curiosity, but she softly patted her daughter's head to turn her attention back to the book and instructed, "Read your book." The brunette reluctantly agreed and turned her attention back to reading, but it was short lived when Trina called out from the kitchen, "Yeah."

The younger sister sat up in place and turned her attention to the kitchen to see Trina holding out a trophy she had pulled out of her package. Mother and child looked to the other sibling with Tori calling out, "What is that?"

"My trophy."

Mrs. Vega shifted in her seat and asked, "For what?"

Trina answered in a tone as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "For the shelf in my bedroom."

Tori looked on in confusion and it filtered into her voice, "But how'd you get it?"

Trina brushed some hair behind her left ear as she walked into the living room and answered, "I took mom's credit card, went online to Trophiocity dot com and bought it." Mrs. Vega and Tori exchanged quick glances while Trina looked to her trophy while walking around the couches towards the stairs and let out a squeal, "Trina Vega, first place." She threw up her left fist and shouted, "Go me!"

The doorbell rang as Trina started up the stairs and called out, "Someone get that."

Tori blew out a breath, pulled her blanket off of her legs and sat her book down on the coffee table. She got up to answer the door as Trina could be heard singing while she went deeper into the second floor, _"It's an all night party we're getting into—"_

Tori opened the door and immediately frowned at seeing Beck then attempted to shut the door in his face.

He shouted out, "Tori, please don't shut the door in my face."

The brunette paused in shutting the door and blew out a breath while giving him an irritated stare.

He lightly pleaded, "Come on Tori, it's been nearly a week and you won't talk to me. What's going on?"

Mrs. Vega's attention was instantly peaked and slyly turned her attention to the door.

Tori slightly bowed her head as she rested against the edge of the door.

He slightly tilted his head to the side and softly asked, "Please Tori, you have to tell me why you're mad at me."

She looked at him with an annoyed expression. "Fine, you told my dad something you should have never told him."

Mrs. Vega sat completely up and turned her full attention to the couple without any pretense.

He cracked a nervous grin and put on a completely perplexed expression. "What? What did I tell him?"

"Prom night? When you tried to make yourself look better by telling my dad about Freddie and Jade? How you weren't like him and my dad didn't have to worry."

He slightly frowned and asked in a surprised tone, "That's what you're mad about?"

She crossed her arms under her chest. "Yes, I'm mad about it. That was there business. You had no right to just blab it out to my dad, _a cop_, when you know they could get in trouble for it."

He blew out a breath and rolled his eyes then tried to respond in a calm voice, "I didn't appreciate your father looking down at me because I'm not Freddie and wanted to let him know that Freddie is not as _perfect_ as your parents think he is. Maybe they wouldn't judge me as harshly." He glance passed Tori's shoulder and looked to Mrs. Vega.

Tori frowned as she looked back at him with a cold stare while Mrs. Vega slightly shrugged a shoulder.

He blew out another breath and in a near trademark manner, ran a hand through his hair. He looked up to meet her eyes and continued, "Look, I didn't think about getting him into any trouble. Okay, we've had our differences—a lot of differences—especially recently, but I don't want to see anything bad happen to him." He slightly bowed his head as he finished, "I guess I finally understand what Jade meant about her feelings of thinking she had to compete with other girls and I handled it _very badly_. I just don't want to compete against Freddie for you."

The brunette rested a hand on her upper chest and responded with a neutral tone, "You're not competing with Freddie for me and you don't have to."

"Maybe not in your eyes," he answered in a quiet tone and passed another look to Mrs. Vega, but she looked back without a bit of guilt.

Tori looked over her shoulder to meet her mother's eyes with a near accusing expression, but Holly forged innocence in response. She turned back to Beck and answered, "Their eyes aren't the ones you have to worry about."

He lifted his brow and looked at her wide eyed as he softly challenged, "I don't have to worry about your dad? Really?"

She softly rolled her eyes and lolled her head slightly to the side then answered, "Okay, I'll give you that one."

He motioned his arms in front of her back and forth. "I get it. I did the exact same thing I complained about Jade doing when we were together: I got jealous and I lashed out. I'm a hypocrite and I'm sorry. I lost Jade to Freddie; I don't want to lose you to him either."

Tori nodded along and softly uttered, "Okay."

"Okay what?"

She calmly and in a deliberately slow voice replied, "You're a hypocrite and you're sorry… I'm angry at you and touched at the same time, but that's not an excuse for you did, okay?"

He slightly nodded his head and whispered, "Right, not an excuse."

She nodded along with him then took a step forward to give him a kiss on the left corner of his mouth.

He was a little surprised by the reaction, but remained silent while looking into her eyes for her to finish with a soft smile, "Next time just talk to me."

The long haired actor blew out a breath, "Okay."

She softly smiled to her boyfriend and tenderly spoke, "You'll apologize to Jade and Freddie tomorrow. I'll see you then."

He stuffed his hands into his pockets and nodded his head, a soft smile playing on his face. "Tomorrow." He turned away while she closed the door then turned to face her mother. The brunette's expression shifted into one of annoyance. "Would you like to tell me something mom?"

She blew out a breath and rolled her eyes. "I give: I like Freddie and wish you were dating him; he's a sweet, nice guy with a good head on his shoulders and a bright future. Why wouldn't I prefer him over Beck?"

Tori's eyes shot open. "Mom!"

Her mother raised a challenging eyebrow and slightly smirked.

The younger daughter raised her hands and eagerly countered, "Look, Freddie and I are _just friends_."

She laughed out, "I know, that's the problem."

Tori dropped her hands and gave her mother an annoyed expression and curtly retorted, "Mom, there is no problem. We are friends and I'm very happy for Freddie and Jade."

Mrs. Vega slightly tilted her head to the side and comment, "A mother can still wish."

"I'm not getting with Freddie, so stop wishing—" She pointed at her mother and finished with a sharp tone, "—and would you lay off Beck?"

She gave her daughter a temporary placating smile then answered, "I didn't say anything to him in the first place. If he has a problem that I took Freddie's side in their fight, well too bad. I'm not going to fault Freddie for trying to protect you or anything else Beck said about him."

Tori crossed her arms and slightly bowed her head, realizing that her mother was aware of the situation. She nor Trina had mentioned anything to their mother about the situation as apparently after a week, their father hadn't done anything. They decided to leave well enough alone, but not she worried that had been a mistake in not informing their mother on their terms.

Mrs. Vega could tell from her daughter's eyes that she wasn't faulting Freddie. She put on a guarded expression and decided to be forthcoming to her daughter, "Your father told me what Beck told him and his talk with Mrs. West."

Tori's eyes shot open and asked completely flabbergasted, "He talked to Jade's mom?!"

"Yes, but just to let her know what could happen, not to get Freddie into any kind of trouble. Apparently she's aware of the possibility, but denied it in a… _unique_ manner. She told your dad to drop it and if he talked to Jade without her there, she'd file a complaint against him then sue us."

"Do you think she's serious? I know she had a talk with Principal Helen about Sikowitz, but would she go that far?"

"Your father thinks she would, but it's pointless; he doesn't want anything to happen to Freddie."

Tori didn't attempt to hide her worry, "Are you sure?"

The Vega Matriarch smiled at hearing her daughter's concern for Freddie, but quickly assuaged her daughter's worry, "Mrs. West would be the least of your father's worries. If he tried, your dad would be sleeping on the couch until our next anniversary."

Tori pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes as she curiously responded, "But your anniversary is in March and it's May."

Mrs. Vega smiled innocently while answering, "I know."

The younger Vega sibling lips pursed and she looked to her wide eyed.

The mother softly laughed, "I already told you, I like Freddie."

Tori nervously started playing with her fingertips again. "So you're not judging Freddie?"

Mrs. Vega patted next to her for Tori to have a seat and she complied. The matriarch directed a supportive smile towards Tori and answered, "Your father and I have always made it very clear to you and Trina about what we wished—what we hoped—you would do in those circumstances, but I'm not going to judge Freddie if he's made a different decision."

"Good, because Freddie's a good man and he's not like the guys you and dad warned us about—he's not Steven or Ryder. He's nothing like that and what I've…" She licked her lisp and hesitated on exactly how to phrase her next words. "…picked up since they got together that he takes that as serious as you taught us and as old fashion as this sounds, he'd be afraid he was… shaming the girl even if they are _that_ committed."

Mrs. Vega snorted out a laugh, "Do you see why I would like you to be dating him?"

Tori rolled her eyes and shook her head. She turned in her spot and lay back down to use her mother's lap as a pillow. Holly reached over and picked up her daughter's book to hand it back to her then the pair settled back into relaxing as they were before Beck arrived.

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Jade wore her blue denim jacket she had worn from Easter and Freddie's favorite standby pleated skirt as she causally made her way down the left side stairs towards the landing and towards her locker. She undid the zipper to one of the pockets on her Gears-of-War bag and shoved her keys into pocket and zipping it up as she reached her locker. The purple streaked hair girl put in her combination to her lock then opened her locker to put in her bag.

An African-American teenager, perhaps a sophomore at most, approached her with two other underclassmen on either side of him. He laughed out while passing a quick glance to his friends, "Hey Jade... If you had to choose between your elbow and your nose, I guess you'd... pick your nose."

She knotted her brow at the absurdity of the random statement and him just approaching her out of nowhere. She glanced over to a knot of students between the lockers and left side guardrail of the stairwell looking at a PearPad then started laughing and pointing at her.

She finally realized what he meant and before he could turn off and laugh with his friends, she took step forward and deeply frowned. "You realize that my boyfriend put the last boy that harassed me into the hospital and the one before him is now traumatized from female dancers, right?"

The underclassman swallowed down nervous along with the others.

She took another step forward and she softly whispered, but still seemed to be loud enough for the other teenagers that were laughing to stop and listen, "Do you realize that I can do _far worst_?"

He took another step back in fear and his friends looked like they were about to bolt any moment.

"Are you really that stupid? Really? Is that what that picture shows?"

She scratched the side of her nose exactly how she had done in the picture. The students on her left side saw what she had done and looked worried that instead of feeling humiliated; Jade was angry and that was a very bad thing.

"No."

"No _what_?"

He swallowed down in fear, "No ma'am."

She smirked down at him and continued with a haughty voice, "Good, now get to class before I have to learn your name. You don't want me to learn your name."

He quickly nodded his head then turned and scurried off with his two friends.

She looked to the knot of students with a cold glare and asked, "What are you looking at?"

The other bowed their heads in fear then glanced around to notice Freddie and Cat at the end of the hallway at the drink machines.

She turned back to slam her locker shut then swiftly walked down the hall to catch up with the pair. She shouted when she reached them, "Hey!"

Freddie turned and smiled. "Hey angel, I was just looking for you."

"Who told?!"

The redhead answered with a question and curious expression, "Told what?"

"About me! About me on Pearmaps," she angrily shouted as she motioned as if she was frantically scratching the side of her nose.

Freddie cocked his head to the side and gave his pale girlfriend a questioning look as if she really asked such a thing. "I'm really going to _lie_ about you to people?"

Jade looked down embarrassingly for a moment as Cat spoke up, "I told people not to look."

The pale girl quickly picked up before she fully realized what the redhead had said, "Well, then it had to have been Robbie because..." She turned her full attention to Cat once she processed what the redhead had actually said and asked with a strained voice, "What do you mean you 'told people not to look?'"

"I tweeted it on The Slap."

"You... What did you tweet?"

Cat looked at her phone and read, "Just... 'Please do not go on Pearmaps and look up Hollywood Arts. If you do, do not zoom in on Jade. P.S. she's not picking her nose.' I made it super clear."

During Cat reading off what she tweeted, Freddie slowly edged between the girls as he saw Jade get angrier with each syllable.

"What?" Jade shouted just before she attempted to charge Cat.

Freddie dashed between them and grabbed Jade in a bear hug and shouted out, "Just run. Run fast and far."

Jade struggled in his arms for a few seconds trying to get at Cat.

Sinjin walked up behind Jade and interrupted the struggling with them looking at the lanky teenager, "Hey Jade... As a guy who used to pick his nose, I'm here to tell you... It gets better."

The couple met each other's eyes for a moment while Cat placed a hand over her mouth and let out a soft, "Hm."

Freddie hissed out, "Walk away."

Jade screamed out and tried to charge at Cat again, but Freddie held on to her in her struggling. He seriously debated letting her go and letting Cat take her chances since he was afraid he'd hurt her by hanging on to her if she struggled any further.

"Ah!" Sinjin shouted as he doubled back as fast as he could run.

Cat shouted and dashed down the short hallway towards the senior wall, "No!"

Freddie held her tightly against him and started stroking the back of her head, "Angel, shh, shh, stop Angel, stop. Just settle for me just settle. Shh. Shh."

She stopped flailing her arms over his shoulders, started settling and her knees were giving out on her. He quickly realized that and gently slid down with her to the floor with him ending up on his behind and her on her knees.

He gently started rocking her and whispering into her right ear, "It's okay angel, it's okay."

She started crying in frustration and embarrassment into the crook of his neck and he felt the wetness of her tears on his neck.

This garnered the attention of the loitering students and he glanced upwards and outright glared at them. They had enough sense to look away and some started walking away to either class of meet up with other friends.

He kissed her right cheek and continued to whisper calming words.

Asphalt Café  
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Lunch time rolled around and the Hollywood Arts ganged were gathering around their lunch table. Jade and Freddie joined the group for the first time in several days and sitting on the left side of the table with their backs to the Asphalt's parking lot. Beck and Tori took a seat next to Jade and Freddie with Tori sitting between the tech-producer and her boyfriend while the others took seats rounding the table facing away from the school.

Freddie and Beck exchanged guarded, cursory glances to one another and everyone expected to have a relatively quiet lunch with the tension between the pair, but Beck surprised them (after a slight, unseen nudge of Tori's elbow into Beck's side); the long haired actor wore a mollified expression and started with a pretty submissive tone, "I'm sorry about… you know, running my mouth about you to Mister Vega."

André curiously asked, "About what?"

The tech-producer passed a quick glance to his dreadlock wearing friend. "It doesn't matter." He nodded his head to Beck then guardedly asked, "Is there an apology in there for calling Jade a freak and implying that she would cheat on me with your friend Moose? I never forgot about that."

Beck softly bit his bottom lip and glanced down to the table.

Freddie rolled his eyes and curtly commented, "Oh just save it; if you were going to mean one, you would have apologized sometime during the last two weeks."

The school's heartthrob snapped his head and nearly glared at his ex's boyfriend.

Freddie ignored him and turned his attention to Tori and asked, "So how's your song coming for Kojeezy?"

The brunette appeared that she was willing segue into another discussion to prevent a blow up between her boyfriend and friend, "Slowly, but I think I should be ready for tomorrow."

André offered, "If you need help tonight, just let me know."

"Thanks."

Freddie raised an eyebrow and questioned, "Can you even sell a song to him? Wouldn't Mason want you to keep any song you wrote for your own album? Why don't you just keep it for your album?"

She took a quick sip from the straw of her drink then answered, "When Kojeezy was at Neutronium Records and made his suggestion, Mason didn't have a problem with it and I thought about it. I won't be able to get an album done until the end of the summer, but if Kojeezy buys and produces a song now, then maybe I can have a hit summer song and stay in the public eye until I can get my album out."

Jade nodded her head to the side and commented, "Good plan."

The semi-formal-rival replied, "How about you? How's your album coming?"

Jade hesitated. Tori was her competition on another record label even if she had a clause that allowed her to perform and record with artists on other labels. Unfortunately, it was something to consider in future relations with Tori on a professional level. However, she decided to answer honestly, "The soonest I could get mine out is the end of the summer too, but Quincy doesn't want a rushed album. He's happy to wait for the holidays then either a spring or even summer tour next year."

Cat hesitantly pointed out, "But if you two release at the same time, you could be competing for record sells?"

The girls exchanged silent glances then Jade answered, "That's the nature of the industry: we all want to be actors or musicians, so there was always the chance we would be competing head to head for roles and opportunities. We've had to do that plenty of times already here."

Freddie mumbled as he took a sip from his cup, "With the teachers completely rigging it."

The group decided to ignore it and André took the opportunity to speak up with a melancholy tone, "Jade's right, there may be times we're be competing against each other if our albums come out at the same time." He looked to Jade and Tori as he finished in the same tone, "I'm just sorry I'll be outselling the both of you."

The girls simultaneously gave him looks questioning that he really had made the comment.

He snorted out a laugh and causing the others to soon joined him.

Tori picked up with Jade in a curious tone, perhaps eager to learn how the pale girl was handling the silent dilemma she was facing, "What about college? If you could tour in the summer, it'd be alright, you'd have plenty of time, but what about the spring? You'd have to miss your spring semester?"

Jade glanced to Freddie then hesitantly answered, "We're still discussing about college. Signing with Quincy for a record deal has made me seriously debate whether I should go to college right now or take a year or compromise and go part-time." She spared Freddie another glance then finished, "If I did go to UCLA, as Freddie and I'd planned, I'd have to take the winter quarter off to just prepare for a tour then I'd miss the spring quarter for the actually tour. I have a lot of options and it's something we're still debating about exactly what to do. What do you plan to do?"

"I'm debating the same thing with my mom and dad and Mason then I have to worry about promotion for my movie. They're finally ready to release it for the summer. I think they want to take advantage of my name recognition while we're still fresh on everyone's minds."

Freddie laughed out, "Balancing school, music and acting? There are plenty of people would love to have your problems and I'm glad you have them. I know what it's like to have options taken away by others." The girls he was sandwich between each gave him a narrowed eyed expression. He casually popped a French fry into his mouth then idly commented, "I'm just telling the truth. It's a nice break from all the other chizzy problems we've had to deal with lately and something actually good happening to you."

He was surprised wide-eyed the next moment from briefly feeling a pair of lips on each one of his cheeks.

Beck gave a disapproving expression of Tori giving Freddie a cheek kiss, but held his tongue. Cat just laughed at the action while Robbie and Rex remained silent.

André spoke up towards Jade, "Speaking of truths, I read about the 'nose picking' picture."

Jade outright glared at the songsmith and snapped, "I was not picking my nose; I was just scratching it." She made the motion of scratching the left side of her nose.

He leaned backwards and held up his hands in surrender.

She glared at the rest, daring them to bring it up again and they wisely chose to turn to other topics for the rest of lunch.

Sikowitz's Classroom  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Jade was pacing about behind Sinjin and Freddie while the pair was focusing on the curly hair teenager's PearBook. Cat was sitting on the feet of the stage, patiently watching her annoyed friend. Jade had thought in frustration about forcing her friend to eat bush peas, but Cat smirked at her in such a way that made her realized that would have been a fruitless endeavor. The expression to Jade's eyes was a hint of the 'old Cat' and a part of her thought that tweet wasn't an accident at all but to make them even for the whole fake head shaving incident. If that really was the case, she was to let it go.

Sinjin announced as he sat in front of a PearBook and quickly typed away, "Okay, I'm past the firewall… into Pearmaps' main server."

Freddie pointed to a particular portion of the screen and commented, "There! You just need to input the proper code..."

Jade stopped her pacing next to Sinjin and annoyingly interrupted, "Blah blah nerd nerd can you take down the picture of me or not?"

Freddie looked up from the computer and knotted his brow. He softly retorted laced with a hint of irritation, "Hacking is a diminishable skill and it's been awhile since I used it… especially doing something that might get me fired and void my deal with them. A little caution is in order."

She apologetically frowned to him. He was taking a big chance in risking in trying to take the picture off the site. However, if anything went wrong, she was going to blame everything on Sinjin and to Hell with any complaints from Ava.

Robbie walked in the room with his PearPhone between his right ear and his shoulder, talking to the person at the other end of the line while scribbling on a notepad, "Yeah, they're trying to get the picture down now. And that's tomorrow? Got it. Thanks Mister Ferber."

Jade stepped behind Sinjin and Freddie and asked the ventriloquist in a hopeful tone, "Well?"

Robbie slid his phone in his jeans pocket and answered, "My dad's friend said that if we can get the picture of you off Pearmaps..."

Sinjin interjected, "Almost done..."

"They'll take a new picture of Hollywood Arts next time the satellite goes over the school."

Freddie got up from his seat and asked, "Okay, when's that?"

Robbie looked at the notepad in his hand and answered, "Tomorrow afternoon at four fourteen P.M."

Jade picked up, "Okay, great, so plan is tomorrow at four fourteen, I will be outside posing for the new pic and I'm going to look hot, so no one will even remember the picture of me..."

Freddie wanted to interject and asked when was she not hot, but the ventriloquist interrupted, "With your finger up your nose?"

Jade hissed out in a threatening tone, "Robbie..."

Freddie bowed his head and palmed his forehead, resisting the urge to pop Robbie in the back of his head.

Sinjin shouted, "Boom! The pic is down." He got up from his seat and turned to the dark brunette. "You may pay me in cash, pizza, or hugs."

Freddie spoke up in no uncertain tone, "You're not touching my girl and I don't think Ava would approve."

The dark brunette motioned her head over Sinjin's shoulder and instructed the dark curly haired teenager, "Robbie, hug him."

Robbie snapped back, "I most certainly will not!"

"Hug him!"

Sinjin pulled Robbie in a hug and started rubbing Robbie's back and letting a small smile play on his face.

Freddie looked past them to meet Jade's eyes and asked, "Am I the only one kind of freaked out by watching this?"

Jade shook her head and agreed, "No, you're not."

Asphalt Café  
Thursday, May 24, 2012

It was four thirteen in the afternoon as Freddie, Jade, Robbie and Cat were outside in the café with a surprising number of other students loitering since school had let out at three o'clock. Freddie focused his complete attention on the laptop screen sitting at the usual lunch table while Robbie was looking over his left shoulder at the screen.

Cat was sitting at the neighboring table brushing her giant stuffed doll pig, readying to hold it up to be in the picture.

Jade was standing between the tables and glancing towards the school. She was wearing a black and burgundy sweetheart neckline dress. The top half was black with a dark burgundy diamond on the front, one point at the center of her cleavage and the other at her waist. The skirt was a dark burgundy with the hem trimmed in pink, separated by her standby wide elastic back belt. Her outfit was finished with a matching burgundy leather Western vest. She intended to look hot in the picture and she certainly was to Freddie's eyes in that outfit.

The tech-producer called out, "Forty seconds and counting."

Robbie happily shouted, "Perfect." He walked over to the Jade and gently took her by the shoulders and turned her away from the superstructure of the café and instructed her, "Now you're gonna wanna stand south-east—" He pointed his right finger to her face, "—so the satellite gets a good shot of you."

She looked up at the sky and asked, "Right here?"

"Yep."

"Awesome…" She spared him a slight glance and snapped at him, "Now get your hands off my shoulders."

"Time?"

Freddie quickly answered, "The satellite should snap the shot in... Seventeen seconds."

"Good, now nobody talk to me," she quickly snapped and placed her hands on her hips and looked up smiling.

Robbie walked back over stand behind Freddie to watch the screen, but a bee almost immediately started flying toward the standing teenager and started swatting at it. "Shoo. Shoo, bee."

"Fourteen… thirteen…Freddie paused in his counting and looked up and gave Robbie a curious expression as he questioned, "Bee?"

Robbie started swatting at the bee and stepping away from behind the tech-producer towards Jade. "Shoo! Bee! Shoo! That's a bad bee! Shoo!"

The word bee also went through Jade's mind and triggered a memory of a negative connotation to it. However, the ventriloquist couldn't respond to Freddie or allow Jade to further contemplate the reasons her instincts were screaming out a warning as Robbie was too busy tripping over his book bag, colliding with the purple streaked hair teenager and tipping the pair over into a neighboring lunch table.

Fortunately (depending on your point of view), Robbie's left arm got behind Jade and took the brunt of Jade falling into it instead of her spine. Robbie may have enjoyed the intimate and compromising position he found himself in with Jade as his lips were just inches apart, but Jade's weight dropping on his arm nixed that pleasure as he cried out in pain.

"Get off!" Jade shouted out in disgust as she pushed Robbie off of her. She was ready to shout out in frustration and anger as she knew that the satellite had to snap that image. She could literally feel it in her bones.

Her anger was cut off in an instant as Freddie started coughing and clamped his right hand over the back of his neck.

Jade's brow knotted and looked onto her boyfriend with concern. She softly questioned, "Freddie?" as he stood up and started to walk away from the table in the direction of the school. His breath was instantly becoming labored and the next moment his legs went out from under him and his jean covered knees hit the pavement then he rolled onto his left shoulder on the ground.

"Freddie! Freddie!" Jade shouted as she was by his side in an instant.

He was able to look up to meet her frightened eyes and mutter out, "Bee—stin…" He started breathing harder with only a wheezing sound passing through his lips.

She looked to Robbie and desperately shouted, "Help me pick him up!" She looked to Cat and shouted, "Cat, go to the office and tell them a bee stung Freddie!"

"'kay, 'kay!" the redheaded shouted after she already started dashing towards the doors.

Jade pulled Freddie's right arm around and over her shoulders then whispered, "Freddie, you got to stand up."

He apparently he heard her and pulled his feet under him, but Jade had to push up with all her might to get her and Freddie onto their feet. Robbie got under Freddie's left arm and the pair struggled to get the muscular teenager towards the school entrance.

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry for the cliffhanger. I hope to get the next chapter out by early next week instead of the end of it. I hoped you liked this chapter anyway. Also, if you're wondering why I didn't cover the other plot, simple Mrs. Harris is fine since Christmas and two, it was established twice already that André doesn't actually live with his grandmother in the first place, so it didn't make sense even in the canon. Later, OneHorseShay.


	38. Chapter 38: Victori-Yes

Author's Note: I told you I'd have this out sooner than the usual update, but I do wish I would have gotten it out by Monday, but life happens. Hopefully you'll enjoy it anyway.

I did catch Sam & Cat. Apparently Dan wants to have it both ways: iParty with Victorious happened, but they didn't interact so they don't know each other until the episode. Yes, they didn't interact at all at the party… the rap battle, the group singing, the rest of the party, their respective best friends dating the same guy, the iCarly videos where she's in character and Sam's bathing her… piece of advice to inspiring writers: don't pull trying to be cute by a half, it doesn't look good. If you're going to retcon an episode away where it isn't going to have an impact on your future righting, than just go ahead and do it.

I also caught the BTR episode with Victoria in it… she wasn't in it enough, but awesome.

pbow: Apparently Jade established that the first two years she was at Hollywood Arts before the series started with three months left in their sophomore year. In Stage Fighting, that random girl was clearly afraid of what Jade could do, so she had done it before the series began. I established the same kind of position in high school during my freshmen year, so I never had to worry about a fight afterwards, so I do find it believable. Will someone ever challenge her? I don't know other than Dusty a while ago. Without the eyebrows, she looked like a Buffy/Angel vamp that didn't go completely into 'game face'.

Fanfic-Reader-88: It was a snowball problem chapter for them. I would chalk up Beck's stunt as not thinking it through and just upset that people are looking to Freddie as the better person after everything and maybe bitter towards him.

I personally believe that Mrs. Vega is having an affair with her husband's partner. In this story, she's really doesn't have room to talk, but then again is she having an affair in this story? I'll refrain from commenting one way or the other. However, did you notice that she didn't care that Freddie had a significant other?

darck ben: Thanks for the review and the suggestion, but my writing plate is quite full for the moment even with the summer break.

Twilight Warrior 627: You'll about to see how bad. It is a throwback to iCarly. I don't know how the grandmother thing worked in the first place since he doesn't live with her.

Challenge King: The theory that Cat did it on purpose is base on the idea that she's really not that childish, but just an act. Well, Mrs. Vega wanted best for her daughter with Freddie, but of course Tori would never pull something like that.

TenorSax93: Freddie is basically Worf when they moved him to Deep Space Nine, however I think I did a better job in blending him into the setting.

Jade simply practices what Sun Tzu talked about in 'The Art of War' in regards to victory: 'The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.' She wins without having to fight. It goes back to pbow spoke in his review.

Check out PMD31's "Here's to Us" update and his latest chapter of 'A Place to Call Home'.

Rating: T Language, Violence

* * *

Chapter 38: Victori-Yes

Freddie started blinking as a bright light shined upon his eyes and took a deep breath then let it out then repeated the process.

The light dimmed from something blocking it and his eyes took a moment to adjust, but when they did, he saw Jade's face and her head surrounded by a halo. He smiled in return at seeing the sight and her grinning nearly ear-to-ear. His smile didn't last long as his eyesight finished adjusting and noticed other than her beautiful smile he loved, was bloodshot eyes. He didn't get to question it as she eagerly greeted him with a sweet voice, but strained voice, "Hey."

He opened his mouth and answered, but in a dry and rough voice, "Hello my angel. Finally showing your halo?"

Her smile faltered at hearing his voice and immediately shifted from her position, the light momentary blinding him. She shifted back to block the light and brought a straw to his lips. He immediately sipped a few gulps of water and felt his throat relax from the cool liquid.

After he was finished all he wanted, Jade pulled the glass away then set it on the neighboring table.

She gently stroked the left side of his face and whispered, "It's okay. You're okay."

He glanced around and noticed everything was white. He attempted to sit up and Jade immediately helped pull him into a sitting position. Once he was settled and his back propped up with his pillow, he asked with still a strained voice, "What happened? Where am I?"

She took a sharp breath, apparently caught off guard that he didn't remember what happened to him, but quickly pushed that aside and answered, "We were outside at the café and you got stung by a bee and they gave you a shot of epinephrine. Just on the safe side we took you to the hospital to check you out. You're okay."

He furled his brow and questioned, "So Gibby didn't knock me out?"

She settled to sit on his right side and blinked in confusion. "What?"

"I guess it was a dream, but I was back in Seattle and Sam roped me and Gibby into a performance at the Groovy Smoothie… Gibby lied to some girls that we were in a band together to impress them. We were really bad at it—okay it was Gibby that was really bad and I was adequate. I started getting on to him for goofing off during rehearsals and we started arguing."

His voice was becoming horse again and out of instinct, Jade brought the water back for him to sip on. He took a few sips then continued while she sat the glass back on the table, "I came up with the idea that we should do that in the middle performance to get out of it. He missed his cue and hit me in the face and I went down to the floor out cold."

Dusty snorted out from behind Jade, "You know it has to be a dream because he probably would have broken his fingers if he full on punched you in the face."

Jade turned in her seat on the bed and allowed Freddie to look pass her to see Dusty leaning against the door frame of the hospital room along with seeing Cat and Tori in the room.

He softly laughed, "You're built like a tank, but now I know how to put you down short of using a taco truck."

The redhead softly admonished the lean teenager, "Dusty."

Jade deeply frowned and gave the former webmaster a harsh glare.

He gave her a mollifying expression while Freddie let out a laugh.

She turned her glare back to her boyfriend, but he smiled in return and rubbed up and down her right arm. "He's just joking."

Tori still dressed in her Free People One Coral colored and embroidered Fez Dress she had worn to perform her song in front of the record producer, walked over to the other side of the bed to where Jade was sitting to Freddie's right. She hugged the muscular teenager and he softly patted her back with his left arm. She whispered in his ear, "You had us worried. Jade was absolutely terrified."

He slightly frowned in regret in the knowledge of Jade getting upset more than whatever discomfort he had experienced or grogginess he was feeling at the moment.

Tori pulled away and had a seat on the bed, the muscular teenager flanked by two beautiful young ladies.

Freddie looked back to his girlfriend and asked with a hopeful expression, "Did we at least get the picture?"

Jade bowed and looked away from him to the floor. "No, ah… I think it caught Robbie looking like he was kissing me."

He sucked a breath through his teeth then regretfully began, "I'm sor—"

She snapped her head and interrupted with a curt tone, "Don't you dare try to apologize."

He lazily answered, "Okaaay."

She looked down a bit shamefully at snapping at him.

He reached over and rested his hand on her right forearm in an attempt to comfort her, but had a little trouble manipulating his fingers to give her a comforting grip. He didn't give it a second thought as she looked up to him with a bashful smile.

He turned to Tori an awkwardly requested, "So give me some good news Tori." He let out a nervous laugh, "Are we going to here your new single this summer?"

She frowned in disappointment and glanced away. "Kojeezy didn't buy my song."

He clenched his jaw softly, mentally complaining to himself on how bad the day had gone. He licked his lips and continued, "Why?"

She rolled her eyes in disgust, "He had a 'baby test'."

"Baby test?"

"He brought in a baby for me to sing the song, but when I did, he started crying, so Kojeezy wouldn't buy it."

Freddie raised an eyebrow and questioned, "He didn't buy the song because a baby didn't like it?"

"Yep. That's how he decides what songs to buy and produce."

He blew out a breath and answered in a tired and a hint of roughness to his voice (partially from still waking up and partially due to the absurdity in picking a song), "Just put it on your album or maybe Mason can go ahead and release it as a single then show Kojeezy up on it being a hit."

She gave him a bright smile. "Thanks."

Jade raised a questioning eyebrow and softly admonished, "You're here to make him feel better, not the other way around."

The lighter brunette raised an eyebrow and answered innocently, "That's Freddie for you."

The bloodshot eyed teenager frowned as she absolutely hated to agree with Tori right now, but she couldn't deny reality, so she surrendered a forced half smile.

Freddie softly shook his head about watching the continued antics between his girlfriend and best friend. He took the moment to adjust his position sitting up, but knotted his brow when he realized something was wrong. He looked to meet Jade's blue eyes and started asking with a somewhat concerned voice, "Ah, Jade?"

"Yes?"

"I can't feel my toes." He moved his feet under the sheets, but he couldn't wiggle his toes.

She sucked in a sharp breath then answered with a forced calm voice, "It's from the swelling on your neck where the bee stung you. The swelling pressed on your spine and your esophagus. That's why you passed out in the first place. The doctors said the swelling should be completely gone in less than an hour and you'll be fine then we can go home."

He lifted his hand and had a little trouble coordinating wiggling his fingers, really taking the time to notice why he couldn't get a comfortable grip on Jade's arm just minutes ago. However, he looked on the bright side that he could at least feel them. He let out a soft laugh, "I won't be playing the guitar right now."

Jade softly bit her tongue, not finding the joke funny at all. She cleared her throat then commented, "We're going to let you get some more rest, so we can get you out of here as soon as we can, but I'll be right back. I promise."

He nodded his head and noticed the desperation in her eyes, but remained silent. She gave him a kiss on his forehead then got up and helped him slide back down to rest in the bed before the various shade brunettes left his bedside and headed for the door with Dusty and Cat already getting the hint to exit before them. Jade was the last one out and shut the door behind her.

* * *

Beck, André, Robbie, Rex, Trina, Ava and Sinjin were waiting down the hallway from the room. Some were pacing about, others having seats waiting on additional news since being told his original condition. Mrs. West was sitting in a seat, the appearance of calmness as she idly read a magazine in her lap. She unfortunately was all too experienced in waiting.

The group's attention was caught at seeing the quartet of teenagers approach them. The ones not pacing, stood up and joined the others to approach their friends. Robbie was a little quicker and took a few steps to meet Jade (who had caught up with the others and walked past them to take the lead) and began, "How's Fredd—"

He didn't get to finish as Jade reared her right hand back then opened hand slapped him across the face, sending the ventriloquist face first into the floor and Rex being flung in the air, bouncing off a wall just to the right of Mrs. West then crumbling to the floor.

Tori shouted, "Jade!" She ran past the pale girl and knelt down to her friend.

Mrs. West immediately jumped up from her seat, shocked in seeing her daughter's violent reaction.

The others took a few steps back, equally as shocked from her reaction.

Robbie rolled over and sat up then began rubbing his cheek with one hand and adjusting his glasses with the other, shocked that she had put him on the floor and momentarily ignoring the fact that Rex was sprawled out on the floor in a heap.

Beck took a step forward and raised his hands to get between Jade and Robbie as it looked like she was about to jump the ventriloquist. Whether it was to protect his friend or Tori from being caught in the middle was only known by him and God.

She balled up a fist and warned, "Don't you put your hands on me or you can join him on the floor!"

The long haired actor tried to reason with her in a calm voice he used while they were together when he needed to calm her down, "Jade, you need to calm down."

She shouted back in complete outrage, "I'm not going to calm down! Freddie can't feel his janking toes right now!" She pointed down to Robbie but continued to outright glare at Beck, "All because this janking moron decided the best thing to do towards a flying bee was to _swat at it_! Why in the Hell should I calm down?! So butt out and get the jank out of my way so I can really hurt him."

Tori slightly frowned at Jade bringing up Freddie's current condition. Trina sucked in a breath at hearing the news, Ava's jaw slacked, Sinjin looked wide-eyed and André looked away for a moment to hide his concerned reaction.

Mrs. West cautiously approached, ready to grab Beck by the hair and yank him away if he did try to put his hands on her daughter. As she was about to speak in an effort to calm Jade, Dusty inched his way around Jade towards the side of the former couple, ready to jump between them if Beck did decide to try to physically restrain Jade. He eyed over to André, standing off just to the left and slightly back from the handsome actor, then back to Beck. He glanced back and forth between the friends several times with a guarded expression, planning in his head the different possibilities of how the next few moves could play out. Unfortunately, none of the outcomes were coming out pleasant, so he spoke up before Mrs. West had the opportunity with a whether firmed voice to catch the pale girl's attention, "Jade?"

The purple streaked girl snapped her head around and shouted, her patients clearly thin with even him, "What?!"

He held up his hands up and out then answered in a calm and deliberate voice, "Jade, I need you to stop and think how the next thirty seconds are going to play out if you do try to go at Shapiro: Beck will try to physically restrain you, I will have to jump in to get him off of you, Harris will jump in to back his buddy. It will become a two-on-one fight in an enclosed space of a hallway with you caught in the middle; I cannot afford to hold back on them, so it gets very messy for them very quickly… I wasn't exaggerating when I told you what I did to Antonio and his friends when I still went to Northridge."

André commented with a hint of irritation filtering into his voice, "Over estimating yourself?"

Dusty ignored the songsmith and focused his fearful expression to the pale actress. His voice was a near plead to the pale girl, "Angel Girl, don't make me _put them down_."

The group looked on in fear and worry of a fight really breaking out. Cat recalled seeing how Dusty was able to put Beck down to the ground in one punch and easily putting down Randy Bronson. Robbie still sitting on the floor recalled the L.A. immigrant putting down Kwakoo when Freddie came to rescue Tori from Nozu then Jerold's friend when it looked like they were going to jump him over the Hambone King thing. Ava meanwhile edged closer, ready to jump on Beck's back and hang on to his hair for dear life if Jade did attempt to rush Robbie.

Mrs. West was slightly taken aback at how bluntly the Southern teenager made his case for persuading her daughter not to follow through on her plan. However, she was about to step in and put her foot down before anything could break out, but Jade beat her to it after taking several calming breaths and staring back at the former Northridge student. She glanced to André and softly muttered, "No he's not." She bowed her head then turned and walked past the former webmaster and headed back to Freddie's room.

Dusty blew out a relief breath and let his shoulders slump. He placed a hand over his mouth and blew out another breath through his nose then dropped his hand and looked up at the ceiling, perhaps giving a silent prayer that he had avoided the fight.

While Tori was helping Robbie back to his feet, the songsmith shook his head and uttered with a hint of disgust in his voice, "You know you're just so full of yourself."

Dusty looked to him with a slight frown, retorted with a dismissive tone and a slight shake of his head, "Surviving a semester at Northridge without becoming someone's bitch would disagree with you." He respectfully bowed his head to Mrs. West. "Pardon my language ma'am and if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some real food for Freddie before he leaves."

She nodded back to him then he processed down that hall, but he called over his shoulder, "Remember my warning Pretty Boy: you put your hands on Jade and I put you down and you won't get back up on your own." He started back on his way as Beck wore a deep frown.

Mrs. West exchanged a quick look between the retreating and the annoyed long haired actor. She suppressed a smirk at seeing how the Southern teenager had gotten under her daughter's pervious boyfriend. She was still meaning to have a talk with the young man over a number of subjects from the past several months in regard to her daughter, but it looked as if she had a little longer to wait. She leaned down and picked up Rex for Robbie and handed the puppet to him.

"Thank you Mrs. West."

"You're welcome young man."

Mrs. West directed a glance to Beck as if to warn him to behave himself then walked through the gathered teenagers to head for the hospital room.

Robbie's jaw may have started to hurt, but he was in a surprisingly upbeat spirit as he idly commented, "She called me a young man."

The puppet quickly moved in to bring him down, "That's because she doesn't know you. Are you still on that last page of puberty?"

"Quiet."

Tori shook her head in embarrassment for her friend.

* * *

The door to Freddie's room opened, drawing the teenager's attention as he was really just resting his eyes rather than trying to sleep, and he saw a lovely young woman a lovely young woman with straight blonde hair and black rimmed glasses. She wore a white lab coat and held a leather covered book cradled in her arms.

She smiled brightly at him, but he picked up from her eyes that hinted that the smile was as genuine as it appeared. "Hello Freddie. I just wanted to check on you while I was passing by. How are you feeling?"

He returned the smile and honestly answered, "A little tired, but I'm starting to get all the feeling and control of my extremities."

She nodded along as she patted him on the shoulder. "That's good. Those bees can be quite dangerous. You had a pretty good scare."

He shrugged a shoulder and nodded his head to the side while casually answering, "Well I wasn't expecting any bees. I'm originally from Seattle. Bees are usually out by this time up there, but I hadn't noticed any over the last month, so I didn't give it much thought."

"Oh, you are? So why are you here; if you don't mind me asking? Family in the military? Parents get a new job?"

He let out a chuckle, "No, I'm here… because I needed to start fresh in life and… I have someone very special I met during last summer."

She raised an eyebrow above the frame of her glasses and questioned, "What about your friends? You didn't leave anyone special up there?"

"Once upon a time I did, but…" He licked his lips and snorted out a laugh, "I guess it just wasn't fated to be. We made our choices and I'm here and very happy."

The blonde's smile faltered for a moment then fixed it. She cleared her throat the commented, "Well you never know what the future holds. Things change all the time. People come and go from people's lives everyday." She let out a soft laugh, "I don't like to sound morbid, but what if it had been more serious today for you? Would you have wanted your special someone to move on? Would that person want you to move on and be happy if something happened to her or would she really want you to stay by her side?"

The brown eyed teenager knotted his brow at the question and started to contemplate how the conversation had turned in that direction.

However, he didn't get to respond as the door opened and the blonde and teenager turned their attention to the door to see Jade step inside. The pale teenager paused for a moment and slightly frowned as she met the woman's eyes. She had an overwhelming feeling that she knew the woman in a very negative context, but just couldn't place her. She didn't realize it, but her right hand rose and palmed over her lower abdomen.

The straight haired blonde noticed the gesture and faint of smile formed on her face. The blonde's smile grew bigger and turned to Freddie. "Well, I'm going to let you get some more rest before you're released. Just be careful of those bees in the future; we don't want anything else to seriously happen."

Freddie nodded his head and the young woman turned then walked passed Jade, giving the pale teenager a smug expression.

The pale girl coldly stared at the woman's retreating form out the door.

Jade turned back to Freddie then slid up next to him on the bed and rested her head on his right shoulder. "I'm just going to rest with you until you're ready to go."

He slipped his arm around and rested his right hand on her hip. He softly smiled and whispered, "Okay."

Mrs. West looked around the edge of the door and smiled as she saw the couple then turned around and pulled the door shut behind her.

West Residence  
Thursday, May 24, 2012

The time was late evening and Freddie was lying in his bed with Jade was lying her head on his chest. Doctor Levinson gave him a clean bill, but told him to take it easy for the next few days (including missing the next two days of work) before he would release him. Since then, Jade hadn't left Freddie's side and practically waited on him hand and foot to the point of almost spoon feeding him dinner. Now apparently she was going to be spending the night in his bed, but of course he didn't mind or wouldn't complain.

She whispered, "I'm sorry."

He tenderly rubbed his hand up and down her arm and whispered in return, "For what?"

She lifted her head up to meet his eyes. "Getting so upset about that dumb picture. If I hadn't been so insistent in getting rid of it and people not seeing me 'pick my nose', you wouldn't have gotten strung."

He softly smiled. "You weren't picking your nose."

She embarrassingly muttered, "You know what I mean."

"Jade, you couldn't have known that would have happened. It's Spring—almost Summer and I should have been paying more attention to insects since we eat lunch outside. You can't blame yourself for that." He cracked a smile and spoke up in an upbeat tone, "I wanted the world to see how hot you are too."

She kept her frown and asked with an irritated tone, "Are you trying to absolve me of any responsibility?"

He gave her a boyish grin and asked, "Is it working?"

The pale teenager didn't answer, but kissed his forehead then whispered, "Just don't scare me like that again."

He cracked a smile and answered, "I'll try not to."

She snuggled back to him and rested the crown of her head in the crook of his neck.

Advance Acting II  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Thursday, May 31, 2012  
(Obviously, one week later)

The class was waiting once again for Sikowitz to show up to his own class. They were just chatting away to kill time. Freddie and Jade were already in their seats with the dark brunette resting her head on Freddie's left shoulder, the fingers of her left hand laced with Freddie's left hand as he had his arm wrapped around her under her left arm. A more accurate description would have been that she had pulled his arm to wrap around her torso. She had done this habitually for the last week in class since Freddie's bee sting and only separated from him when either had to perform then she'd go right back in her position without a word.

André and Beck were sitting on the steps of the small classroom stage chatting about nothing important while Robbie's attention was focused on his laptop. The only usual others missing were Tori and Cat, but the younger Vega sister quickly made her appearance by bursting into the room and shouting, "Hey, hello, yo, everyone, hey, yo!"

André was the first to speak as she had caught everyone's attention, "What's up?"

Tori quickly cut him off, "Shh!" She raised both her hands and pointed to both ends of the room and continued, "Before anyone says anything..." She turned to Beck and André and pointed to the center of her chest. "…I did not see the finale of American Voice last night."

The songsmith attempted to start, "Oh, well..."

The brunette quickly cut him off again with a closing of her left hand, "Shush! I recorded it. It's on my DVR." She started slamming her fingertips into her left palm. "And I'm watching it as soon as I get home tonight."

Beck stood up from his seat on the steps, approached his girlfriend and began, "Okay but..."

Tori threw up her right hand and waved it in front of his face while cutting him off, "D'ahhhhhh!"

Beck stopped and walked around her to have a seat on the left side of the class and the brunette continued to the rest of the class, "I've watched every episode this season for the past four months! So please, no one tell me who won last night. Please?"

Tori had a seat in front of Jade and Freddie then a moment later Jade whispered out, "Sebastian won."

The brunette shouted in frustration, "Ah dang it!"

Jade tired to hold back a smirk and looked down to the floor, "I'm sorry. Seriously, I just couldn't help myself."

Freddie looked over and frowned in disapproval.

Cat rushed into the room from the door at the front of the classroom, "Oh, here I am! How's everyone doing today?!" The redhead took a moment to spin in place and asked, "Anyone wanna talk about what I'm wearing?" The girl was dressed from head-to-toe in purple that looked like she was wearing jeans, a tucked in button shirt and a short cape.

Everyone remained silent with a few looking away as to avoid answering.

She threw out her arms and shouted, "It's a... Pajelehoocho!"

André knotted his brow and questioned, "A jelly-joo-ish-who-what?"

She jumped up to the stage next to him and eagerly answered, "Pajelehoocho! They're pajamas! They're jeans! They're leggings! It's a hoodie! It's a poncho! The Pajelehoocho!"

Beck spoke up, "I think I've seen the Pajelehoocho advertised on TV."

Robbie happily shouted and got up from his seat to walk to the stage, carrying along his laptop, "Yeah, I got the commercial right here."

Tori laughed out, "Oh! Cool."

André followed up as everyone gathered around Robbie to look at the screen, "Let's see."

The video was black and white with a man sitting on the couch, appearing quite uncomfortable as if his clothes were bothering him. The announcer stated, _"Do your clothes make you feel uncomfortable? Have you ever thought to yourself... 'Man, I wish I could wear something comfortable, that'll make me feel normal and popular'?"_

The man responded, _"That'll never happen."_

The announcer retorted, _"Shut up!"_

The next moment on screen, there was a sparkling on the screen and the video turned color with the man wearing an identical outfit as Cat. He shouted, _"What the!"_

"_It's the Pajelehoocho! They're pajamas! They're jeans! They're leggings! It's a hoodie! It's a poncho! It's the... Pajelehoocho!"_

As the announcer was explaining, Cat took Tori by her right rest and held it close to her chest as she laughed.

The next moment, four attractive women, mostly blondes appeared next to the man, two on each side. One of them asked, _"Hey! Is that a Pajelehoocho?!"_

He happily answered, _"It sure is."_

The ladies started giggling and the announcer called out one more time, _"The Pajelehoocho!"_

Freddie dryly commented, "I'm having a flashback to 'The Sack'."

Tori knotted her brow and looked to the tech-producer. "'The Sack'?"

"It's a parody we did a few years ago on iCarly making fun of the Snuggie and similar products that were real popular during late night infomercials. I wore a blue sack." He put on a smug look and finished, "I think I look rather good in it." He reached over and tapped a few keys on the PearBook's keyboard then a few taps on the mouse pad. A few moments later iCarly dot com was pulled up and the old video appeared on screen.

In on old style film color of various browns, Carly was sitting on her living room couch, happily polishing a bowling ball.

A female announcer called out, _"How many times has this happened to you? You're just sitting on your couch, trying to polish your bowling ball, but your blanket keeps flying off your body."_ The next moment, the blanket on Carly's lap flew off her body, as if it was pulled away on a fish wire.

The brunette sat up, rested her close fists on her hips and pouted, _"Oh, my blanket keeps flying off my body."_

The scene switched to a younger Sam sitting in a beanbag chair in the iCarly studio with a blanket over her. The announcer continued, _"You just can't depend on a blanket."_

The blonde shouted, _"Undependable blanket."_ Sam crossed her arms and put on a pout face.

The next scene cut to Sam and Carly standing in the studio, looking quite melancholy and lazily swaying in place. The announcer happily continued, _"Well forget blankets, now there's—"_ The scene changed to color with Sam in a giant red sack and Carly in a bright yellow sack. _"—'The Sack'._

They shouted in unison with happy grins, _"The Sack!"_

_"With 'The Sack' you'll stay warm and cozy while doing all the fun things you enjoy, like making dinner."_

The scene cut to Freddie behind the kitchen island of the Shay's kitchen while wearing a royal blue sack. He had a goofy grin on his face as he tried to pick up various food items and utensils though the cloth, but having everything flying off onto the floor until nothing remained.

Jade snorted out a laugh at seeing her boyfriend's past antics.

_"Surfing the Web."_ The scene cut to Sam in front of the old Shay living room computer and she started typing away at it with her nose then moving the wireless mouse with her right cheek.

_"Enjoying sports activities."_ Freddie stood in the iCarly Studios with a tennis racket handle in his teeth, swatting away at incoming balls.

"_Showering."_ Spencer was wearing a green sack and standing in the shower, his hair lathered with soup.

_"Even enjoying hot bowls of chowder."_ Sam and Freddie were sitting together on the Shay living room couch and attempting to eat the food, but splashing it all over the place with most of Freddie's food falling into his lap and wearing a goofy grin on his face.

The next scene switched back to Sam and Carly in the studio motioning about, showing off the sacks. The announcer continued, _"Made of a super-soft, thick luxurious material of some sort."_ The scene switched to the floor and the various colored sacks started appearing as she read off the colors, _"The Sack comes in 'Rash Red', 'Mucus Green', 'Puss Yellow' and Blue."_

The scene jumped to a picture of a penny.

_"Order now and you'll also get this photo of this nineteen ninety-six penny. To order, call one-five-five-five-Send-Me-A-Sack or go to www dot sendmeasack dot com."_

The scene jumped to someone holding a bunny in their lap with the animal in a small blue sack. _"Call now and get a free sack for your pet."_

A random woman grinned while walking past Spencer, Freddie and Sam in the Shay living room and called out, _"Hey, nice sacks."_

The answered in unison, _"We know."_

They started jumping in place then the final scene was Spencer trying to shower while wearing his green sack.

_"Order Now!"_

Freddie smiled and suggested to Jade, "I could see if they still have that one for Easter."

She crossed her arms under her chest and sharply retorted, "You are not getting my bunny 'A Sack'."

He let out a soft laugh, "Just checking."

André laughed, "So, which one was the parody and which one was the real deal?"

"You wouldn't believe how many people called to try to get one."

The others began taking their seats while Cat remained on stage and continued, "And, when I went online to Pajelehoocho dot com, they said I could have free shipping if I bought a... 'A gross'."

Beck blew out a breath as he bowed his head while resting forward against one of the colorful chairs, "Cat."

Robbie answered in disbelief, "That's one hundred and forty-four."

Tori asked in shock as she motioned to her redhead friend, "You bought a hundred and forty-four Pajelehoochos?"

Cat threw her hands up in the air and shouted, "Free shipping!"

A few minutes later, Sikowitz arrived to class and eagerly started his lesson. Up on the whiteboard, there was drawn a bus with stick figures presumably of Tori, Cat and Jade with the various colored hairs.

Sikowitz eagerly suggested, "See, the idea is, we all prepare a scene... then we board a city bus... and as we ride along, we perform the scene for the bus passengers!" He looked all about to them, but none were too enthusiastic at the suggestion. "Heh? Huh?"

Robbie raised a hand and cautiously asked, "You want us to do a play for people who ride the bus?"

The puppet followed up, "In Los Angeles?"

The acting teacher laughed out, "Sure! You'll see those bus passengers will thank us."

Jade snorted out, "Yeah, by stabbing us with rusty scissors."

Cat turned in her seat towards the pale girl and questioned, "Wait. Isn't he a famous clown?"

The songsmith inserted while motioning down at himself, "I don't wanna do a play on a bus. That's not André."

Sikowitz looked at the rest of them in disbelief and questioned while walking off stage and between the bisected classroom seating, "So, none of you want to do live bus theater?"

"Not at all," was among the mumblings of the class in disagreement.

"All right. Ah!" He clapped then continued, "Then how about this... We all do the Broadway musical 'Annie'... Under water."

Tori answered, "I don't wanna do a play under water." She wiggled her fingers as she finished, "My skin will prune up."

The purple streaked hair teenager spoke up in support, "None of us wanna do a play under water."

The songsmith followed up, "Or on a nasty bus."

Sikowitz responded with an annoyed filled voice as he walked back to the stage, "I see. All right. No bus play. No under water musical. Why don't we all just lie on the floor and stick our faces in the carpet? Thusly." He laid down on the stage with his nose to the floor. He started speaking into the carpet, "Hmm mm mm hmm mm mm mmm mm mm mmm-mmm mmm hmm!"

Tori knotted her brow and asked, "What'd he say?"

Rex laughed out, "I think he said, 'Robbie's mother sprays his underpants with bug spray'."

The glasses wearing teenager shouted out in outrage, "Rex!" He turned his attention to the rest of the class and nervously laughed out, "My mom... she's just worried that I've got roaches."

Freddie idly commented as he looked out to nowhere in particular, "My mother use to sew the days of the week on the bottom of my underwear so I'd know what day of the week to wear them."

Everyone gave him a strange and embarrassing looks, but Jade knotted her brow and commented, "But… you wear boxers."

The tech-producer continued to look off across the classroom as he answered with a flat voice, "I know… she just never seemed to catch on that I wouldn't wear them."

Tori softly shook her head and whispered, "You have a strange mother."

The brown eyed teenager softly shook his head. "Preaching to the choir Tori, preaching to the choir."

The redhead spoke up, turning the class' attention back to their eccentric teacher, "I think Sikowitz is sad."

Sikowitz rolled on to his right side and braced his head against his right fist. He pouted out, "I'm not sad, just disappointed in you children."

Jade looked as confused as the others and asked, "Why?"

He answered while standing up, "Because you're all a bunch of Negative Nancys. Whiny Willies. Depressing Darnells." He waved them off with both hands and uttered, "Ah."

The redhead interrupted, "Oh! I know an old man named Parnell. His wife says things to him like... 'Hey Parnell'... 'You wanna eat some pancakes on a rocket ship?'"

Sikowitz walked up to her and leaned so far to her that their noses touched. "Nobody ever knows what you're talking about."

Cat softly laughed, "You have man breath."

He sighed and pulled away to take a step on the stage.

Jade was still perplexed by her teacher's actions and desperately pleaded, "What are you bugging about?"

He started shouting and waving his arms about, "I'll tell you about what I'm 'buggin'! When you kids started this class, you were all bright-tailed and bushy-eyed! Hungry to learn about being performers!" He dropped his voice and uttered in slight disgust, "Now ya don't wanna do nothing. I might as well just quit."

He turned and started walking to the door. He grabbed the door handle, let it go and slightly ran towards the class. "I should just walk out that door, never to return." He went back to the door then back to the class, "Your favorite teacher..." He grabbed the door handle one last time and opened the door as he shouted, "Exiting forever."

He was a foot out of it when Freddie laughed out, "Do you need help packing?"

Sikowitz froze in place, turned and walked back into the class to frown at him.

The tech-producer smirked in return. "Have you thought that maybe we don't want to do any of that stuff is because your ideas are just stupid at this point or we're just all tired of your bullchizz you've pulled on us in the last couple of months?"

Tori softly admonished, "Freddie."

He turned his attention to his friend and answered as if his response was blatantly obvious, "No, he asked, I'm answering him."

Freddie looked back to the teacher and continued, "I've only been in two classes with you and I'm already sick of your chizz and can't wait to get out of this class. I can't image what it must be like for everyone that's had you since their freshman year… oh wait, I got an idea of it since some drop your class for other acting teachers. I've had to go through you threatening to flunk Jade and Tori for the semester in a sign of throwing a hissy fit and then watch you openly act like a sexist and that's already on top of your blatant favoritism for some people. Finally, the fact we're out of here in just over two weeks, maybe we realize there's nothing left to learn from you or want to learn from you."

Sikowitz crossed his arms over his chest and responded in a tone filled with irritation, "Freddie if you really feel that way, you are more than welcome to leave my classroom."

"And give you the excuse to give me an arbitrary F? No thank you."

Tori interrupted in a curt tone and raised both her hands as if to separate the pair even though she was sitting, "Enough, what do you want us to do?"

The acting teacher blew out a breath then rallied his cheerfulness and opened his arms out. "Be more open-minded! You've all gotten so good at saying no. I dare you to spend the rest of this day... Saying yes!"

Cat timidly questioned, "To everything?"

"That's right."

Rex spoke up, "I'm in." He looked over to the pale actress and in what he thought was a charming voice, asked, "Jade, will you kiss me on the mouth?"

Jade outright glared at the pair while Freddie retorted with a harsh tone, "And you complained to Robbie for cheating on you for another puppet."

Rex's mouth dropped open from the retort.

Sikowitz interrupted, "Eh eh eh! You don't have to say yes to kissing or anything dangerous or... _illegal_, but everything else... just say yes. Will you?"

The class started agreeing with various yeahs with an 'I like it' thrown in and Robbie answering, "Yes. Mazel tov." However, Freddie shook his head no, feeling that it would get him into far too much trouble and really didn't feel like humoring the man.

Cat jumped up from her seat to take the stage, "Hey! I have a hundred and forty-three extra Pajelehoochos. Who wants their very own super-cozy and fashionable..."

Everyone quickly jumped out of their seats and headed for the door. Cat shouted, "Wait! Wait! Robbie! Will you wear a Pajelehoocho?"

The ventriloquist began, "Cat, I..."

Sikowitz let out a cough, grabbing Robbie's attention.

Robbie blew out a breath and answered, "Yes."

She smiled to him then stuffed a wrapped Pajelehoocho in his arms with Rex. She held out her right hand and asked, "That'll be nineteen ninety-five." She threw up her hands a moment later and shouted, "Free shipping!"

Main Hallway  
Hollywood Arts High School

Trina made her way down the main stairwell then took a right to head for the exit and three underclassmen conversing. She interrupted them by pointed to the blue script in her hands and commented to the underclassmen, "Hey guys. Yeah, I'm on that new show, Divertisimo. Big hit in Mexico."

The three turned and walked away with one of them idly commenting, "Whatever."

She waved at them as they walked away, "'Kay later."

Tori walked around the corner to reach her locker just as Trina spotted her. She quickly walked to her younger sister and called out, "Oh Tori!" She stopped right next to her and complained loudly enough for some of the surrounding students to hear her, "Oh my gosh! I wish people would quit bugging me, just because I'm _one of the stars of Divertisimo_."

The younger brunette finished opening her locker and stuck a notebook inside as she retorted, "Why would people here bug you about a TV show that's not even on in America?"

Trina made a slightly pouty expression as she asked, waving the script in her hand, "You mean Divertisimo?"

Tori shut her locker and demanded in a slightly irritated voice, "Stop saying it!"

"Jealous?"

"No," Tori answered in a dismissive tone.

The older Vega sister smugly answered, "Because I could totally understand you being jealous. Ya know, since it's a high-quality television show with top-notch acting."

"Well, when are you gonna get me a copy of the show, so I can watch it?"

Trina sighed out and softly patted her sister on the arm, "Ugh. Geez Tori, get your own life." She walked around her and down the hall.

Tori rolled her eyes then started behind her sister, but not to follow but to head for the Wahoo Punch drink machine to grab a quick drink before fourth period. She quickly put her money into the machine and pulled out the drink from the dispenser just as she saw Freddie come from down the hall.

The brown eyed teenager laughed as apparently he caught sight of the retreating older Vega sister, "Trina still bragging about Divertisimo?"

Tori asked in shock as she opened her canned drink, "Did she brag about it to you, too?"

She took a sip from her drink as he let out a soft laugh, "Yes, she mentioned it."

The brunette slightly motioned her hand to him and asked once she finished her sip, "So what are you doing tonight?"

"Hopefully relax, but… this is where you come in."

She knotted her brow and pursed her lips.

He gave her a bashful smile, however he was quite tempted to give her his boyish grin in the hopes that she would agree to her next statement, but nonverbal emotional manipulation of Tori did not sit well with him. "I need to ask a favor."

She tilted her head to the side and dropped a shoulder as she pointed out the obvious, "That I have to say yes to."

He shook his head and waved her off. "No, no silly Sikowitz challenge. I can't believe you agreed to it after the last one. I'm asking this as your friend."

Her curiosity was peaked, so she asked, "What?"

"Would you use Sikowitz's challenge to ask Jade to come over to your house and hang for the night?"

She raised her brow as that was quite an unexpected request from him. "Why?"

He glanced away and shrugged a shoulder, "I love Jade, but…"

"But what?"

He turned up his bashful smile and he caught her eyes. "She needs a break taking care of me… I need a break of her taking care of me."

She slightly shook her head and looked to him with a completely perplexed expression. "I don't understand."

He took a step closer to her and bowed his head for a moment. He gave her a tired smile as he continued to explain, "For the last week Jade has been by my side nearly every moment since the bee sting, afraid to be out of her sight other than me using the bathroom and classes we don't share. I'm surprised she hasn't caught back up to me already since I went to the bathroom."

She let out a snort of a laugh, "What about when you had to go to bed? What did she do, hold you like a teddie bear?"

Freddie turned the corners of his mouth down and glanced away while a hand hung on tight to the cross strap of his book bag.

Tori's eyes shot open.

He slightly tilted his head to the side and quickly uttered, "That is not a regular occurrence. The last time she did that in a row of nights was…" He licked his lips then finished, "…never mind." He took a deep breath then continued, "It was great to be able to spend Friday night and Saturday with her uninterrupted. We really haven't done that since my birthday and I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't nice being a little pampered and I am beyond appreciative of it, but… she needs a break and maybe I need a break from it. She keeps worrying and thinks she needs to make it up to me for it, but she doesn't and I can't convince her otherwise. I want her to take care of herself and enjoy a night to herself and not worry about me. Maybe it'll give her the chance to take a step back."

She raised an eyebrow and playfully questioned, "Because you're now worrying about her worrying about you?"

He gave an embarrassing nod of his head and snorted out a laugh, "I love her; what do you expect?"

She softly giggled and tickled his abdomen, "You know you two are adorable."

He playfully slapped her hand away and gave her a boyish grin then answered, "I'll take that as a compliment."

During their conversation, Jade had been around the corner that separated the row of lockers parallel to the hall from the diagonal lockers overhearing the exchange. She cracked a soft smile for a moment then took a breath before rounding the corner and heading to the pair.

She called out to them, "Hey."

The pair quickly put on bright, almost overdramatic smiles and answered in unison, "Hey." Tori let out a laugh and asked, "Jade, do you want to come over to my house and hang tonight?"

The dark brunette glanced to her boyfriend and he wore a hopeful expression. She gave him a reassuring smile then answered Tori, "Yeah, I'll be there. What do you want to do?"

Tori's eyes shot open in surprise at how easy it was for her to agree and that she didn't have to remind the darker brunette about Sikowitz's challenge. She turned her upper body and glanced to Freddie for a moment then answered, "I don't know, just hang? Maybe do some studying? Final exams are first thing after next week."

"How about trying some homemade pizza?"

The lighter brunette gave her a completely perplexed expression, "Homemade pizza?"

Jade smirked and looked to her muscular boyfriend then answered with a smirk, "Freddie is very particular with his pizza and I thought maybe I should get some practice on how to find that 'precision balance between red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese and garlic powder'."

He blew out a breath and rolled his eyes. He muttered in a half-hearted defense, "I'm peculiar with my pizza okay."

She let out a soft laugh.

Tori rolled her eyes at how cute the couple surprisingly could be with one another. "Okay, you can come over at…" Tori glanced over to Freddie for a suggested time.

He looked to his girlfriend then innocently replied with a nod of his head, "Seven? Seven sounds like a good time."

Beck quickly approached from behind Tori and Freddie and happily called out, "Hey."

Tori smiled back, obviously the tension had eased over the last week between the couple since his apology.

The heartthrob pulled his book bag strap tighter on his shoulder and then asked with a charming voice, "Hey, there's a big race tonight and wanted to know if you would go with me?"

Tori knotted her brow, unsure why he would randomly bring up going to a race.

Jade instantly frowned at realizing what her ex was asking and wanted to subject Tori to for the night. The darker brunette looped her arm around Tori and stated with a big grin, "We already have plans."

Beck offered a hand and desperately asked, "Wait..." He blew out a breath as the girls rounded the corner.

Jade wore a knowing smile as she confidently commented, "You'll thank me for saving you."

Tori looked to her semi-rival with curious expression. "Saving me from what?"

"I'll tell you later."

The long haired actor turned to Freddie and gave a hint of a frown, but his eyes more than made up for displaying his irritation.

Freddie shrugged a shoulder. "What?"

The taller teenager frowned and muttered in irritation, "Great, now I missed my chance for Tori to go see a drag race."

"Drag racing?"

Beck blew out a breath and motioned with a hand. "Yeah, I love it, there's a big race tonight and I wanted her to go with me. Jade always refused to go to a race with me. She always said it's stupid, but I was hoping Tori would be a little open-minded in sharing the experience."

Freddie raised an eyebrow and looked back to the leaner teenager with a smug expression. "So that was one of the things you couldn't bully her into doing, but you were going to use Sikowitz's challenge to get Tori to do something you wanted?"

The taller teenager cocked his head to the side and nearly glared at him.

Freddie rolled his eyes and spoke in an exasperated voice, "Oh my God, you are hopeless. You know I wouldn't have let you get away with that?"

Beck snapped, drawing the attention of several students still loitering around them, "Why can't you butt out of my relationship?"

The dark haired teenager rolled his eyes then retorted, "You don't have any moral high ground with me. If I tried to pull those kinds of stunts on Jade, I would hope you'd 'butt in' and put me in my place because she is your ex."

Beck instantly recalled what he had told Jade the day his ex got with the tech-producer and that was exactly what he would have done, but he wasn't going to give Freddie the satisfaction of knowing. However, since he was Mister 'Transparent', Freddie could see from Beck's eyes that he was right and let a small smirk form on his face.

"But Tori isn't your ex."

"She's my best friend, close enough."

The pair eyed one another for a few more moment before Beck closed his eyes and muttered, "Now I have to go to the drag race by myself."

Sinjin walked around the corner just as Beck finished, "Drag race?

The pair turned to the curly haired technician with Beck knotting his brow. "Yeah."

"Well, that just turned my light green."

The pair in unison questioned, both wondering if Sinjin had just made a pass at Beck, "What?"

"How many tickets ya got?"

Beck hesitantly answered, "Two, but I..."

"Can I go with you?"

He blew out a breath and answered with a cheerful tone (one that Freddie couldn't tell was forced or just out of exasperation with the situation), "Sure. We'll go to the drag race together."

"Oh yeah! Gentlemen, start your Sinjins!"

Freddie snorted out a laugh as Sinjin started cart wheeling down the hallway laughing and passing Cat and Robbie walking down the stairs in matching Pajelehoochos.

Vega Residence  
Hollywood Hills  
Los Angeles, CA  
Thursday, May 31, 2012

The time was just after seven o'clock as the two brunettes were standing across from each other at the Vega kitchen island. Tori stood with her back to the window finished rolling out the dough into a circle then Jade with her back to the kitchen table started spooning out tomato sauce and spreading it over the dough. Once she was finished, the younger Vega sister started sprinkling cheese over sauce when the pale girl idly commented, "I'm only here because I overheard what Freddie asked you to do."

Tori stopped sprinkling the cheese and looked up to meet her friend's eyes.

Jade looked up to meet the brown eyes for a moment then looked back down to prepare to put the pepperoni.

The lighter brunette was undeterred and answered, "Then I hope you overheard the part where he's worried about you and that you needed the break from worrying about him… that he asked me because he loves you."

The shorter haired teenager rolled her eyes and huffed out in irritation, "I know, I know, I've been acting like his mother all weekend babying him and keeping track of him during the week."

Tori let a soft smirk play on her face and asked, "So you tried to sow his name on his boxers and track him with a GPS chip?"

"The chip isn't funny!" She pointed her finger right in Tori's face as she finished hissing out, "And if that bitch tries to pull that chizz on Sapphire, I will kill her."

She held up her hands and attempted to disarm the anger with a nervous laugh, "Okay, okay, I was just kidding. Freddie's right, you need a break." Her voice dropped to a more sympathetic tone, "You've never really stopped being freaked out since the bee sting?"

Jade hissed out, "Never speak of it." She immediately looked down at the pizza and haphazardly started putting pepperonis on the surface.

Tori softly whispered out, "It was okay to have 'freaked out'. I mean it was pretty scary what happened for a few minutes, but you can't keep blaming yourself."

She looked up to Tori with absolute fury in her eyes and a clenched jaw. She hissed out enraged, but Tori picked up something else underneath the tone that she just couldn't quite place, "Why? As stupid as Robbie is, it was my fault. If I had just left the whole thing alone and let the satellite take a picture of an empty café, Freddie and I would have been home by then and he wouldn't have been stung.

Jade stared her straight in the eyes, but Tori wasn't afraid of the stare; she could see something past the anger and returned with a continued sympathy expression. The screenwriter clenched her jaw tight and furled her brow, determined to frighten the younger Vega sister, but Tori continued to be unfazed.

Tori's expression of sympathy was so much like Freddie's expression when she got frustrated and upset that it was hard for her to maintain her front until eventually it started crumbling. She whispered with a voice thick with regret, "He stopped breathing for a minute Tori."

The lighter brunette sucked in a breath at seeing a single tear start from Jade's left tear duct and rolling between her cheek and nose even as Jade was fighting to maintain her last bit of composure. Tori immediately walked around her right side of the island and wrapped her arms around Jade's torso and pulled her into a hug.

The darker brunette attempted to pull away and try to put her mask back on, but Tori cradled the back of the pale girl's head and tenderly whispered, "Don't. Don't fight me, not today, not over this. Just let it go."

Jade bowed her head and placed her face in the crook of Tori's neck then let out a heave of a cry.

She started rubbing a hand up and down Jade's back and whispered, "It's okay. Freddie's okay and you're okay, everyone's okay. It's not your fault. Freddie doesn't blame you and you shouldn't blame yourself. It was just a stupid bee that no one could have predicted."

The shorter haired teenager crying eased and her breath started easing while Tori continued to hold her and let her finish letting out all the emotions she had been bottling up for the last week.

Trina came walking down the stairs and excitedly called out, "Hi, girls! Sorry, but I can't—"

Jade pulled away from the younger sister, cleared her throat her throat and wiped an eye with her thumb.

The blonde streaked hair older teenager quickly asked, "What's wrong?"

The pale girl snapped, "Nothing!" She turned in place to show her back to who she considered an irritant and continued to wipe her eyes out of sight.

Trina glanced to her sister and Tori slightly shook her head to try to get it across that she should let it go. She took her sister's nonverbal advice as she quickly put it together that it must have been over Freddie as Trina couldn't imagine anything else that would get the mean girl to cry.

The older sister cleared her throat and commented with a more somber mood than the one she was in when she walked down the stairs, "Yeah, I gotta head to the studio where I film my hit TV show that I'm on. It's called—"

"Divertisimo," Jade uttered in annoyance with her back still turned to the girl.

Tori blew out a breath, "We know."

Trina quickly shook off the somber mood and picked up in her usually cheerful self, "Yeah. It's a huge, huge hit. High-quality television and top-notch acting and I'm on it."

"Well, did you get me a copy of an episode yet, so I can see it?"

Her older sister suddenly shouted and reached over her left shoulder, "Ow."

"What?" Tori quickly asked in concern.

She turned around to show her shoulder and asked, "Oh, my shoulder hurts. Is there like a bruise or something?

Tori whined out in disgust, "Ewe! Uh! You have a huge pimple—or a small volcano."

Trina's mouth dropped open in shock. "I have a pimple?! Well, it hurts!" She quick walked into the kitchen and finished shouting, "Somebody do something!"

Jade quickly walked around the end of the island and towards the kitchen exit to the hallway that led to one of the bathrooms and garage, needing a moment to gather herself and not wanting to deal with any Vega drama.

Tori turned and watched her go, but didn't say anything to the retreating girl. She turned back to her sister and tried to calm her, "Okay, I'll pop it, but just give me a minute and have a seat on the couch."

Trina quickly nodded and surprisingly followed her sister's instructions and moved to the couch. Tori turned and headed to the hallway and towards the bathroom.

The lighter brunette softly knocked on the bathroom door and asked, "Jade?"

"What!?" she heard the irritated shriek through the door.

"Could you hand me the rubbing alcohol, band-aids and a cotton ball in the cabinet?"

Tori waited a moment then the door cracked opened with Jade holding out the bottle of alcohol and box of band-aids. "Thanks," she uttered as the door closed. She let out a calming breath then headed back into the house.

Trina was patiently waiting on the couch and Tori walked around her. She sat her supplies on the top of the back rest then grimaced as she popped it and Trina shouted in relief, "Ah! That's good stuff." However that didn't last long as the younger sister started patting the spot with the alcohol damped cotton ball to remove the pus and trickle of blood from being such a large pimple and she shouted, "It burns!"

"I'm cleaning it," Tori quickly reassured her sister then quickly went about to put on the circular band-aid then commented, "Good, now you won't bleed on your clothes."

"Thanks sis, gotta go." She jumped out of her seat and dashed towards the door as Tori went on to scald her hands and throw away the mess.

Hale Residence  
Thursday, May 31, 2012

"Explain to me again why I'm having to baby-sit you dateless refugees?" Dusty asked with clearly annoyed voice as he relaxed back in his chair behind his desk computer monitor and looked over to his guests. Ava sat on his bed with her back against the headboard while Freddie sat in a chair next to the right foot of the bed, both directing their attention to a rerun of _Pawn Stars_ playing on the hanging flat screen television on the wall parallel to Dusty's left and perpendicular to the entrance.

Freddie snorted out a breath, "Jade is over at Tori's making pizza and studying for exams."

"So they agree to the 'yes for a day' challenge and you use it to send your girlfriend to the house of the girl said teacher wants _her to get with_ instead of taking your chance to ask Jade to marry you? Did the bee venom reach your brain?"

The tech-producer knotted his brow while simultaneously frowning. Ava let out a snort of a laugh.

Dusty cocked his head to the side and gave him an expression question how serious he was in giving him an annoyed expression. "Please, let's not kid ourselves; Sikowitz is a Jori shipper and you two are going to get married at some point. It is just a matter of _when_. Why not get the proposal stuff out of the way?"

Freddie palmed his forehead and shook his head. "Maybe it did reach my brain, because Jade wore my second favorite skirt on her today: her NYC Militia Skirt."

The Southern teenager let out a laugh, enjoying being able to tease him a little bit about his relationship. He looked to Ava and continued, "And your story again?"

Ava shrugged a shoulder and softly smirked, "Sinjin took advantage of the 'yes' challenge and is with Beck going to a NASCAR race, because he _loves_ NASCAR."

Dusty chuckled, "You need to send Pretty Boy a thank you card for a chance to get out of being bored to death."

Ava let out a soft giggle then answered with a content expression, "You're right I should…" She trailed off as she realized what he was saying then her jaw slightly dropped. She asked as if she couldn't believe she was hearing that from him. "You don't like NASCAR?"

He lazily answered, "No."

"But, but… you're from the South—"

Dusty rolled his eyes then answered, "Yes, I'm a Southern boy that doesn't care for NASCAR. Playing a little into stereotypes there aren't you Ava? I actually find it quite boring them just going around in a circle for a couple of hours. 'Oh, they're making a left turn, oh, oh, oh, straight away, straight away, oh look, they're making another left.' Commercial break, get back ten minutes later, you haven't missed a blasted thing."

Ava put the back of her hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh as that was exactly how she saw it.

The tech-producer spoke up in a slightly teasing voice in a partial effort to return the favor, "You're spending the evening by yourself if it wasn't for us. I don't see you having anywhere to be or have a date. Why aren't you out with _Heather_ tonight?"

Dusty let a small smile play on his face. He calmly asked as if they were talking about the weather, "Heather is in New York for an extended weekend for a modeling shoot and to see some family in Jersey and I will see her when she gets back."

Ava raised an eyebrow and put on a teasing smile. "'Seeing her'? Have you two gone past just 'talking'? It's been about three weeks since prom and saying you were talking with each other 'exclusively'. What's been going on with you two?"

The lean teenager slightly frowned and gave her a questioning expression.

Freddie spoke up with a soft laugh, "Ava, if he wanted to talk about it, he'd say something. It's obviously something very private between them."

She crossed her arms under her chest and retorted, "Oh, don't give him a way out."

Dusty blew out a breath and answered in a surprisingly somber voice catching the pair's attention, "I'll put it this way: going back to Carolina after graduation is not set in stone as it once was."

Ava's eyes shot open. "Wow, she's made that big an impact on you?"

Freddie was a little taken aback by the revelation. Dusty going back was always how things were set and had never been a topic of discussion even this close to graduation. He had accepted that his friend was going back to the other side of the country and that was that.

"A lot of things have made an impact on me over the last school year and given me more reasons to stay then go back… and she's become one of those reasons in quite a short order… I don't see the need to sabotage the possibility of something by picking up and moving because that's always been the plan."

Freddie may have gently admonished Ava from prying, but he found himself asking in a serious tone, "Do you see this actually turning into something? Seriousness enough to stay?"

Dusty softly smirked as he replied, "Three weeks was enough for you to move from Seattle and into Jade's home or so the story goes; why wouldn't it be enough along with everything else to stay?"

The former Seattleite's eyes shot open from the close to home point.

The TV screen popped up with a message that it was changing the channel in a moment due to a preprogrammed show reminder. Ava knotted her brow when she saw the title of the show then the picture switching to the new channel. A commercial was playing before the show started. It was Heather in a white sleeveless shirt styled like an athletic shirt and her hair pulled in a ponytail and holding up a cosmetic jar. She happily announced, _"Hey, you want to bring your face alive? Then bring your face alive with Face-A-Live."_

The former webmaster laughed out, "Every single commercial…"

Freddie laughed, "At least you get to see her everyday."

"Yeah, so do you," he softly mocked in return.

Ava pointed to the screen as the cold opening of the show started and asked, "Why did it change to this?"

He gave her a perplexed expression and asked, "Because I want to watch that?"

Ava looked to the screen then back to him with a perplexed expression. "_New Town High_? You never struck me as the type to watch teenage soaps, even supernatural ones."

"I watch the reruns for the lead actress, the one blonde with the non-matching eyebrows that favors Emma Watson before she left to go film that trilogy in New Zealand."

Freddie and Ava turned their attention to the screen to see the dirty blonde with dark eyebrows in a sportsman lettered jacket. The more muscular teenager asked in a curious tone, "I thought Carly was your celebrity crush."

"She is, but I'm not crushing on Jo as a celebrity; I'm not crushing on her at all."

"Then what do you call it?"

Dusty cleared his throat and looked to his computer monitor.

Freddie smirked while teasing, "What do you call it?"

The Southern teenager blew out a loud breath from his open mouth then looked up his screen and admitted, "I call it supporting my first love in her career by watching her works."

Ava laughed, "So you had someone before Carly."

He shook his head. "No, I mean she was my first love as in _my first love_."

Freddie knotted his brow, looked to the television screen then back at him.

The leaner teenager raised an eyebrow and gave him a bored expression. He continued in a dry tone, "You know I had a life in Carolina before I got here, _right_?"

The former Seattleite let out a laugh, "So you use to date an actress?"

Dusty rolled his eyes and blew out a tired breath then continued in the same dry tone as before, "Inspiring one. She left to come to California about a year after I left and now she's in New Zealand filming some epic trilogy like the _Lord of the Rings_."

He jokingly commented, "It would explain Cat… and Heather."

"We go to a performing arts high school; all the girls are inspiring to do something in the entertainment industry, so that's just a standard quality when dating anyone at our school."

Freddie nodded his head in deference to the point then questioned, "Do you keep in touch?"

The slightly older teenager contemplated on whether to answer or not simply do to the fact that it would lead to more questions, one in which he wasn't eager to share the answers. "It was a breakup due to circumstances, so we made a clean break as in completely, so no and there are no hard feelings, at least not from my side, so I wish her all the best."

The pair gave him sympathetic expressions and spared quick glances to one another.

Dusty continued in a dry tone as he looked back to his monitor, "Now if you'll humor me, we'll keep the channel where it's at and keep it down for a few minutes because…" He pulled on a microphone headset as if he was about to play a multiplayer game on his computer and finished with a nonchalant tone, "…I need to get in a quick video-chat with Heather before she goes to bed—three hour time difference and all."

The guests respectfully tried to hold back laughs at seeing how cool Dusty was trying to play it off, but from the look in his eyes how forward he was looking to the web-chat. The pair turned their attention to the television and tried not to eavesdrop on his conversation—which was actually made easier as he pulled the remote control to the TV off his desk and turned up the volume slightly before focusing back on his computer.

In Route to Valentine Residence

Robbie and Cat were walking down the sidewalk on a non-descript street on the way back to the redhead's house. The ventriloquist asked with a laugh, "Ya know, at first I thought these Pajelehoochos were stupid."

Cat curiously asked with her ever present grin, "You did?"

He slowly answered then shouted out with a laugh, "Yeah, but ah, they're so comfortable!"

The petite girl laughed out, "Ya know why?"

The turned to face her, bring the pair to a stop and shouted, "Yep! Cuz they're pajamas!"

The redhead shouted in return, "They're jeans!"

"They're leggings!"

"It's a hoodie!"

Robbie threw out his arms and shouted, "It's a poncho!"

Cat finished in a near giggle, "It's the..."

The shouted in unison, "Pajelehoocho!" then the redhead eagerly jumped in his arms.

He spun her in place for a moment then finally sat her back on her feet as they took a few steps together. She whispered out, "Oh my goodness."

They continued walking a few more steps until they ran into gentleman of Hispanic descent. One was slightly taller than the other in a blue and white plaid pattern shirt and black wool cap. The shorter one was wearing a grey jacket and waist length brown jacket. They called out, "Hey. Hold up."

The teenagers stopped and happily returned the greetings, "Hey. Hi."

The taller gentleman asked, "Are those Pajelehoochos?"

Cat eagerly answered, "Uh-huh."

The shorter gentleman rubbed his chin then commented, "I've seen them on TV."

Cat happily answered, "I have a hundred and forty-two more at home."

The grey jacket wearing one asked, "Oh yeah?"

Cap wearing one continued, "Then give us those."

Cat put on a confused expression, "What?"

Robbie continued, just as confused as his crush, "You want our Pajelehoochos?"

"That's what I said."

"Sorry, fellas, but all we have on underneath is underwear."

Cat raised a hand back against Robbie's chest and whispered, "Wait! Remember what we promised Sikowitz. We have to say yes to everything."

"But if they take our Pajelehoochos..."

The taller of the two asked, "Can we have your Pajelehoochos?"

Robbie found a bit of courage and gently slipped into her hand then calmly answered, "No, sorry fellas. Cat, it would be illegal to walk around in our underwear and that was one of Sikowitz—run!" He yanked her arm hard as he turned and started running. Fortunately she was able to get one foot in front of the other and started running with him. The two gentlemen were caught off guard by Robbie's quick change in demeanor and took them a moment to start chasing after them. Also fortunate for the teenagers, only running a few yards back up the street brought them back to the more populated area… and to the attention of a LAPD Police Cruiser slowly rounding the corner and pulling along side the sidewalk.

A whoop from the their siren and flash of lights caused the chasing pair to stop in their tracks then turn and run down the opposite way, which is a very bad idea—running way from LAPD.

Robbie took a few heaving breaths as the police cruiser drove past then commented, "Okay, I think their stupid now. I want to change and next time, we're calling your brother for a ride."

Cat took several labored breaths then let out a soft giggle then placed a kiss on his check. She pulled her phone out of her pocket then started text her brother's number to get that ride home. As she was doing so, she made the idle comment, "You didn't want to see me in my underwear?"

The ventriloquist blushed for a moment then gathered what was left of his courage and answered, "I want to be your boyfriend, but I'd admit that would have been pretty hot."

The redhead stopped in the middle of her texting and swallowed down her surprise. The pair stood in an uncomfortable silence for a moment then she started back up with her texting, unable to meet Robbie's gaze.

Vega Residence

The pair finally made their way to the couch to relax and enjoy their homemade pizza. They respectfully thought they did a fine job in cooking it and Jade intended to take some home for Freddie. In the meantime they were watching television in peace until Jade asked in softly whining tone from her position on the left side couch while holding a pillow to her chest, "Can we watch anything else?"

Tori was lounging on her right side with her right arm braced against the other couch's armrest and curious asked, "You don't like celebrities underwater?"

The pale girl raised her voice and angrily motioned her hand in a chopping motion towards the television, "No. Because they make you think that the celebrities are going to drown but then they never do." She took a calming breath then finished, "Why do you think you and Freddie watch it all the time together? I don't watch it with him."

Tori huffed, willing to placate the girl, "Fine, let's see what else is on."

Jade dryly instructed, "Go to the guide."

Tori defensively uttered, "I know how to do it." The brunette started clicking through the guide with Jade offering commentary, "No... no... no... Boring... _no news_... no... Wait wait, go back go back!"

"Why, what?!"

Jade apparently recognized something and eagerly shouted while pointing towards the television, "Just go up! More... there, look! The Spanish language channel!"

Tori finally realized what Jade was shouting about and joined her shock with wide opened eyes and a shout of her own, "Divertisimo! That's Trina's show!"

Jade shouted back just as shocked as she split her attention between the lighter brunette and the television, "I thought it wasn't on in LA!"

"That's what she said!"

"Well, turn it on!"

"I know how to do it!" the lighter brunette shouted in frustration then tapped a button to turned to the channel.

Trina dressed in a short yellow dress with a piece of yellow foam in the shape of triangular piece of cheese wrapped around her chest and torso. She had her yellow gloved hands up in the air while running away on stage from two children in giant mouse customs chasing her and shouting, "No may ko-mas! No may ko-mas! No may ko-mas! No may ko-mas!"

Jade blinked in shock as she tried to figure out what she was watching, "That's the show Trina's been bragging about?

Tori held back an outright laugh, but it filtered through into her voice as a soft whine as she answered with air quotations, "She said it was 'high-quality television with top-notch acting'."

Jade dryly commented, "She's a giant piece of cheese."

"That fibber." She slammed the remote next to her, crossed her arms under her chest then lend back on the backrest.

The pale girl quickly asked, "What studio does she film at?"

Tori curiously asked, "Hollywood-Bronson, why?"

Jade asked with an imitation tone of Sikowitz, "Shall we go down there and pay Trina a little visit?"

Tori returned in an equally imitating voice, but sounded more like a bad imitation of Sean Connery, "Indeed we shall."

The purple haired streaked girl extended her arms out and motioned with her hands up as if she was instructing someone to raise themselves as she stood up then headed to the door. Tori was right behind her, neither girl giving a second thought to their leftover pizza.

Hollywood-Bronson Studio  
Hollywood, CA  
Thursday, May 31, 2012

Trina was dressed in the same yellow dress that Tori and Jade had watched from an earlier episode, but this time instead of being chased by the children in mouse costumes, she had her hands tied up above her head and the children were dancing around her chanting, "Ella es el almuerzo. Ella es el almuerzo. Ella es el almuerzo."

The director suddenly shouted as he walked up on stage, "El cut! Everyone take cinco."

The mariachi band standing off to the side stopped playing and started to disperse.

Trina praised the Traditional mariachi band as she passed by them, "Really nice work. Good job."

One of them replied, "Gracias."

The girls stepped from behind the silver curtain they had been hiding behind and Tori started clapping. She laughed out in a near mocking tone, "That was a great scene, Trina."

Jade joined her in laughing, "Really 'high-quality television'."

Tori brought her gathered fingers of her right hand to her mouth the popped her lips in an overdramatic kiss while pulling her hand away. She continued in over acting dramatic tone, "Top-notch-acting".

Trina shouted in outrage, "Why are you here?! Get out!"

"No, we wanna watch you act."

Jade laughed, "Yeah. Does lady cheese boob get away from the hungry mice children?"

Tori pointed to the pale girl with a smirk as Trina subconsciously wrapped her arms over the foam cheese.

The younger sister relented and had another quick laugh, but in a friendly instead of mocking tone, "Trina, why didn't you just say you were doing a children's program?" She narrowed her eyes and asked in a hushed tone, "This is a children's program, right?"

She hissed out, "Of course it is, but it's embarrassing. I didn't want people to think I could only land a kids' show."

Jade snorted out, "It's comedy; it's what you're good at. At least you're taking Freddie's advice."

Tori glanced to Jade with pursed lips and a knotted brow.

The purple streaked hair girl frowned and answered with a curt tone, "I'm not going to argue the point with Freddie, okay?"

Tori raised her hands signaling she wasn't going to argue with her.

Jade looked back to Trina and finished, "How do you find this embarrassing? You begged Cat to be in the Diddly-Bops with you; how is this different? Performing in front of people that love you and getting paid for it."

Trina wore a sour expression in that even in Jade's surprisingly supportive words, they had a sound of dismissiveness.

The director of the show, a handsome Hispanic descended gentleman in a unbutton gold shirt, black undershirt and blue jeans approached and happily asked his star, "Trina, are these your amigas?"

"Kinda. This is my sister and her rude friend."

Jade frowned and glared at the older Vega.

"Well, whoever these senoritas may be, you are both muy pretty."

Tori politely nodded. "Thank you."

Jade dryly replied, "Gracias."

Tori continued, "We're just visiting."

He replied as he motioned to the stage, "Listen, we're about to film our next scene; would you like to be in the show with Trina?"

"Why her?!"

Tori smile and politely replied with a dismissive wave of her hand, "Thank you, but I'd really rather not..."

The purple streaked hair girl spoke up with a grin, "A'buh buh buh buh! Remember the deal with Sikowitz?"

Tori snapped her head and gave Jade a glare while she answered, "I told you..."

She laughed an interruption, "You have to do it."

The longer haired teenager blew out a tired breath then admitted, "Yes. Yes! Yes. I will be in the next scene."

He happily threw out his hand and answered, "Wonderful."

Tori smirked as a devious thought popped into her head then pointed to Jade. "Can she be in it, too?" She was expecting an annoyed expression on from her semi-rival, but was surprised at seeing Jade returning with a grin.

She looked back to the director. "Oh why not? I can show me on TV to Ian, maybe he'll get a laugh out of it?"

A few minutes later, all three girls were running around the stage in yellow dresses with the mice children chasing them with giant forks in a circle. They were shouting, "Si! Si! Rapido! Rapido! Si! Si! Si! Si! Rapido! Rapido! Si! Si! Si! Si! Rapido! Rapido! Si!"

Tori was laughing and having a good time as she dramatically clenched her hair while trying to flee the children. Jade on the other hand was quickly getting annoyed as she may have been a good sport about it to show Ian in the future, one of the children was poking her kind of hard with one of the forks. After the third of forth time, she turned on him and shouted in outrage. She grabbed the fork out of his hand and started chasing him with it off the stage and behind the cameras, shouting, "Come here!"

* * *

Author's Note: I hope everyone liked this chapter and my take on it. Feel free to rip it to shreds in reviewing. The next chapter will be Brain Squeezers, but trust me, it will be quite different than how that episode turned out. Hopefully it will be out by Friday, Saturday at the latest. Have a great week.

Special Guest Appearance by Jennifer Connelly as Ruby Lynn West  
Special Guest Star Miranda Cosgrove as Carly Shay (Archive Footage)  
Special Guest Star Jennette McCurdy as Sam Puckett (Archive Footage)  
Special Guest Star Jerry Trainor as Spencer Shay (Archive Footage)  
Guest Star Katie Walder as unnamed blonde in hospital  
Guest Star Katelyn Tarver as Jo Taylor (Archive Footage)  
Guest Star Cody Christian as Dustin 'Dusty' Hale


	39. Chapter 39: Brain (Heart) Squeezers

Hello everyone. I have a new chapter ready to go, one that I hope I'm particularly proud of and hope you will enjoy. I know that I didn't care much for this episode and from way the actors talked, the goofs and behind the scene stuff sounded better than the episode.

Agent-M-0167: Thank you. I think this chapter will be filled with all three and I hope you enjoy.

PD31: The Jori goes back to what has run through the series of stories: how can Jade dislike Tori when she's like Freddie in so many ways. You of all people understand that. I was thinking of a different Mrs. Benson, but yeah, she could become that but keeps West as a stage name because Jade Benson in my mind doesn't necessarily have a nice ring to it.

darck ben: I was letting Cabbie be Cabbie but give a little more meat to it with him outright saying what he wanted. I don't see how I could go through the Freddie/Cat relationship in iWould Have Pounded Him Silly without involving Mister Valentine in the story. I don't see an entire chapter devoted to him, but I see him spread across several chapters and letting his input known.

Okay, on with the story. I hope you enjoy.

Rating: T Language, Violence, Drama

* * *

Chapter 39: Brain (Heart) Squeezers Part 1

Asphalt Café  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Friday, June 1, 2012

The last day of the school week was a particularly sunny day as Freddie, Jade, André, Tori and Robbie were at their usual table enjoying their lunch, leaving a space between the brunette and ventriloquist for Cat to join them. They had spent the last few minutes catching up on how yesterday had gone with Sikowitz's yes challenge before they would have to share their experiences with the rest of the class after lunch.

André had complained that he had to spend most of the evening being subjected to the point of near torture to bad country music from Posey after she asked him to help her with her song writing class. Freddie made the humorous observation that perhaps if he was going to sit through listening to her music, that he could have actually helped her with it and since he actually didn't do that, he didn't fulfill Sikowitz's challenge.

The songsmith gave him a deep frown.

Robbie shared his and Cat's harrowing experience in nearly being robbed of their pajelehoochos then Tori told how she and Jade spent the evening, minus the pale girl's emotional breakdown.

Freddie teased his girlfriend about how eager he was at seeing her in a yellow dress even with the 'cheese boob' since she hated yellow. Her expression showed her disapproval of his wish, but he reassured her that he wanted to see her in it as he knew how lovely she'd be in the color.

Jade struggled between a smile and a frown at his sweet attempt to reassure her. She turned to her French fries sitting in front of her a popped one in her mouth. Once she finished chewing it, she commented, "Mm-mm... awesome French fries today."

Tori smiled and asked, "Can I have a fry?"

The purple highlighted girl slightly frowned, but pushed over the cardboard tray of French fries to the brunette.

Tori smiled as she swapped a fry from the cardboard container and popped it into his mouth.

Cat walked up from behind Robbie and took a seat between him and Tori.

Robbie smiled as the redhead took a seat next to him, "Hey Cat, who are you talking to?"

The redhead quickly hushed him and grabbed him by the lips with her right hand to close them, "Shh! I've been on hold for an hour."

Tori finished her fry and asked, "Who are you on hold with?"

"I don't remember."

André folded his arms and rested them against the table. "Then why don't you hang up?"

Cat excitedly answered, "Because I love the hold music. It's all my favorite songs. I don't know who I'm holding for, but he or she is awesome."

As the redhead was explaining, Tori had pulled out her phone from hearing the ding of receiving a text message. She shouted with joy and looking around to her friends, "Oh my God! Yes! Yes! Yes!"

André nonchalantly asked, "What's going on?"

"Well... I just found out I got picked to be on _Brain Squeezers_!"

They looked to her with perplexed expressions as they had no clue what she was speaking. However, her excitement didn't wane as she shouted again, "_Brain Squeezers_!"

The others continued to give her the same expression, so she began to explain, "The new game show."

The songsmith casually commented, "I haven't heard of it."

Jade slightly shook her head, "No idea what that is."

Cat smiled, "I'm on hold."

"Well, it's not on TV yet, but everyone says it's gonna be like the next big thing. It is all the buzz."

André motioned out with small chop, "I've heard no buzz."

Tori face fell in disappointment as she uttered, "Really?"

Jade answered, "No human being has ever heard of Brain Squeezers."

Sinjin walked up behind Tori and leaned in to squeeze between her and André then asked, "You guys talking about Brain Squeezers?"

Jade asserted in a curt tone, "I said human being," then popped another fry into her mouth.

Cat shouted out, "Ooh, I love this song, too! I wonder if the person I'm holding for is my one true love."

Robbie smirked and began, "You know what they say about..."

The petit girl quickly snapped to Robbie with a knotted brow and shouted with a rough voice, "Shut up!"

The curly haired boy sighed in defeat then André picked up, dividing his attention between Tori and Sinjin, "So what is 'Brain Squeezers', anyway?"

Tori happily explained, "It's a new game show for kids and teens. It's supposed to be a lot of fun and you can win tons of money."

Sinjin continued, "They just started filming, and it's really hard to get picked to be on it."

Toir stood up and smugly commented in her mainly voice, "Well, not too hard for Tori." She turned to Sinjin and showed him her phone. "Check this out."

He took the phone and quickly read the message, "O... M... R... G! You got picked to be a Team Captain!"

The brunette happily announced, "Sure did."

"Ooh, can I please be on your team?" He started tugging on the hem of her shirt as he begged, "Please please please please?"

"Look, I just found out..."

Sinjin continued begging, "Please?!"

Tori shouted in outrage to quiet him and took her phone back, "Sinjin!"

He whined out and bowed his head as if he was about to cry, "Oh."

Tori retook her seat and glanced up to Sinjin as she answered, "I don't even know what the game is yet, so I need to think about it and then I'll pick my team."

He happily called out, "So you might pick me?"

"I might."

Sinjin palmed his chest pecks and shouted, "Weeee!" He leaned over and snatched a fry from Jade's tray then dashed away.

Robbie eagerly asked, "Can I be on your team?"

Cat happily announced, "I wanna be on Tori's team!"

The ventriloquist tried to cut her off with a chopping motion of his hand as he leaned past her and towards Tori, "Listen to your hold music!"

She grabbed his right bicep and annoyingly countered, "I can multitask!"

Robbie ignored her, "Tori, can I please be on your team..."

André threw up a hand to cut his friend off, "Hey! Hold up." He got up from his seat to stand behind her, gently rubbing her temples as he spoke, "Tori said she needs to do some thinking. Figure some stuff out. And then she'll pick her team. "

Tori answered graciously, "Thank you."

"No prob." André grabbed her by the shoulders and alternating resting his chin on her shoulders, "Because you and me, we're tight. We are friends. Tori and André are always on the same team."

"Best friends," Freddie laughed out and gave André a supportive wink.

The brunette dryly commented while André retook his seat, "Great, so now everyone's pressuring me."

Jade smirked as she commented, "I haven't asked to be on your _Brain Squeezers_ team yet."

Tori acknowledged with a side nod of her head, "True."

Jade teased in response, "But if you don't pick me something really bad might happen to you."

Freddie playfully poked Jade's side and she let out a surprised shriek.

She turned to him with a furled brow and deep frown of outrage, "What was that for?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Freddie put on a fake innocent smile as he stole a third fry from her.

The corner of her mouth lifted in a smirk as she gave him a playful glare.

The tech-producer ignored the glare and continued to Tori, "I don't have to pressure you; you're going to pick me anyway to be on your team unless it is filming when I have work. I can't blow off another weekend. I got to bring home the bacon for my girl."

She frowned while uttering, "I hate the Sam reference."

He put on a sour expression as he agreed, "I do too…"

Tori playfully challenged, "Oh? I will? Why?"

He gave a trademark Freddie Benson smirk and answered, "Because the name of the show is '_Brain Squeezers_', implying that it is some kind of knowledge based game and I'm really smart and have a face for television. So you have to pick me to help you win."

Tori slightly rolled back her eyes and laughed, "You're hilarious."

Freddie grinned ear-to-ear, "I know; I use to do it professionally. It was this little show called iCarly. You may have heard of it?"

She smirked and shook her head.

André turned the group's attention to their redheaded friend and asked, "Cat, how long are you gonna wait on hold?"

Cat softly laughed, "I don't mind waiting, I swear, I love every song they're playing."

Robbie pulled the phone away from Cat's ear and pointed out, "You're not even on the phone. You're listening to music from your play list."

"Oh. Huh." Cat thumbed over to her right and nervously laughed, "Man... Sinjin... what a weirdo, huh?

Hollywood Arts High School

Tori was making her way down the hallway as the bell rang overhead signaling the end of first lunch. She was in no hurry to get to Sikowitz class as he was most likely once again to be late.

Beck was leaning against the row of locker listening to some music from his PearPhone. He smiled to his girlfriend and greeted her, "Oh hey."

Tori stopped just in front of him and breathed out an annoyed breath, "Oh my God. No, no! No!"

He slightly furled his brow as he pulled the earbuds from his ears and started wrapping the cord around his phone. He lied in mild shock, "Wow. Never heard that from a girl before."

She rolled her eyes as she didn't want to challenge why he would say such an absurd statement from him (he had a bruised face for a week from Dusty over such a disagreement), but continued her point in an exasperated tone, "I haven't decided yet who's gonna be on my _Brain Squeezers_ team so if you wanna be on it you're gonna have..."

Beck slipped his phone into his back pocket as she spoke then raised his hands up to wave them in front of her, "Whoa whoa whoa whoa, I was just standing here, and I said 'hey'."

She continued in an excited voice as she softly poked his chest with her left pointer finger, "I'm sorry, it's just everyone and I mean everyone has been bugging me today and..."

She trailed off at the sound of a squirt bottle behind Beck. She walked around to stand by her boyfriend's side as he turned to look at the sound as well.

Robbie had a squirt bottle in hand and spraying her locker while wiping it with a cloth. He softly laughed out, "Oh hey."

Tori asked with a confused expression, "Why are you cleaning my locker?"

Robbie answered with a smile, "Because we're friends and I want your things to be nice." He sprayed a few more shots of cleaning solution in the surface of the locker and continued to wipe as he finished, "Yep, just, uh, just gonna make it shine. Okay. Off to class, but first..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded twenty dollar bill then handed it to her, "For ye."

She took the bill then unfolded it to display it in front of him. "Why are you giving me twenty dollars?"

"Because I think you're neat." He brought the back of his right hand to hide his mouth and whispered, "And because we're super friends."

She sighed out loudly, "I'm not promising that I'll pick you to be on my Brain Squeezers' team."

Robbie grunted and snatched the bill from Tori's grasp then pulled out a handful of dirt from his pocket and glopped it all over the surface of the locker. He held a glare at Tori and started walking backwards.

The handsome actor frowned and called out in a curt tone, "Robbie, get back here and clean her locker."

The ventriloquist frowned and turned his glare to Beck, but the taller teenager wasn't having any of it. He cocked his head to the side and motioned to the locker, "I'm not asking you Robbie."

The glasses wearing teenager frown then proceeded to clean it as Cat happily approached with her PearPad in her hands from behind the couple. "Oh hey you guys. Wanna know what I'm doing on my PearPad?"

Tori awkwardly answered, "We didn't bring it up."

Beck shrugged a shoulder as he answered, "Didn't ask."

The redhead happily explained, "Well, I'm using a new app. It's called Test E-Z. It teaches me all kinds of cool information just in case I find myself in a situation where I need to know things." She smiled at her taller friend and gently nudged her arm. "Mmm?"

The brunette leaned forward and huffed out with mild disbelief, "Like a game show?"

Cat answered with a clear sense of false shock, "What? I mean, I guess that's a good example." She turned to her PAD and continued, "Like right now, I'm learning about America's fifty states. Did you know America has fifty states?"

Beck spoke up, "I did."

"Well, do you know which one of them they call the Aloha State?"

"Yes," Tori softly answered while Beck pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It's... h'way-eye-eye." She walked around them to the direction of the janitor's closet and shouted, "Yay, Cat scores!" She waved at them and started dashing down the hallway towards the senior wall. "Okay bye, I'm off to learn some more knowledge, just in case."

Robbie threw an annoying glare at the couple after he finished cleaning the locker then turned to follow Cat.

Beck shook his head and commented with a hint of disbelief, "Wow, I guess people are pretty desperate to be on a game show."

"I guess. But..." A thought occurred to her then she smugly pointed out, "Oh. I see through your little plan."

He gave her a curious expression, "What's my plan?"

"Oh, you know... to play it all cool and act like you don't care about being on my Brain Squeezers team. Just to mess with my head—" She walked behind him and to is other side, "—and make me wanna ask you to be on it." She crossed her arms under her chest after she had finished.

He returned with a soft smile and turned to her to rest his hands on her hips. "I have no plan because I assumed that I would already be considered to be on your team—being your boyfriend and all—and I'm really good at those kind of things, but you pick who you think will give you the best chance of winning."

She lifted a corner of her mouth as she rested her hands on the top of his forearms. "Sounds like you're sweet talking me into picking you."

"Would I do that?" he softly laughed then leaned in to steal a quick kiss.

She smirked at him with a raised eyebrow then slipped out of his grasp. She took his hand and started pulling him along to Sikowitz' class.

Vega Residence  
Hollywood Hills  
Los Angeles, CA

The time was early evening while Tori was relaxing on the right side couch towards the door, watching television, goofing off on her laptop and eating a piece of pie. Her relaxation was soon interrupted with Trina trotting down the stairs and stopped at the end of the couch. She tossed her sister's feet off the armrest and happily called out while having a seat next to her, "Hey, baby sis!" She took the remote control and turned off the television.

Tori cried out in outrage while Trina pulled the laptop away from her and tossed in on the neighboring couch, "Hey. I was watching Celebrity Spelunking."

Trina calmly answered, "Look, I know all your dumb friends have been bugging you to be on your Brain Squeezers team, so I came up with two ideas."

The younger Vega sister started back on her pie and muttered in annoyance, "Oh, get away from me."

"Team option A... You, me, André, Freddie."

Tori put a morsel of pie into her mouth and commented while chewing, "I wanna hurt you."

"Team option B... Me, André, Freddie, Beck."

The longer haired brunette pulled the fork away from her mouth and uttered with an irritated filled voice, "I'm not even on that team!"

"Life's not all about you!"

Tori took a calm breath and thought what she had spoken. She took a sniff of her pie then asked, "Hey, does my pie smell funny?"

Trina looked down at the plate for a moment before Tori brought it forward and smashed it in her face.

The older Vega sister jumped up, "Oh!" Pie went flying down on the couch, her really short pink shorts and thighs as she stood up and walked around the couch. She clawed at her face and shouted, "Pie in my eye! Pie in my eye!"

Tori smirked as she finished what was left on her plate.

Trina dove behind and to Tori's left and bit along the side of her head with getting a mouthful of hair.

The younger sister shouted in surprise, "Ow! You bit my ear!"

The shorter haired brunette dashed back up the stairs to clean up, but she wasn't gone for long. As soon as Tori had resettled in her seat, her older sister started shouting on her way down, "Okay, I came up with the perfect team—"

Tori jumped up from the couch and held up her hand, cutting her off before she could get started, "Stop it!" She reached down and picked up her PearPhone off the coffee table. "Look, you know what? I'm tweeting! Yep, I am on The Slap dot com... and I'm tweeting... "Big"... "News! I picked"... 'My Brain Squeezers team. 'It's me... and'...

"Me!"

"André. And..."

"Me!"

"Beck and…"

"Me!"

"Robbie!"

"No!"

"Send!"

Trina shouted in frustration, "Ah!" She continued to scream in frustration as she dashed out of the living room and up the stairs.

Tori Vega: Big News! I picked my Brain Squeezers team. It's me and Andre and Beck and Robbie! FEELING: Lanchanophobic

Brain Squeezer Building  
Hollywood, CA  
Saturday, June 2, 2012

After checking in through the main entrance of the building, Tori led her teammates along with the rest of her friends including Sinjin and Ava, but minus Freddie to the Brain Squeezer's Stage B. The walk was quite short and not a few moments later, the team captain reached the check-in desk and happily greeted the young man sitting behind the desk with a black cased PearBook in front of him, "Hi. I'm here with my team. We're ready to have our brains squeezed."

He asked in a bored tone, "Name?"

Tori happily announced with a three finger salute, "I'm Tori Vega, Team Captain, reporting for game show duty."

Robbie laughed out, "Duty."

André narrowed his eyes on him and questioned with a hint of disbelief, "What's wrong with you?"

Tori ignored the exchange and answered, "My team members are André Harris, Beck Oliver and Robbie Shapiro."

He picked up a clipboard next to his computer and handed it to her, "Okay, just sign-in with your teammates then I'll direct you to the set."

Tori took the clipboard and the tied pen to it then signed-in. She passed along the clipboard and they signed-in one after the other. As they were signing, Jade idly commented to Robbie, "You're lucky Freddie's at work or he'd have your spot."

The ventriloquist frowned with an annoyed glare, while Tori tried to hide an embarrassing expression from the truthfulness of Jade's statement.

Once Robbie had signed the paper, the clipboard was passed back to the young man. As he was taking back the clipboard, a muscular African-American gentleman quickly approached. He asked the young man sitting behind the desk, "Has the other team showed?"

"No sir."

He blew out an irritated breath then commented in frustration, "We're already behind, so…" He looked to the others and asked, "You in high school?"

Cat, Sinjin and Trina happily announced simultaneously, "Yeah! Yeah. Me am!"

The producer asked, "Any contagious diseases?"

Sinjin cautiously asked, "Contagious?" He let out a laugh and shook his head, "No."

Ava's eyes shot open and quickly asked, "You want to tell me something Sinj?"

The taller teenager cleared and gave his girlfriend a nervous expression.

The producer pointed to Jade and announced, "You're the captain of the blue team." He turned and walked back in the direction that he approached without another word.

Jade snorted out a laugh at the irony that she would be playing. She laughed out, "I guess nothing bad will happen to you now."

Tori cracked a smile and shook her head at the friendly jib.

Brain Squeezer's Stage

The teenagers were arranged in a slight semi-circle standing behind podiums highlighted in blue on the left side and yellow on the right side. Displayed on the podiums were the students' respective names and a numerical zero. On the blue side stood Sinjin, Cat, Trina and Jade while on the other side stood Tori, Robbie, André and Beck.

The host the game show, Dave, a young man just older than Spencer Shay, walked between the two teams and happily announced while pointing out the camera, "And it's time to play..."

"BRAIN SQUEEZERS!"

The teenagers softly clapped and other waved out as if there was an audience.

The host happily announced, "Alright! Let's meet our yellow Team Captain."

Tori happily announced, "I'm Tori."

Dave nodded his head then turned to his right and announced, "And our blue Team Captain..."

She gave a polite smile, "I'm Jade."

The host turned back to the camera and started, "Okay teams, here are the rules. I ask a series of questions. Team captains decide who will answer for the team. Answer correctly, your team gets a hundred points. Answer wrong, the other team gets the points and you get a... DOINK!"

Tori spoke up, "Excuse me?

"Yes, Tori"

The brunette hesitantly asked, "Wh... what's a doink?"

He softly laughed out and pointed back to the camera as the speakers shouted out, "_Wait and See!_" He continued, "Alright! First question's to the yellows. Tori..."

She politely answered, "Dave..."

"The topic is animals. Who'll take it?"

She glanced over down the line of her teammates and announced, "Uh, Robbie."

Robbie chuckled, "That's me. I know a lot about animals. When I was a boy, my mommy bought me the book "The Zoo and You" and I read it from…"

He interrupted, "The question is... 'How many toes on a camel's hoof?'"

Robbie nervously laughed, "Uh well, I've never actually counted a camel's toes before, but my grandpa has five toes on his foot, so I'm gonna say five."

The buzzer sounded and Dave held up a finger to shout, "Wrong." He turned to the blue team and announced, "That's a hundred points for the blue team..."

Some of the others embarrassingly looked to one another at the concept that Robbie didn't know how many toes were on a camel's toe.

The blue team started congratulating themselves and the score board on each of their pedestals ticked up to one hundred.

Dave continued with a point to the camera, "And for Robbie, that's a... 'DOINK!'"

The ventriloquist laughed it off, "Uh-oh, so what does that mean..." He was interrupted when a thick spray of some off-white solution sprayed into his face.

Tori and André took a step back to avoid the spray as the others looked on in shock.

Dave laughed out, "Robbie just got pus-blasted!"

The right side of Robbie's face was covered in the goo and he held out a hand to desperately ask, "Can-can I get a tissue?!"

The host continued to wear a goofy grin on his face as he turned to Jade, "Blue team! Jade..."

The purple streaked hair girl teasingly answered, "Yes?"

"The topic is sports. Who'll take it?"

She turned and looked down to her teammates before settling on her choice, "Uh... Trina."

The older Vega sister shouted in outrage, "I don't know anything about sports!"

"The question: How many laces are on a football?"

Trina gritted her teeth then shouted in frustration into her microphone, "The answer... who cares?"

The buzzer sounded indicated that she got the question wrong.

"The points go to the yellow team!" He turned back to the camera and shouted, "And for Trina, that's a..."

"DOINK!"

"No no no! Not in my face, I mean it, not in my face..."

Dave indicated to the camera with both his fingers as he shouted with the recording of a studio audience, "Nuts and Bolts!"

The lovely teenager shouted, "What? What nuts and bolts?"

She was answered a moment later as a pile of nuts and bolts poured down on her head with her screaming in pain and outrage from the impact.

The host eagerly shouted, "Alright, that puts us at a hundred points for both teams."

Trina shouted in outrage as she touched the crown of her head, "My head is bleeding."

Robbie whined out, "I can't see out of my right eye."

Tori shouted out in utter shock, "What kind of game show is this?!"

Dave turned to Tori, but refused to answer her question. He continued, "Yellow team! The topic is history."

Tori still caught up with the game glanced down the row of her teammates and muttered, "History, uh... Beck."

The thirty-something quickly read off the question, "What United States President used to take baths with his mother's dog?"

He leaned down and answered into the microphone, "I'll pass."

"You can't pass."

"Pass."

"Not an option."

"I don't want this question."

Dave continued to grin as he commented, "You're only making it worse."

The buzzer sounded for a wrong answer.

Dave shouted, "Wrong."

Beck called out in annoyance into his microphone, "I didn't even answer the question."

"That's a hundred points for the blue!"

The score increased by a hundred points on the board.

The host looked down to the row of students and continued, "And for Beck, that's a..."

"DOINK!"

A large muscular man grabbed Beck by the side of his arms and started shoving him to the center of the stage while he complained, "Whoa! Okay, alright."

The stagehand stopped Beck as a little person met them from the center backstage holding a stick with a pink bowling ball at the end.

Dave happily announced, "And Beck's doink is..."

"THE GUT WHACK!"

Ava standing behind the camera slipped her PearPhone out of her pocket and turned on the camera as she muttered to herself, "I got to get this for Freddie."

Beck questioned in disbelief as he looked to the little person, "Is that a bowling ball?!"

"Mm hum," the little person answer then swung it at Beck's stomach.

An audible whack was heard from the sound of the bowling ball hitting his abdomen.

The actor let out a whooped as the air was knocked out of him.

Dave continued on as if nothing had happened while the two stage hands walked passed him to head backstage, "Okay, next topic!"

Beck coughed out as he raised a finger, "I'm gonna need a minute."

Ava covered her mouth with a hand to hold back a laugh as she didn't want her voice over powering the audio recording.

Tori immediately ran around her podium and knelt down to her boyfriend. She worriedly asked, "Are you alright?"

He nodded his head. He gave her a reassuring smirk while answering, "I'm okay… Freddie hits harder."

His statement was not reassuring at all to the brunette.

A minute or so later, the teenagers returned to their positions and Dave continued, "Blue team! Next topic math."

Jade looked down the row then answered, "Uh, let's go with... Cat."

The redhead shouted as covered her ears, "No!"

The screenwriter softly reassured her, "Ya gotta answer something. You're going to be okay."

Dave started a little impatiently, "Cat..."

"No! I've never been doinked before. I'm not ready!"

"Question! What number is both even and odd?"

"Um..." The redhead took a moment and it paid off as something that Freddie said to her when he occasionally tutored her in math last semester. She excitedly called out, "Oh! There isn't one! A number is either odd or even, it can't be both!"

Dave smile and shouted, "Correct! Another hundred points for the blue team."

Cat let out a relieved breath and her teammates politely clapped.

The host turned to Tori and began, "Question! In the movie 'The Scissoring'…"

Jade eagerly interrupted, "No! No!"

Dave turned to her with a curious expression. "Yes?"

"I want that question."

He warmly smiled to her, but his tone was apologetic, "Sorry Jade, this question is for Tori."

She frowned as Dave turned to Tori and asked, "How many times is the word 'scissors' spoken?"

Tori's eyes shot opened and her jaw slacked as she had no idea the answer to the question. She looked across to Jade in the hopes that she would have pity on her and give her a hint.

The pale girl granted her wish and asked, "Which one? The original Theatrical release or the Director's Cut?"

Dave smirked while answering, "It doesn't matter."

Jade knotted her brow and retorted, "It does matter. The number of time it's said is different between the two versions."

The host started getting annoyed as he slightly glared at the leather jacket wearing teenager. "She'll just have to guess."

The younger Vega sister looked in a near panic. She was about to guess when Jade interrupted her, "Seven in the Theatrical release and thirteen in the Director's Cut."

The buzzer for an incorrect answered sounded.

Dave smugly looked to Jade and commented, "I'm sorry Jade, you interfered with the question. That means a…"

"DOINK!"

She outright glared at him and shouted, "Do not doink me! You gave her a vague question."

He ignored her complaint and continued, "A hundred points will be award to the yellow team for interference... and Jade, I'm afraid you're a victim of 'a-salt and battery'."

She asked him with a near dumbfounded tone, "What does that mean?"

A moment later a pile of salt was dumped on top of her head and she threw up her hands in surprise. Surprisingly, almost all the salt brushed off of her hair and unto her podium, leaving her relatively free of salt. Once the salt had tapered off, she looked to him as if he was insane.

"AND BATTERY!"

She threw up her hands up to protect her head, but nothing happened. Instead the next moment a stream of batteries dropped down on André's head. He shouted in shock, "Ah! Ah! Ow!" Once the small batteries finished dropping, André asked in outrage, "What was that?"

The host shouted with glee, "That was a load of batteries!"

André angrily shouted, "I know what they were! But why'd ya drop 'em on me?! She answered the question when she wasn't supposed to!"

"Good point. More batteries!"

"What do you mean—" Another load of various sized small batteries dropped from above her head before she could get her arms up to protect herself as leather jacket wearing teenager shouted out in outrage, "No!"

Robbie pointed out, the right lens of his glasses still covered in pus, "Okay, that's-that's borderline dangerous!"

Beck called out in a sarcastic tone, "Yeah, why don't you just drop a car battery on her head."

The host laughed out and motioned above Jade's head, "Car battery!"

A car battery dropped from above the pale teenager's head and struck her in the right side of the crown of her head, a sickening squishing noise sounded throughout the set. The battery bounced off of her head as her hands flew up in the air and she collapsed to the ground.

Pear Store Beverly Center  
8500 Beverly Boulevard, Suite #656  
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Freddie blew out a relieved and happy breath as he handed the Pearbook back to the customer after hours of tracking down the problem and fixing it on the laptop. He felt a great sense of accomplishment of fixing the computer and felt he had finally hit his groove a week after the bee sting knocked him on his butt.

However, that sense of being back on track didn't last long as he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket letting him know there was a call instead of a text message. He frowned in concern that someone would be calling him during work since everyone knew he wasn't available. Since he just finished with the Pearbook, he decided that he could take a short break to dash into the employee lounge and take the phone call.

He raised an eyebrow at seeing the caller ID then took the call.

"_Freddie…"_ he heard Tori's voice choked out.

He slightly frowned while his brow furled in worry. "Tori?"

"_You need—you need to come to the hospital… you better hurry." _

He felt his stomach sink at the sound of Tori's distraught voice, "What's wrong?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line that started filling him with more dread. _"It's Jade."_

His neck and shoulder muscles tensed up as he whispered, "What about Jade?"

"_There was… something happened on the set. She's… you need come _right now_." _

His blood nearly froze in his veins from the fear in her voice. He didn't consciously speak as his subconscious answered for him, "Which hospital?"

"_We're at the UCLA Medical Center. Please hurry." _

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center  
Los Angeles, CA

Freddie was grateful for the power of the muscle car as he was at the hospital in no time with barely a word to his boss that he was leaving and no cops caught him on his way over. He reached the front desk of the main lobby of the extensive teaching hospital and was quickly directed to the MICU on an upper floor. He dashed up the stairs as he was too impatient about waiting for any elevator.

He reached the floor and headed to one of the reception desks to the patients' room wings, but stopped as the visitor's waiting area was on the side of the hallway before reaching the desk.

Fear gripped his soul as he saw Robbie holding a near comatose Cat in his arms. The girl looked like she had cried her eyes out then shut down. André was resting his back on the opposite wall, standing up and looked on staring at the wall above their heads trying to hide his rage under an impassive mask, but the few strands of tears rolling down his cheeks gave away some of his hidden feelings. Beck was pacing back and forth with his hands stuffed in his pockets trying to keep up his cool guy image. He didn't see Trina about them, but the younger Vega sister caught his attention as she got up from her seat.

She slowly approached him as a fearful animal not able to comprehend an offer of kindness. The lovely brunette didn't look as lovely at the moment as her eyes looked just as bloodshot as Cat's eyes as she slowly approached the tech-producer. He whispered out with a hollowed tone, "What happened?"

The actress opened her mouth and she attempted to speak, but nothing would escape past her lips. She quickly shut her mouth and she started blinking as a fresh set of tears started from her eyes. She latched on to him and heaved a cry into the crook of his neck.

He held the brunette in his arms and gently rubbed a hand up and down her back, becoming more frightened of what could have happened. He looked in the hopes that someone would explain to him what was happening.

André stepped up and cleared his throat. He cut right to the chase without any preamble, "We were on the stage for the game show—they had enough spots for all of us—and they were doing crazy stuff to us when we got a question wrong. They dropped nuts and bolts on Trina's head and little batteries on me then on Jade. Robbie said that was dangerous—"

Beck approached and spoke up with a regret filled tone, "I joked about why they didn't just drop a car battery on her and then…"

Freddie blinked in trying to comprehend what he was really hearing.

"…they dropped a car battery on her head…"

When he realized that the taller teenager wasn't joking, his blood went from nearly frozen to boiling. He let go of Tori and crossed the short distance between them and gripped Beck's shirt collar then slammed him against the opposite wall so hard it made several slight indentations through the plaster. He put all his weight against Beck to hold him against the wall. He growled out with all of his rage as the look in his eyes showed that he just might kill Beck on the spot.

Tori wrapped her arms around one of Freddie's arms and begged the outraged teenager, "Freddie… Freddie, it's not his fault… _please_? It's my fault! It's my fault!"

Freddie took several calming breaths as he continued his cold stare into Beck's eyes while the taller teenager offered no resistance, no attempted to defend himself. The brown eyed teenager growled out and pushed off the taller teenager then headed towards the reception desk. They wasted no time in directing him to her room.

Freddie stop at the entrance of Jade's room and his heart sank when he saw his love lying in the hospital bed with her right side facing him.

She looked so peaceful as she slept (he hoped she was just sleeping) despite the fact that was wearing a Philadelphia collar to support her head as she was partially upright while a mouthpiece was over her mouth with the necessary tubes leading to the ventilator breathing for her and a deep discoloration forming on the right side of her forehead. She had the expected IV in her right hand with the fluid and pain medication and the heart monitor displaying to her left. He was grateful at the moment that she wasn't in any pain.

He took another step into the room and Mrs. West noticed him for the first time. She looked up to him from her seat to the right of Jade's feet with a lost expression on her even paler than usual face. She stood up and pulled the teenager into a hug. He wasn't sure if she was comforting him or she needed the comfort.

They pulled apart a few moments later. He glanced over to the pale teenager and was afraid to ask, but did anyway, "How is she?"

"She's… she's not in any pain. She has a… fractured skull and neck injury. It's a very bad one."

"How bad?"

"My… my baby… she might…" She covered her mouth with a hand and closed her eyes tightly. She took another breath then dropped her hand from her mouth. She opened her eyes and met the teenager's eyes. She forced a calmness to her voice to answer, "She… they're not sure yet. They're still calling in some specialists and looking at all the MIRs and CT scans and how the next twenty four hours go, but… she might be quadriplegic… and the head injury… they just don't know yet."

Freddie sucked in a sharp breath then cautiously walked over to her. He gently took her right hand. The first thing he noticed was that her hand was cold, so he cupped it in both his hands in an attempt to warm it up.

The matriarch explained without prompting, "She's slipped into a coma."

He clenched his jaw tight for a moment then whispered out with a cold tone, "Where are the ones that did this to her?"

Mrs. West momentarily regained the fire in her heart and whispered out with her venom sipping into her voice, "The Vega girl called her father while the ambulance was on its way since he's a cop. I'm told that the producer, host and the one that actually dropped it on her were arrested on the spot. I'm waiting to hear back what exactly their going to be charged with. They're just getting started with the investigation about what happened."

"Good… I might kill them otherwise," he whispered out with a hollowed tone.

He just looked down at the pale girl and watched. He blinked as the first tears started falling from his eyes. Mrs. West was by his side in an instant and wrapped an arm around his broad shoulders and over his upper chest for a side hug.

He sucked in a sharp breath through his nose to hold off on the tears for the moment so he could look up at the ceiling and whisper, "Anna, I need you. Please? I need you right now… Jade needs you."

Mrs. West remained silent and hoped that the angel that healed her father would honor Freddie's request.

The pair waited as they watched the pale teenager, but the only answer they received was silence.

After waiting a few more minutes for an answer that didn't arrive, Freddie settled in a seat to Jade's left with his back to the window with resentment starting to sink into his heart for being ignored while Mrs. West walked outside to speak with the other teenagers. A few moments later, Beck and André were the first to be let into her room. The Hollywood Art heartthrob was the first to cautiously approached Jade and tried to wear a brave expression.

Freddie watched with a guarded expression as Beck leaned down to whisper something into the girl's ear, regardless of whether or not she could actually hear him. "Jade, I'm so sorry."

He stood up and took a deep breath, trying his best to hold back the tears. He glanced to Freddie and mumbled, "I'm sorry." He turned and quickly left the room.

André watched him go in surprise, but remained silent at the departure. He turned his attention back to Jade then took her hand and whispered, "Come on Jade, you're the toughest girl I know. You got to hang in there and pull through." He forced out a hollowed laugh, "Who am I going to compete with for a Grammy. It won't be any fun with just me and Tori."

He looked to Freddie with a worn expression and stated with a hollowed tone, "Anything man. Anything you need from me."

Freddie gave him a polite nod and the songwriter thumbed over his shoulder answering, "I'll be outside, give Cat and Tori their chance."

He turned to leave and as soon as he was out, Tori and Cat walked inside.

Cat looked like she was going to bolt at any moment at seeing her pale friend. "Jade?" she choked out then burst into tears an instant later and slammed her eyes shut to block out the sight of the dark brunette.

Tori held the young redhead and brushed a hand over the crown and back of her head in an attempt to comfort her. She whispered comforting words in the smaller girl's ear in the hope of settling her.

Robbie soon followed, but after only a moment at seeing the Jade, he quickly turned around and excused himself without a word.

Tori spoke up, "Cat?"

She looked up at the younger Vega sister through tear filled eyes.

The brunette forced a smile and asked, "Could you go with Robbie and check on Trina?"

The redhead eagerly nodded and pulled away from Tori then placed a quick kiss on Jade's cheek before leaving the room.

Freddie glanced to his friend with a perplexed expression.

She swallowed down her hurt for a moment then answered, "Trina's getting her head examined. The bucket of nuts and bolts they dropped on her head cut her scalp."

Freddie clenched his jaw tightly and let out a slow breath through his nose.

She walked over to Freddie and wrapped her arms around him as she whispered into his ear her regret, "I'm sorry. This is my fault. If I had just—"

He pulled out of her hug and cupped a cheek in each hand so he could look her directly in tear filling eyes. The usually lovely brown eyes were bloodshot and the area around her eyes swollen. He took a calming breath then whispered, "This is not your fault. You were just going to have fun on a game show… I'm the one that insisted she go out and have a good time. If it is anyone's fault then it's mine."

She gently placed her hand on the back of his and wrapped her fingers around his wrists as she desperately countered with a shake of her head, "No, no, you can't blame yourself."

His voice was soft, but it was sharp enough to cut off her argument, "And you can?"

Tori bowed head and squeezed her eyes shut.

He softly kissed her on the forehead then pulled her into a hug where she started crying into the crook of his neck.

Sinjin and Ava were the next to slip inside and were immediately torn with the sights of Jade silently lying in bed while Freddie was trying to comfort the distraught brunette instead of the other way around. However, Ava made the decision for her and Sinjin. They remained silent as they approached the bed with the shorter girl leaned down and whispered something to the girl that had given her a chance to shine.

The curly haired teenager delicately took Jade's hand for a gentle squeeze. The irony troubled him on the fact that would probably the only time he could get away with touching Jade without being hit from the feisty girl or Jade.

The couple exited just as quietly as they had entered to rejoin the others waiting outside with Mrs. West. The matriarch glanced to all the teenagers and took a deep breath. André and Beck were pacing about while Cat had returned with Robbie staying with Trina for a moment as they were still stitching up her head.

She slowly let it out and began, "I know what you are all thinking, but… you can't stay here twenty-four/seven waiting for news of any change or when she'll wake up."

André gave her pale beauty a curious expression as he respectfully questioned, "Why?"

Mrs. West whispered, "Personal experience." She looked to Cat and her heart ached more if it was possible seeing the redhead barely holding it together. She motioned over for her to walk over to her, which Cat quickly complied, and was pulled into a comforting hug. She rubbed her hand up and down the teenager's arm in an attempt to comfort her.

She looked up to the rest and continued, "If you stay constantly, you will physically, mentally and emotionally wear yourselves out and be no good to yourself or to Jade when she needs you… I know from watching my sister take six months to die from leukemia."

The other teenagers looked away and down in embarrassment.

Beck turned and quickly walked away towards the elevator without saying a word to the others.

André glanced between his friends for only the briefest of moments before he started after his friend.

Ava spoke with a firm and quite blunt tone, "Ma'am, I don't listen to my own mother; why would I have any reason to listen to you?"

The matriarch slightly frowned, but didn't have the energy to argue with the teenager. She turned and headed back to her daughter's room.

The homely looking teenager slightly frowned then took a seat. Sinjin didn't say a word as he took a seat next to her.

* * *

An hour or so later and there was still no change in Jade's condition and the doctors were still arguing what was to be done next for the coma girl. Some argued to perform surgery, others demanding more tests should be done and wait for the other experts to arrive.

Freddie remained oddly quiet watching Jade as he had finally stopped praying for Anna to appear (his voice nearly becoming raw as he nearly just started to quietly chant for the angel). The brunette semi-rival to Mrs. West's daughter had finally settled or simply ran out of tears, one couldn't be for certain as she had calmed and cuddled up next to Freddie in the large cushioned chair as threw was enough for the pair to sit together. Mrs. West wasn't sure who was comforting who at that point, but Tori's concern and steadfastness refusal to leave so she could remain by Jade had not gone unnoticed by the raven haired beauty. She had decided to turn her attention to reading a magazine while setting in a chair she brought up to sit at the right side of the foot of the bed. She hated how easy it was to fall back into the old routine of just waiting and able to distract herself with such useless and mindless entertainment from basically a gossip rag.

She was only pulled out of her numbing endeavor by a familiar male voice, "Ruby?"

The pale woman looked up to see the worn expression of her ex-husband. She immediately stood up and hugged the man she once was completely in love. They shared a brief hug then the former Mrs. West turned and led him to Jade's side.

Mister West's face immediately became ashen at seeing his daughter's appearance.

Freddie saw the older man could barely hold his composure before turning and making some excuse about speaking with his ex-wife alone and the doctors. The teenager was too tired and emotionally drained to be upset with the older gentleman for turning away and trying some way to keep busy in a productive way. The first Mrs. West quickly followed behind him.

Roy West stopped a few yards down the hallway past the receptionist's desk then turned to face the dark haired woman. "How is she?"

Ruby bowed her head and took a moment to gather her thoughts. She choked back a heave then answered, "It's bad Roy. It's really bad."

He impatiently questioned, "I need a little more detail Ruby."

She crossed her arms and answered with a surprisingly calm voice, "She has a linear skull fracture, a cerebral contusion on the front left side of her brain, an epidural hematoma and a spinal fracture. They're debating whether they need to perform surgery before the hematoma starts pressing on her brain."

The older gentleman sucked in a sharp breath and covered his mouth for a moment. He asked for detail and his ex-wife new ow to be blunt. He dropped his hand away a moment later then asked, "What's her prognosis?"

"Right now? Her chances of surviving are fifty/fifty and if she wakes up… assuming she wakes up even if she survives, she'll most likely have neurological damage and be a quadriplegic. _If_ she wakes up… there's a good chance that she won't be the Jade we know."

He turned slightly to take a few steps so he could have a seat in a random seat next to the room. She had a seat next to him and rested a hand on his shoulder. He took a deep breath then asked in a solemn tone without looking up to meet her eyes, "Have you let Steven know?"

"No, I haven't gotten a hold of him; I don't know where he is right now. He might be in Italy unless they sent him off someplace. I called Barry and he's on his way. He said he'd let Steven and Spencer and Carly know."

He wanted to point out the fact that Barry Dorfman was an oncologist and not a neurosurgeon or some orthopedic surgeon, but figured she wanted to have a doctor by her side that she could place absolute trust. He continued in a somber tone, "I think you should try to personally get a hold of Steven." He looked up to meet her eyes as he finished, "…he has the right to know that his daughter may die."

The dark haired beauty's eyes shot open then she clenched her jaw tightly and outright glared at her ex-husband.

Beck's Camper  
Oliver Residence  
Los Angeles, CA

Beck rested his back against the wall of his RV as he sat on his bed. He stared at the opposite wall and took a swig from the beer bottle of his left hand. His thoughts just wondered on about the last eleven months and how so much had changed. Loved lost, love gained even if he and Tori hadn't started exchanging 'I love you' in a romantic sense, especially with how rough things have been so far in their relationship. Sometimes he wished things could be a little easy and boring just as a break.

His thoughts turned to love lost… his fist love was lying in a hospital bed fighting for his life after he made an offhanded insult. He snorted out in disgust on the idea that she might already be dead and that it was his fault.

His mind started turning to all his mistakes and if he had done things differently… he may have not been with Tori, but at least Jade would have been fine.

A knocking on the door pulled him out of his thoughts. He groaned in frustration then irately shouted out, "It's open!"

The door opened and André stepped inside with a weary expression.

The long haired actor looked up at his longtime friend and deeply frowned. He asked in a hollowed tone, "Is she dead?"

"No."

He rolled his eyes and took another swig of his beer.

"Beck, don't blame yourself for th—"

He spat out in a guilt filled voice, "I asked him why didn't he just drop a car battery on her head… and now she's lying in a hospital bed and she may never walk again… or even be her." He let out a sardonic laugh, "And that's assuming she survives the next few hours. Hell, maybe she died on your way here?"

André shook his head and glanced down at the ugly carpet. He blew out a breath then flippantly asked, "Do you have another beer?"

Beck pointed to the mini-refrigerator.

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

The weariness of the last few hours had finally taken hold of Tori and the brunette had fallen asleep curled up to him. Freddie had gently picked her up and sat her in a chair at the end of the room where she was able to get comfortable.

The tech-producer retook his seat and picked up where he let off with his vigil. However, he was soon interrupted with cautious voice, "Freddie?"

He turned to see the older Valentine sibling enter the room.

The older Valentine sibling looked down at Jade and clenched his jaw tightly in an attempt to hide his emotional reaction. He patted her on the hand then he took a seat that Mrs. West left behind so she could continue to speak with her ex-husband and the doctors. He quickly explained, "I just dropped Cat off at home and decided to come back… see if there had been any changes."

Freddie answered in a near robotic manner, "No change."

"How are you doing?"

The teenager answered with the same lack of emotion, "I guess I'm the same way your family was after your accident."

He nodded then looked to Jade continuing to rest comfortably as one could expect.

The pair fell into silence as they just watched, the only sound being the ventilator and various beeps of the machines.

Freddie was the first to break the silence with a slightly fearful voice, "Frankie? Do you remember what it was like before when…"

He snorted out in a sardonic laugh and smirked to the teenager. "When I didn't have all my marbles?"

Freddie mentally shrugged his shoulders in that if Cat's brother was going to be so blunt about what happened to him, he didn't see the need to be delicate. "Yes."

The older Valentine sibling glanced away from Freddie and looked to Jade as he whispered, "If she is hurt anyway like I was… she won't be… _her_ when she wakes up. You may want to prepare yourself for that… my parents weren't… Cat wasn't."

Freddie held his tongue on the idea that was reason for Cat's deteriorating condition.

"I don't know if you heard all the stories about me when I was… but it was bad. I'd use the bathroom in the front yard, I would get with 'friends' just so we could eat raw meat together. I painted half my body purple for job interview… I tried to have sex with a horse in a parade one time… and I couldn't tell you why I did any of that now. It just made perfect sense to me at the time."

"So I should prepare for the worst?"

Frankie gave him a stoic expression while answering, "Yes." The twenty-something rubbed his forehead with his right palm then continued with a sympathetic expression, "My girlfriend left me about a month after my accident."

"I am not leaving Jade no matter how she wakes up."

He sat up in his seat. "You say that now, but my point is that the Jade you know and love might not be the one that wakes up. Whoever I was after the accident to Christmas wasn't me. She couldn't handle it."

"Get out," Tori's barely checked angered voice called out from the end of the room. Apparently she had woken from her catnap during their conversation.

Frankie looked to his sister friend with mild shock.

The brunette stood up from her seat and point to the exit as she continued, "You heard me. Get out and don't come back until you can be supportive and not try to break them up."

The older Valentine sibling wasn't interested in arguing, so he got up from his seat then looked to Freddie. "If you need to talk…"

Freddie politely answered, "I'll keep that in mind Frankie."

He politely nodded then made his way out of the room.

Tori walked over to wrap her arms over Freddie's chest and rested her chin on his shoulder. She whispered in a desperate tone into his ear, "Don't listen to him."

He rested his hand on her forearm and nodded his head as he wasn't going to listen to Frankie. He knew he was stronger than the older Valentine's sibling's ex-girlfriend.

Chapel  
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

Ruby West leaned forward and rested her arms on her jeans covered legs while she had her head bowed as she sat in the first pew of the chapel. She hadn't been much for prayer since Taylor Shay's death, but she was out of options. She looked up to the cross at the end of the chapel and asked in a soft, hollowed tone, "You took my sister… you took one of the two people that have always loved me and never judged me… don't take my daughter. Please don't take her from me. You let the foulest creatures walk this Earth without lifting a finger to stop them… how about You give her the same consideration You give those monsters?"

The chapel remained silent as she bowed her head. The time ticked by without a sound until someone cleared his throat to her right.

She deeply frowned at the teacher and asked with a curt tone, "What do you want?"

Sikowitz cleared his throat and hesitantly asked, "I heard what happened and I wanted to see how Jade was doing. I'm so sorry Mrs. West."

She rolled her eyes before retorting with a sharp tone, "You'll forgive me if have a hard time believing you actually give one damn about my daughter other than sabotaging her dreams, trying to find a way to flunk her or trying to get her into a homosexual relationship with your pet."

The eccentric acting teacher relaxed back in the pew and quickly ran a hand over his mouth. He tried to be tactful as he responded, "Mrs. West, however you may feel about me or the mistakes I have made over this last year, I want you to know that I do care about Jade."

"Well if you have any favors with anyone upstairs then you better call them in… or by this time tomorrow she may be dead."

Sikowitz closed his eyes and brush a hand over his balding head. He respectfully remained silent as he sat with the pale beauty.

* * *

Back in Jade's room, the medically retired First Sergeant stoically entered room, his presence catching the attention of the teenagers.

Freddie stood up from his seat and greeted the grandfather, "Mister Lynn."

"Mister Benson," he answered with a somber tone. He politely nodded his head to Tori. "Ma'am."

He turned to his granddaughter and gently took her right hand. He leaned over and softly whispered in a commanding voice into her ear so the others couldn't hear him, "You're a Lynn… and a Shay, so you're a fighter and you fight and you fight and don't you dare let some God damned battery end you." His voice softened as he finished, "Come back to us Jadelyn." He pulled back slightly and kissed the unblemished side of his granddaughter's forehead.

He stood up and looked to Tori and politely ask, "Ma'am, have you eaten?"

She softly shook her head. "No… sir."

"Then would you get yourself and Mister Benson something to eat? I'm sure it's been awhile since he's eaten."

Tori glance to Freddie as if asking his permission.

Mister Lynn took a deep breath then wore an even expression then coldly stared at the brunette as he interrupted her internal debate in a flat tone he used when he was in the service, "Child, that was my polite way of asking you to leave so I could spend a few minutes alone with my granddaughter and future grandson-in-law."

Tori swallowed and looked down embarrassing. She quickly got out of her seat and walked around him to head out.

He called out over his shoulder, "Don't forget to actually bring him back some food."

The brunette paused in mid-stride then continued after he finished speaking.

Once Tori was out of sight, Freddie frowned at the older gentleman and sharply admonished, "She's not a waitress."

Mister Lynn softened his voice into a more expected grandfatherly voice, "It'll keep her occupied and she needs it. I learned in war that worry will eat away at a young soul and is destructive and keeping occupied helps. I'm actually doing her a favor. She'll feel like she's doing something productive, because she will be."

He bowed his head and retook his seat. "I'm sorry sir."

Mister Lynn walked around the foot of the bed and grabbed the chair Tori had been using to sit in front of the teenager. He took the seat and let out a soft breath.

"Son… I know guilt you're feeling. I lost a lot of friends in two wars and the only thing survivor's guilt does is hurt yourself."

"She shouldn't be lying there. I wanted her to get out and have some fun after that last week of her worrying about me."

He was quick to retort, "And I shouldn't have my nose back and be in better shape than a man twenty years younger, but that's how it is right now."

Freddie snorted out in disgust, "That's because I emotionally guilt tripped an angel to heal you on Christmas."

A confused expression was not one that Mister Lynn was accustomed to wearing, but this was a unique circumstance.

The teenager blew out a soft breath and answered, "It's a long story sir and before you ask, I've prayed to her, but she won't answer me."

"Then maybe you should stop praying to a foot soldier and to the commander-in-chief Himself."

"I hadn't been praying to her like that… it's not like she has a cellphone number I could call…" Freddie's eyes opened wide and took a sharp breath. He jumped up from his seat and hurriedly walked around the grandfather and called out, "I need to make a phone call."

Mister Lynn looked on with a guarded expression as a surprised expression was not one he wanted to show a second time in such a short amount of time.

Freddie pulled out his PearPhone and hit the speed-dial from his call list while he made his way down the hallway. He pulled the phone to his ear once he reached the spot where he could make a phone call. The other end rang several times without answer then the voice mail voice spoke, "I'm sorry, but the mailbox is currently full."

"Damn," he hissed then turned around to see that Ava and Sinjin had caught up to him in concern as he had just blown past him.

He took a step forward to her and snapped off, "Where's Dusty?"

Ava answered with a worried tone, "I don't know. I called to let him know what happened, but he hasn't shown up. I called back and left him a voice mail and I texted him, but he hasn't returned either."

"Find him."

Her brow knotted her brow and answered with a perplexed expression, "What?"

He answered with a curt tone, "You were practically his girlfriend for a few weeks, you have to know something about where he'd be or go."

Sinjin didn't liked Freddie's comment, but the curly haired teenager's feelings were the least of his concerns. "Just find him," he nearly pleaded with the girl.

She knotted her brow and asked with a confused tone, "Why?"

"Because he's the son of the angel that healed me, Cat's brother and André's grandmother last Christmas."

Ava glanced down to the floor and softly bit her bottom lip for a moment. She looked up and rested her hand on his muscular bicep. "Freddie, I can't imagine what you are feeling, but—"

"I'm not crazy. I've seen pictures of his mother and they are identical to how Anna appears. She wouldn't deny it when I hinted at it the last time I saw her."

She nodded her head. She decided if that was the hope he was clinging to the moment then she wouldn't question it. "Okay, we'll go find Dusty, but…"

"What?"

The brunette cleared her throat then made a suggestion she wasn't too happy to make, "Have you… have you tried Heather? If anyone would know where he was other than his dad, it would be her."

Freddie subconsciously flinched as Heather's appearance flashed in his head. "No, I haven't spoken to her. I guess I owe her a call."

She studied his eyes then carefully offered, "Are you sure? I could call her."

He shook his head. "No. I'll call her. You go find Dusty."

She nodded then looked to her boyfriend and stated, "Come on." She took his hand and started dragging him out.

The former Seattleite let out a stressful breath then walked back to the monitoring station. A lovely brunette nurse turned to him and he asked, "Do you have my girlfriend's belongings—her phone? I need a number from her call list to let some more people know what happened."

The nurse nodded her head then turned for a moment to dig through a clear plastic container. She handed him the phone. "Do you want the rest of her stuff?"

"For the moment, I'd just think it would be safer with you."

The nurse politely nodded and tucked the container under the desk.

The tech-producer thumbed through Jade's directory (taking a moment to notice that his number was first) until he found the desired number. He dreaded for a moment to press the call button, but gathered his courage and tapped the screen.

The phone rang several times then answered with an immediate surprised voice that stabbed at his heart, _"Jade!" _

He closed his eyes at hearing the sweet voice that was nearly identical to his Jade's voice. He took a deep breath then answered, "No… it's Freddie."

"_I'm… I'm sorry."_ There was a pause at the other end of the phone then she continued with a hesitant voice, _"I heard what happened. I'm getting there as fast as I can. I'm at JFK and my flight leaves in a few minutes back to L.A."_

His brow knotted his brow and softly questioned, his confusion filling his voice, "You heard? From who?"

"_It's all over the news that she got hurt, but they really won't tell us how she is other than it was some kind of head injury." _

"Okay—"

_"How is she?"_

He closed his eyes and swallowed for a moment before answering in a tired voice, "Bad… really bad."

"_Exactly how bad?"_

"We need a miracle… that's how bad."

The other end of the phone went silent for a few moments before her quiet voice answered, _"I'm so sorry Freddie."_

Freddie took a breath then whispered, "I need a favor."

_"Anything."_

"Can you get a hold of Dusty?"

She paused for a moment then answered with a regretful voice, _"He was the first one I called when I heard, but he wouldn't answer, so I just left a voice mail… several and sent a few texts—and he _hates_ text messages. I haven't heard back."_

The former Seattleite closed his eyes and took several calming breaths. He licked his lips then continued, "If he calls you back, please, please tell him to get here, UCLA Medical Center as soon as he can. I can't get into it over the phone and you'll just have to trust me on this, but just know it is very important that he gets here."

_"I will, I promise and I'll be there as soon as I can."_

"Heather?"

_"Yes?" _

He briefly thought about mentioning how hard it could be for them—him to see her given the circumstances, but thought better of it, "Nothing… I'll see you soon."

"_Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can. Bye." _

The call ended and a chill went down Freddie's spine as if he had just heard Jade tell him bye. He turned and headed back to the room.

* * *

After about half an hour later of Freddie having a nice meal with Mister Lynn and Tori after she returned with some food, the current Mrs. West stopped outside of the room with Ian by her side. Apparently Mister West had gone home and informed his current wife about the situation. The blonde woman nervously passed a glance to Mister Lynn then commented, "Ian wanted to see her."

Ian raised his arms up signaling that he wanted to be picked up.

Freddie knelt down to the child the hefted him up on his left arm then looked into the child's eyes.

Ian frowned while softly questioning, "How's Jadey?"

The brown eyed teenager put on the best brave smile he could muster and answered, "She's very hurt, but she's sleeping right now and has got the best doctors looking after her."

"So she's going to be alright?"

He didn't know how to answer, so he told the truth the best he could, "I hope so."

Freddie walked over to the right side of the bed near the head of it so Ian could look down at his step-sister. He leaned over and nearly fell out of Freddie's arms, but he was able to quickly stable the child and let Ian kiss Jade on the cheek. He straightened up then softly whispered to Ian, "You know she loves you very much? She'd want you to know that. I want you to always remember that."

The blonde Mrs. West covered her mouth and tried to hide her tears from the scene and Mister Lynn put on a stoic expression as he could clearly tell in Freddie's voice that the message was conveyed because he had his doubts that Jade would ever be able to tell Ian herself.

He nodded his head then rested it on Freddie's cheek with Tori walking around Freddie and gently rubbing Ian's back up and down.

* * *

Freddie Benson: DustyHale Where the jank are you?! FEELING: Angry :

* * *

The hours ticked by to the early evening after another visit from the doctors and nurses to check on Jade. After the nurses took care of her personal needs, a few were allowed back into the room.

They brought the room's table over to the opposite end of the room for Ian to color with Cat. The youngster didn't want to really leave his sister's side until she woke up and Cat was happy to have someone to color with her as it was her turn to keep vigil on Jade. He wasn't sure which one was keeping the other calmer with the coloring. Of course when Ian tired himself out, he would go because he was no more up to a constant vigil as the teenagers and they didn't want to upset him when she did wake up because Jade waking up could upset everyone enough.

Mrs. West was out trying to be as productive as possible to help her daughter with talking to doctors and literally trying to find the best doctors in the world in the field and any experimental treatment. Unfortunately, she had experience in keeping busy when all there was to do was wait and see what was going to happen to a love one.

Freddie was in a chair to the Jade's left side with the closed blind window to his back, just watching his angel still in her coma. He was near the point of shutting down as he only stared with his right hand holding his head up. Tori sat Jade's right side and was softly reading her a novelization of 'The Scissoring' in the hopes of hearing it would be reassuring, but with every intention of changing the ending where the 'villain' would be able to live happily ever after with the man she loved.

Since the room was so quite with only the life support machine making soft, routine sounds signaling they were properly working and the soft chatter between Ian and Cat, the soft footsteps of tennis shoes on the floor entering the room was like a bell to draw everyone's attention.

Freddie looked up to Dusty standing just inside the room. He wore a weary expression and called out in a hollowed tone, "Hey." He looked to Tori and greeted her with a tired tone, "Hey Vega number two." He looked over and smiled to his ex-girlfriend and the child. "Hey. Hey little guy."

Ian smiled and eagerly waved at him, "Hi."

Freddie jumped out of his seat and hissed out in disgust, "Where have you been?"

He turned his attention to look down at the helpless girl. He slipped his right hand into her hand. Her hand was so soft and delicate, but he could feel the faintest of blemishes in her palm, unknown to him as the scars from when she had burnt her hand on Sikowitz's serving tray during her junior year. He answered simply without guilt or a need to elaborate, "Praying."

Freddie clenched his jaw tightly and answered with barely in checked rage, "Praying? Really? Then why hasn't your mother shown up yet?"

Dusty looked up and gave him an even expression which just made Freddie angrier.

The former Seattleite continued with a cold tone, "_I know_ that Anna's your mother. I know you're her son. I've seen her and so has Jade and don't you dare tell me she's just using your mom's image. When you've prayed for her, she's shown up: New Year's, the earthquake and just before I reached Tori's house and beat the mess out of Beck. So where is she if you've been praying?"

Cat and Tori both looked to the distraught teenager with completely dumbfounded expressions then worry that the stress had finally gotten to Freddie.

Dusty looked up to the irate tech-producer returned with a cold stare and rallied his anger with just as much rage filtering into his voice as Freddie's voice had just conveyed, "I've been praying for _hours_. I've prayed to her but _she won't answer me._" He took a breath then continued, "So I've prayed to…" He glanced to Cat as he rattled off, "…Cas…" He looked back to Freddie and Tori, "Gabriel—_the_ Gabriel, Balthazar, Rachael, Inias and a whole mess of other ones you've never heard of and _none of them_ will answer me. Heck, I started praying to cupids on the off chance that one would answer."

The lean teenager took a labored breath and turned his attention back to Jade, soul heavy in believing that he had failed his friend. His anger gave way to sorry as he finished, "…no one will answer me."

Freddie tried to calm his anger with a few calming breaths then hissed, "No one will answer you? No one? Your own mother won't answer?"

"You've probably have seen her more in the last six months than I have in the last _six years_ and the last time I saw her was over you and Jade, not about me. Not to see me, so if she's going to answer anyone, it's you because she clearly loves you more than me."

The girls looked to each other in the hopes that the other could fill her in on what in the world was going on.

Freddie bowed his head then dropped in his seat as he anger seeped away as he felt completely helpless and the last of his hope seemed to vanish.

"After everything…" Freddie looked up as he started shedding his first tears. "…this is how it ends? This is what happens to her? She might be dead in the next few hours and if she does survive, she may not be her anymore."

He dropped his head into his hands and just started to cry, Tori instantly around the foot of the bed and by his side. However, the young man's crying only lasted a few moments. He took a deep breath then got up from his seat and took Jade's left hand and kissed the back of it. He softly started singing, "_There is no upper hand, I'm giving you mine. It doesn't have to end up wasting your time. There's things that I could say, but here in my own way, I wanna let you know that it's all okay… I wanna let you know that it's all okay Jade."_

The brown eyed teenager leaned forward and began to whisper into his love's left ear, "Jade… please my angel hear me… I love you… I hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, _in sickness_ and in health, to love and to cherish you until death us do part… I promise you… please come back to me."

Tori placed a hand over her mouth and began to cry again and soon Cat joined her.

Dusty's shoulders slumped as he was feeling the same way, that there was no more hope, but… he took several deep breaths then clenched his jaw tightly. He glanced to Ian and saw that he was about to cry. He quickly walked to the child and pulled the table away so he could kneel down to him. He pulled off his jacket and wrapped it over Ian's shoulders. He gave him a reassuring smile as he straightened the jacket over him then asked the child with a determined voice, "Little fella… do you really see wings on my back?"

The question caught Freddie's attention and he turned to look to Dusty then to Ian.

The child hesitantly looked to him then to the other teenagers, especially Freddie.

The Southern teenager softly commented, "I know it was our little secret between us and your sister, but… I _need to know_."

He hesitated and nodded his head. "I see wings."

Dusty smile grew bigger then softly patted Ian on the shoulder then looked up to Freddie and the pair's eyes met. The muscular teenager looked to him baffled.

The former webmaster stood up then retook his position beside Jade and whispered, "You may have thought it was silly for me to rely on my mother's Grace to tell me things, but… let's see how much of it I really have." He leaned over and placed his left hand over the pale girl's forehead. He closed his eyes and everything seemed to still with baited breath from the others with only Jade's monitors peeping at the appropriate times interrupting it. He let out a soft whisper, "Time to really embrace it."

A moment or so later the lights started dimming and brightening.

The teenagers looked on in worry and Cat hugged Ian to her, but Freddie was terrified that the power could cut out for the respirator if the display went on much longer then heard the familiar thunder outside. He turned and looked to see flashes of lightning on a clear night.

A few seconds later, a soft but high pitch whine sounded from Jade's forehead. The sound stopped just as quickly as it started and the lights returned to their full brightness. Dusty pulled his hand away, revealing that the discoloration on her forehead was gone and her hair color returned to its natural shade of brunette. If anyone could have taken a closer examination of her, they would have seen that the tiny holes of her piercings had closed. He continued to look down at the unconscious girl and whispered, "She's fine now… she'll wake up soon…" He trailed off as his brow knotted for a moment then his eyes shot open with a sharp intake of breath through his nose while looking down at his friend.

Freddie opened and closed his mouth several times as he stared at the young man looking away while Tori and Cat looked on to Jade in astonishment.

Dusty looked up to meet Freddie's eyes, but as soon as he made contact, the Southern teenager's eyes shot open, took a step back and made an audible swallowing sound. He glanced to the girls and his expression grew more fearful as his eyes danced about looking between them. He took another step backwards with panic written all over his face as if he was an animal ready to bolt.

Tori and Cat looked back in astonishment at seeing that his iris color was a soft glowing blue instead of his natural brown.

Freddie knotted his brow and began, "Dusty…" but was interrupted when Jade woke up sooner than Dusty guessed as Jade took in a sharp breath and opened her eyes. She immediately tried to sit up, pulling the face mask out of place over her mouth and nose and setting off all the alarms on the cardiac monitor.

Jade immediately clawed at her mouth piece as she couldn't speak and started coughing with feeling the odd sensation of the tubes going down her windpipe. Freddie and Tori were immediately at each of her sides (Dusty letting go of Jade's right hand and stepping aside to give Tori room) to gently take her arms to try to keep her calm. The tech-producer called out, "It's okay, you're… you're okay. I need you to slow down. You're on a ventilator."

When she saw the look of fear and relief in his eyes, she stopped struggling and let the pair gently lay her down. He called out with the brief respite from Jade's hesitation, "Cat, get the doctor. Ian, you stay right in your seat."

The child nodded his head and understood not to disobey his sister's boyfriend while Cat shouted, "'kay, 'kay."

Jade blinked and quickly glanced to see Cat run out of the room then saw Ian in a seat at the table past the foot of the bed. During the confusion Dusty took the opportunity to take a step back and slip away.

Freddie brushed his thumb on the once discolored side of her forehead and desperately whispered, having a hard time believing it himself, "You're okay Jade. You're okay."

* * *

Author's Note: Deus ex Machina! Deus ex Machina! I know, I know, but the fact that Jade wasn't outright killed when a minimum of a twelve pound battery (that's assuming it is an empty one instead of a full one at just over 30 lbs./14.5 kg) is Deus ex Machina in the first place since people can get seriously injured in the show and there hasn't been one previous case that Jade has any kind of super durability like Freddie (his repeatedly was shown during iCarly). Remember 'Tropes are just tools' and I'm invoking the 'Rule of Drama' for this chapter and the next one to take advantage of the canon and over riding Deus ex Machina. It is up to you as the reader to see if I will actually pull it off. Thanks for reading.

Special Guest Appearance by Jennifer Connelly as Ruby Lynn West  
Special Guest Appearance by Michael Ironside as Mister Lynn  
Guest star Quinn Friedman as Ian West


	40. Chapter 40: Heart Squeezers Part 1

Author's Note: Hello everyone! Sorry for the lateness in this update, but working hard on a lot of stories and this chapter was becoming far longer one than expected, so it is being split up. To make it clear, this is only Part 1 of the conclusion to Brain Squeezers. I hope to have Part 2 up later this evening or first thing tomorrow due to the length of how this chapter developed while writing it.

I hope you enjoy.

Guest: Hello Guest, Freddie doesn't like Beck for a number of reasons, but he doesn't rationally believe Beck would want to see Jade hurt like that. Freddie was just reacting emotionally. You are free to disagree with Freddie, but Tori has a very special place in Freddie's heart as being that female best friend that Carly never really measured up to (that is not an opening for Creddies to start picking a fight with me). Freddie hasn't been interfering with Bori since they got together, but he's made it clear that if Beck crosses a line due to the history of Jade, he'll be right there to throw him right back over it. He will not allow Beck to repeat the mistakes with Tori. Is Dusty related to Anna? I thought the last chapter outright answered that question. What will happen between Cat and Robbie? Very good question, stay tuned.

darck ben: No, Dusty is not an archangel. What exactly he is will be answered in the very near future.

Fanfic-Reader-88: The producer will be dealt with, but I don't want to spoil it as to when and how. Freddie is not that forgiving and neither is a certain US Air Force Colonel with questionable parentage to a certain Hollywood Arts student. You'll just have to read and sometimes miracles happen.

ArtisticAngel6: It was a pretty messed up game show and personally I didn't find the episode all that funny. From all reports it sounds like the goofs while filming it were funnier than the actually episode. The chapter didn't say Dusty was an angel. I don't want to spoil it in telling you when you find out what exactly he is. You'll just have to read.

Rating: K+ at best.

* * *

Chapter 40: Heart Squeezers Part 1

Medical Intensive Care Unit  
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center  
757 Westwood Blvd  
Los Angeles, CA

An hour after the doctors' poking and prodding Jade with a physical examination in seeing that she had full use of all her motor skills (including a cursory one by Carly and Spencer's Uncle Barry Dorfman at her mother's insistence), battering her with questions to test her mental faculties, putting her through an MRI again and several hugs from Freddie, Tori, Cat, Ian and her mother, the pale teenager was back in her room. The doctors left completely baffled from her complete and inexplicable recovery and continued to debate among themselves while completely disregarding Doctor Dorfman's explanation that it was simply a miracle. Apparently scientifically quantifying a miracle was beyond their capabilities, but spontaneous cell regeneration was becoming the only 'reasonable' explanation.

The pale teenager was settled sitting up in her bed with Ian in her lap. She wrapped her right arm around his back and rested her other hand on his right knee. She just held her little stepbrother while giving him a soft smile as he was idly played with the bracelet around her left wrist he had given her for Christmas (and miraculously survived intact during all the medical examinations) and thrilled to see her even if she only had a vague idea about what was going on. She looked up to see the relieved smile on Freddie's face as he sat on the bed on her left side while her mother was sitting in a chair on the other side of the bed and Tori standing behind her mother. Cat was outside with the others waiting out in the hallway, who were arriving in piecemeal and for their chance to see her.

She looked up to Freddie and asked in a tired tone, "Would you finally explain to me what is going on? Why am I here? Why are doctors poking and prodding me? Why is my hair back to its natural color, my burn scars on my hand gone and where is my tattoo?" She pulled her arm away from behind Ian to show that her purple nautical star tattoo was completely gone and her inner right arm was completely clear.

Tori asked with a worried tone, "You don't remember what happened?"

The pale teenager blinked and slightly bowed her head as she thought back. She started slowly recalling what she remembered, "We were in the middle of the game show and I remember salt being dumped on my head then a bunch of batteries falling on my head and it hurting—really hurting." She pulled her hand away from Ian's knee and rubbed the top of her head, but there was not any marks or indentations as to where any batteries could have it her.

Ian spoke up, "You were in an accident."

She looked down to him with a soft smile as the curiosity played on her face then gave him a kiss on his forehead.

Tori took a breath then answered, "You answered my question about 'The Scissoring', but they said that you weren't allowed to answer it, so they dumped the salt then the batteries. Robbie said how that was dangerous and Beck called out why didn't they just drop a car battery on you…" The brunette looked away as she couldn't continue recalling in her head what had happened.

Jade knotted her brow as she tried to recall those last few seconds while Freddie picked up, "They really dropped the car battery on you. It hit you… and you suffered a fractured skull and a spinal injury to your neck… a bad one…" He swallowed and cleared his throat. "As in you might have been a quadriplegic for the rest of your life."

She swallowed down her fear and took several breaths from seeing the look in his eyes. She instinctively hugged Ian tighter and he responded by hugging her tighter.

Freddie gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders to comfort her. He kissed her left temple and whispered, "You're okay. You're okay now."

After taking several more breaths to help suppress her fear, she whispered, "Then why… why am I alright instead of dead or crippled?"

The former Seattleite glanced to Mrs. West then back to the pale teenager to cautiously answer, "You're not dead because the battery hit you on its side instead of a corner and you're not crippled because…"

Ian eagerly shouted, "It's a miracle."

Jade looked down to the child happily smiling up to her. She glanced around to the others and saw their hesitant expressions. She looked to Freddie with a hesitant expression and finally whispered not caring if Tori was in the room, "Was it Anna?"

Freddie quietly whispered, "No."

Tori immediately asked, "Who is this Anna you keep mentioning? You told Dusty that a real angel that's been visiting you?"

Jade quickly answered in a hushed tone, dismissing the brunette's question, "Long story." She looked to her boyfriend and continued, "Then who?"

Ian laughed, "The boy in the black jacket and wings. He touched your forehead and you woke up."

Jade brow furled in further confusion then looked back to Freddie. She hadn't given it much thought that Ian had been wearing Dusty's jacket before wanting to crawl into her lap when she got back into bed, the article of clothing now laying in the chair Tori had been occupying.

He took a deep breath and passed a quick glance to Mrs. West. He looked back to Jade and admitted, "Dusty touched your forehead, the lights started dimming back and forth—I thought the power was going to go out for a moment for your respirator—but a few seconds later there was a soft, high pitch whine and you woke up… completely healed."

She jaw dropped, her eyes shot open wide and looked to him astonished. She took a few more seconds to process what he said, a once ghost of a memory coming to the forefront of mind telling her that made perfect sense that Dusty could heal someone. She cautiously whispered, "So you were right? Anna is—"

"Yeah, he ah… admitted it after I asked him where he had been. I was kind of pi—mad at him that we couldn't find him. It's been hours since it hit you and we didn't have a clue where he was. No one could get a hold of him—even Heather. He had been praying and no one would answer him. His mother wouldn't even answer him, so that's why he just went for it." He snorted out a laugh, "He thought you thought he was being silly relying on his mother's Grace… it's not so funny now."

She looked around to see his absent and hadn't heard that he was outside. She quickly asked, "Where is he?"

Freddie shook his head. "We don't know. He kind of freaked out after healing you. When he looked at us, he was like a scared animal or something then suddenly you woke up. During the shock of seeing you just wake up and trying to stop you from pulling out your breathing tubes, he slipped out. We don't know where he is. We really hadn't had the chance to call him or try to track him down."

Tori raised her hands and shouted, "Would someone fill me in on what's going on? I saw it and I see Jade, but… please? I seem to be the only one that isn't confused about what just happened."

Freddie took a deep breath then glanced over to Jade. The now natural brunette took a breath and looked back apprehensively to Tori then answered, "I'm not sure it's our place to tell you. It's not our secret to tell."

The tech-producer regretfully nodded his head then answered, "I'm sorry Tori, but… Jade's right. We do know the whole story, but it would be a betrayal to him if we told you. You just have to accept that you witnessed a miracle."

"That he apparently just performed…" Her eyes shot open as she drew on what she knew and came to the only conclusion that made sense to her. She timidly uttered, "He's a saint?"

Jade let out a soft chuckle. "That's an interesting way to describe him."

Tori walked around the back of Mrs. West and head a seat next to Jade. She went excitedly on, "What else could he be? He healed you."

"Yeah, he did…" She looked at some strands of her natural hair color then passed a glance to her bare inner right forearm. She idly commented, "But he went a little overboard though."

Mrs. West retorted with a somber voice, "I don't care if he went 'overboard', you're alive and whole and that's all that matters." She snorted out a laugh, "I wouldn't mind not seeing you with the piercings for a while… and seeing your natural hair color."

She narrowed her eyes on her mother and tilted her head slightly to the side.

Ruby smirked while running her fingers through her hair. "I'm naturally this color. You get your hair color from your father."

Freddie looked past his girlfriend and the child to meet Tori's eyes and continued, "Tori, whatever the case is with him, you can't tell people what happened. His life would be over. People would hound him or do any number of crazy things to him out of a B-rated sci-fi movie."

Jade closed her eyes and bowed her head before muttering, "Cat's probably told everyone outside."

The tech-producer curiously asked, "You'd think she'd do that to him?"

She opened her eyes and shrugged a shoulder, "In her excitement, she might not stop and think about the ramifications."

Freddie nodded along then looked to Ian. "Ian, can you keep it a secret what you saw?" He glanced to Jade as he finished, "Like the secret you had with your sister about Dusty having wings?"

The blue eye girl looked on in surprise to her boyfriend at what had been revealed while she was asleep—in a coma. She looked down to meet his hazel eyes and whispered, "You need to keep it a secret sweetie for me. Can you do that? Just like the wings secret?"

He nodded his head then started idly playing with the bracelet on her wrist.

The younger Vega sister delicately pointed out, "He couldn't have seen wings." She let out a laugh to relieve some of her tension, "It's not like he's an angel."

The others gave her practically blank stares.

Her jaw slacked and asked them wide eyed, "He's not really an angel… is he?"

Freddie answered with mild awkwardness, "No, but he's something."

The slime brunette nodded her head and put on a bright smile that didn't necessarily match her very confused feelings. "I'm going to go with the saint explanation. It's the only thing that is making sense to me right now."

Jade nodded her head with a slight smirk playing on her face, "That might be a good idea."

Before any further discussion could take place, there was a soft knock on the door.

Mrs. West called out, "Yes, you can enter."

The door opened and a brunette nurse poked her head around the edge of the door and informed them, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Mister West is here."

The raven haired West motioned to allow her to send him inside. The nurse stepped aside and the door fully opened for Mister West to step inside the room, followed by his current wife. The first Mrs. West stood up from her seat and she and the blonde exchanged awkward, but polite greetings, while the older gentleman approached the bed. He looked on in surprise as the removal of the facial jewelry had been a given, but her hair returning to its natural color threw him off.

Jade smiled up to him and softly greeted him, "Hi dad."

Ian looked up to his stepfather and joined her with a, "Hi daddy."

He smiled to the pair then sat on the edge of the bed cattycorner to her and pulled them into a hug, careful not to crush Ian between them. He pulled away and met Jade's eyes to ask, "You're really alright?"

She gave him a soft smirk. "I actually don't remember the last time I've felt this good."

He glanced to his ex-wife and asked in a perplexed tone, "How?"

Ruby called out from the end of the bed, "We got our miracle." She was surprised by a hug from the younger blonde and her calling out, "Thank God. I've been praying since I heard." Ruby put on an awkward smile as she patted the younger woman's arms. She dryly commented with a sour face, "Thanks."

Mister West questioned in complete disbelief, "A miracle? Are you sure the doctors weren't just wrong about everything?"

Freddie dryly pointed out the obvious, "It's kind of hard to fake a crippling neck injury and a skull fracture and the doctors being that incompetent to be fooled at this top notch hospital."

He put on an annoyed expression as he looked past Jade and his stepson to see Freddie still sitting on the other side of the brunette teenager. The tech-producer smirked in response.

Roy looked to his ex-wife and asked, "What are the doctors saying?"

"The doctors don't have a clue—Barry's calling it a miracle."

He bowed his head slightly and impatiently pointed out, "Barry is not a neurosurgeon or neurologist."

Ruby hastily defended the younger Dorfman sibling, "But he is a medical doctor that can clearly see there isn't a medical or scientific explanation as to why she's perfectly fine now. Cancer going into remission, yes, spontaneous cell regeneration, no. We both saw the MRIs and it doesn't take a doctor to see how badly she was hurt or how now she's completely fine."

He shook his head then looked back to the pale teenager. "No matter, you're alright now."

"Yes I am."

He put on an awkward grin and pair stared at each other for a few moments with an odd silence forming between them. Once discussion of her condition was done, there didn't seem to be anything left for them to discuss. He guardedly stated, "Well I'm sure you need your rest after everything."

She wanted to point out that she didn't feel tired at all, but fantastic after waking up from the best sleep of her life. However, she picked up the message that he didn't know what else to say and was ready to go. She gave him a respective nod and answered, "Right."

He looked to Ian and continued, "It's time to go son. I'm sure Jade would like some rest and you can see her tomorrow."

Ian hugged his stepsister and softly whined, "I want to stay with Jadey tonight."

Roy blew out a soft breath through his nose and glanced towards his ex-wife.

Ruby spared him a quick look then turned her attention to the younger woman to casually answer, "They're keeping her overnight just on the safe side for observations, so it's fine with us if he wants to stay. He'll obviously be taken care of. It's been a traumatic experience for all of us. Staying might be the best thing to for him."

The gentleman glanced towards his current wife and the couple nonverbally agreed. He answered, "Well we're going to take him home so he can eat, take a bath then I'll bring him back."

Ian looked to Jade to see what she had to say and she quickly reassured him, "It's okay, I'll see you in a little bit."

Mister West started picking him up out of Jade's lap, but Ian turned slightly to wrap his arms around Jade's neck then plant a quick kiss on her cheek. "I love you Jadey."

She gave him a reassuring rub on his back while he was being pulled away and whispered, "I love you too. I'll see you later tonight sweetie."

Mister West secured Ian to him with his forearm under his behind then started on his way out the door while the stepsiblings exchanged waves. The current Mrs. West was out the door first after a quick word to Ruby that if she needed anything, to call her. Roy was just about out the door when he ran into Mister Lynn trying to enter.

The pair shared guarded glances then the former sergeant let his former son-in-law pass. Mister Lynn stepped inside the room and quickly walked over to give his daughter a quick hug then moved to have a seat on the edge of the bed. He gave her an almost cliché grandfatherly smile, but actually had the genuine emotion behind it. He whispered out in a warm tone, "Hi my little Jadelyn."

She cracked a soft smile and whispered tenderly, "Hi granddad."

"I guess you heard me and fought your way back?"

She bowed her as she suddenly felt choked up, sparing a glance at her bare inner forearm. "I ah… I'm sorry, but I don't remember hearing anything from anybody while I was… in my coma."

Freddie took a sharp breath then glanced down with a somber expression onto his right leg that was crossed on the bed as if he was sitting cross-legged while his left leg was hanging off the edge.

Jade looked to him with a concerned expression at hearing him, but her grandfather patted her on her shoulder before she could speak.

"It's okay. You did it anyway."

She glanced back to him and softly nodded her head. She took a deep breath and licked her lips then held out her right arm to show him the bare pale skin. She bowed her head and whispered in a shame filled voice, "I'm sorry granddad, but my tattoo's gone."

Freddie gave his blue eyed girl a sympathetic expression. Almost everyone confused it with a Northern California Star and she had gotten it to just be rebellious, but they didn't know the real reason: the purple star symbolizing the sacrifice of her grandfather in war and her love to him. Tori looked on as she didn't realize the significance of what she was watching between the pair.

He took his granddaughter's hand then slightly bowed his head to meet her eyes and give her a comforting smile. "Don't worry about the tattoo. You're safe and well and that is all that matters." He grinned and pulled his granddaughter into a hug then whispered into her right ear, "Besides… you can always get another tattoo, but don't tell your mother I said that."

Jade bowed her head to rest on his shoulder and tried to suppress a laugh.

Ruby took a step closer from behind her father and asked with a mixed expression of curiosity and concern, "You two are conspiring about something; what is it?"

Mister Lynn gave his daughter a knowing smile and forged innocence, "I have no idea what you are talking about my dear. Jadelyn and I are just sharing a grandfather/granddaughter moment."

She nodded along, not believing her father for a moment then laughed out, "You two continue having your moment. I need to speak with Barry, but I'll be right back."

Mister Lynn gave her a knowing smile then the raven haired beauty turned and made her way out the door.

* * *

Mrs. West took a few steps down the hall and saw Doctor Barry Dorfman continue to have a heated discussion with one of the doctors. She approached then interrupted, "I'm sorry, but could I speak with you Barry?"

The eccentric doctor laughed out, "Of course."

The other doctor took the opportunity and said, "If you'll excuse me, I have to check on my other patients." He turned and walked away before either could speak.

Barry shook his head and joked, "He's probably running to his office to write as fast as he can so he can have something published."

The raven colored woman crossed her arms under her chest and commented, "Good luck. I'm not waiving any doctor patient/privilege and if he tries, I'll sue the mess out of him and get his licensed yanked." She smirked to him and playfully commented, "You can publish something if you want to."

He gave her a big grin and answered, "Short article: 'God did it, the end'. I don't think _The New England Journal of Medicine_ would publish that." He motioned in the direction that the doctor retreated and finished, "I can't even convince him of what he's seeing with his own eyes."

Mrs. West snorted out a laugh then took a deep breath then asked in a pretty somber voice, "Barry… how is my little girl? Really?"

He gave her a reassuring smile and answered with always cheerful voice, "Her motor skill responses are perfectly fine, she has no cognitive impairments that any of us can tell and the MRI show she's completely fine. You'll just have to keep an eye on her for a while to see if there are any mental or physical impairments, but… you got a miracle."

She nodded her head and let out a relieved breath. She looked back up at him and whispered, "Why couldn't he have had one eleven years ago?"

Barry bowed his head and his smile faded. He pulled her into a hug, not sure if it was for her or himself then answered, "I don't know Ruby, but… I guess we should just be grateful for the one we got right now."

* * *

Back in the hospital room, Mister Lynn was taking a moment to speak with Freddie near the window while Tori sat on the bed across from Jade, both girls sitting cross-legged. Freddie idly commented to the former sergeant as they looked out the window onto the L.A. night sky, "He answered, just not in the way I expected."

Mister Lynn cracked a smile and shrugged a shoulder. "He seldom does… what exactly happened?"

He glanced over his shoulder to see Jade and Tori speaking and answered with a regretful tone, "If I told you the whole truth, I'd be breaking my friend's confidence and after what happened, I couldn't do that."

He nodded at the explanation, one that was more revealing than Freddie probably understood.

Jade finally got a good look at her semi-rival. Tori had dark bags under her eyes, but the swelling under them was started to subside along with the bloodshot coloring in her eyes.

Tori glanced down to her lap and whispered in a regret filled tone, "I'm sorry."

The pale teenager slightly frowned and asked, "For what?"

The formerly lighter brunette asked in disbelief, "For what? The game show. If I hadn't gone to that stupid game show, you wouldn't have gotten hurt. No one would have gotten hurt. You wouldn't have nearly died. And all for what? To win some money?"

Jade cracked a soft smile and softly laugh, "You mean when we're about to become millionaires?"

Tori deeply frowned in response.

Jade softly continued in what she hoped was a reassuring tone, "There was no way you could have known that… just like I couldn't have known about some stupid bee flying about when we were trying to get the satellite to take my picture would sting Freddie. Haven't we all felt enough guilt?"

Tori bowed her head and desperately whispered, "But you almost died… you were probably going to be dead before midnight if it wasn't for Dusty and it would have been my fault. That's not guilty, that's admitting responsibility. You would have died… and so would have Freddie as you would have taken his heart with you."

An odd thought, more of a strange memory she had never recalled before and was having trouble reconciling properly in her head. She was sitting across from Tori just as she was now, but the younger Vega sister was slightly older and muttering something while she shook her head, _"I wish something did happen between you two at this point."_

The pale teenager nodded her head and spoke with a comforting tone, "Then you would have taken care of him."

She knotted her brow and cautiously asked, "What?"

Jade took a deep breath then answered fully confident in her assertion, "He would have needed someone to take care of him and other than me… you're the closest to him and care about him the most. You would have taken care of him and loved him and you two would have been happy together."

Tori's eyes shot, completely flabbergasted to what she was hearing from her semi-rival.

Jade shrugged a shoulder while looking at the space between their laps. "I wouldn't want Freddie to be miserable and alone."

The younger Vega sister didn't know how to respond and didn't get to as the door to the room opened and Cat, Robbie and Trina stepped inside the room. She hopped off the bed so the others could visit and to speak with her sister.

Despite already having hugged Jade multiple times, the redhead nearly threw herself at the pale girl and pulled her into another tight hug. Jade rubbed her back up and down and almost chanted, "I'm okay Cat, I'm okay Cat."

Cat pulled back, but continued to hold Jade while she blinked and several tears still ran down her face along with some sniffling.

Jade's shoulders slumped at seeing the condition of her friend.

Freddie stepped away from beside Mister Lynn and pulled a tissue from a box on the table at the end of the room then walked back to hand Jade a tissue. The pale girl took it then started wiping the tears from under Cat's eyes while giving her a reassuring smile.

As Jade comforted Cat, Robbie interrupted the sisters with Rex in his hands. The brunette pulled him off to the side and looked over his shoulder and asked, "Where's Beck and André?"

The curly haired teenager put on a crooked smile and timidly began, "Beck's ah…"

She knotted her brow and asked in a hushed tone, "Beck's what?"

Rex spoke up, "He's hammered. He went home and got drunk to deal with what happened. André went after him and is staying with him. I think he might be pretty hammered himself. He's being a drinking buddy and all, so it'll probably be tomorrow before they show up."

Tori nodded her head. She wouldn't judge either of them on how they had dealt with the situation or their respective feelings about it. She had only drank during communion, but during those long hours of keeping vigil, she realized she wouldn't mind being a little hammered to kill the pain she was feeling. She gave him a friendly smile and answered, "We'll see them tomorrow."

The tech-producer took the opportunity of Jade consoling Cat and Robbie and Tori talking to walk around the end of the bed and cup Trina's right elbow in his hand. He started in an apologetic tone, "Are you okay? I'm sorry I haven't gotten a chance to see—"

Trina held up her left hand and cut him off, "It's alright. You've had more important things to worry about." She lightly patted the top of her head with her left hand and answered, "I have a few stitches and my head is still hurting me a little bit, but I'm okay."

He nodded his head, but he pulled her into a hug anyway, gently rubbing up and down her back. "I'm sorry Trina."

She rested her head on his shoulder and hugged him back to show her compassion about what happened to him over the last several hours.

The pair finally pulled away as the nurse peaked her head into the room again. "There are a few more people that would like to see you, but we can't safely."

Trina volunteered to be the sensible one and motion to the door. "Time for us to go—my head hurts and I need some painkillers and a good night sleep."

Tori snorted out a breath at recalling how well the painkillers they gave her sister after her dental surgery and when she finally did go to sleep, she was out like a light.

Cat gave Jade one last hug then hopped off the bed while Robbie waved a goodbye. Rex shouted, "Good to see that they couldn't put the Wicked Witch down."

Jade wanted to frown at the backhanded insult (Freddie did frown), but the pale girl smirked and coyly commented, "They should have dropped a house on me instead if they wanted to put me down."

The puppet laughed and seemed to lift everyone's spirits even more before turning and heading out of the door. Mister Lynn walked over to give his granddaughter one last hug and whispered, "I'll be see you tomorrow." He pulled away and the pair shared a smile then the former sergeant looked to Freddie and gave him a nod of his head.

After he left, the nurse expected Tori to follow, but she remained standing in the room. The couple didn't question her remaining, so the nurse decided not to speak either, but allow the next visitor inside.

The next visitor surprised the nurse with nearly looking identically to Jade, except now everyone could see a difference with Heather's hair being black and Jade back to original brunette. Heather quickly walked inside and eagerly called out, "Hey."

"Heather?" Jade returned, completely confused and surprised at seeing the girl's presence. Tori looked on a little stunned with the model's appearance.

"You're… oh my God, you're… you really are alright. I didn't believe the news after I landed." She pulled Jade into a hug and continued, "I got here as soon as I could." She pulled back to have a seat cattycorner on the bed to her then continued, "I was in New York for a shoot and got on the first flight when I heard."

Jade wasn't exactly sure how to respond, so she stuttered out, "Ah… thanks."

The model nodded her head with a playful smile. "Yeah."

A sudden awkward silence fell between the pair. They of course had worked on Jade's short-film together, hung out during prom and quite comfortable around each other, but they weren't necessarily all that close after those limited meetings and really didn't know how to react to one another in such a serious circumstance. Jade cleared her throat to break the silence and politely started, if somewhat awkwardly, "I appreciate you flying back to see me."

She answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Of course I'd be here, I'm your friend. You might have needed blood or something? The likeness could be more than skin deep?"

Jade snorted out a laugh, "You couldn't have donated your brain or vertebra, but I do appreciate the sentiment."

Heather rolled her eyes in feeling so silly then asked, "But how? How are you alright?"

The Hollywood Arts student started, "Ah yeah…"

She was interrupted with Ava and Sinjin stepping inside and looking on in shock at Jade's appearance and Heather's presence. The homely looking teenager whispered, "You're fine?"

Jade took the opportunity of looking at the couple smirked and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm fine."

Ava walked over to have her obligated hug with the girl that had put her in the spotlight then looked to Freddie. She regretfully explained, "We couldn't find Dusty. We checked everywhere I could think he would go and his dad hasn't seen him and if he really knows where he is, he won't tell us."

Heather's took in a sharp breath and immediately put on a worried expression. If it was possible, she started looking paler. "You can't find Dusty?" She started shifting her sight across all of them and desperately asked, "He hasn't answered a_ny_ of you?

Freddie raised a hand and attempted to reassure the model. "He's okay, he's fine."

Ava quickly spoke up, "How do you know? Did he call you back or show up? He hasn't returned any of our calls."

Heather quickly looked to the long haired brunette then back to Freddie, eager for him to answer.

Freddie spared a quick glance to Jade then politely asked the others, "Could everyone step outside for a moment so we can talk to Heather in private?"

Ava furled her brow as she looked upon the tech-producer while Tori pointed to Heather while looking on in disbelief to the

"You're going to tell her?"

"That's because she's his…" Jade answered with a slightly sharp tone then trailed off and looked to her 'twin'. She hesitated then cautiously continued, "I'm sorry, he's been keeping his… 'relationship' with you pretty private, so we don't know how close you two ar—"

The model slightly bowed her head to break eye contact with Jade and whispered, "We've purposely been keeping what we have a low profile. I stopped caring a long time ago of what people say about me and who I'm date—you won't believe who I've been linked with over just the last week—but I don't want the paparazzi to start harassing him."

Freddie spoke up, "But I know you're one of the reasons he's considering staying in L.A. after graduation instead of going back to Carolina, so I think you need to that he's safe."

The model's eyes opened wider her lips slightly parted from her jaw somewhat slacking at the revelation.

Tori held up a hand and softly relented, "Okay, I get it. I'm going to take the chance go to the bathroom."

Jade surprised them by calling out, "Thanks Tori."

The other brunette gave a polite nod and smile then followed Sinjin and Ava out the door, pulling the door behind her shut.

Freddie walked around the bed to have a seat to Jade's left so that they could both face the model. The tech-producer took a breath then calmly began with a tone that carried the gravity of what he was saying, "What we're about to tell you is the truth as fantastic as it's going to sound, okay?"

The raven haired girl swallowed down a bit of fear then whispered, "You're starting to scare me Freddie."

"I'm not meaning to, it's just that you might think we're crazy."

She motioned to Jade and let out a soft, but humorless laugh, "You said Jade was so bad off that you needed a miracle, now you have your miracle; how is anything you are about to say be crazy?"

Jade bluntly retorted, "Dusty's the son of an angel and he's the one that healed me."

Heather took a moment to process what her 'twin' had just spoken and saw the couple looked back at her with serious expression. The darker haired teenager slightly nodded her head and answered, "I stand corrected; you can say something that I would believe is crazy."

Freddie picked up, "I know, but Tori, Cat and I saw what happened: he was here about two hours ago, put his hand on Jade's forehead and healed her. He admitted that the angel that's been keeping an eye out for me—so much so that she removed the plate and pins in my left leg from when I broke it a few years back—is his mother. I guess that's how he was able to do it—his mother's Grace he called it. It may not be our place to tell you that, but you should know that he's okay."

She bowed her head and tried to process what they had just told her. She bowed her head and looked away to the floor and whispered out in a hurt tone, "Do you realize how blasphemous what you just said is? An angel having a child? Please don't mock my faith; I have to hear enough of it having to be around so many Hollywood types."

For a moment, Dusty's voice seemed to whisper through Jade's mind: '_Genesis six four: There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown… in my case it was a daughter of God.'_

The tech-producer softly responded, "We wouldn't do that, especially since I assume we share the same faith; we just thought you needed to know what happened. Just believe he's a saint like Tori thinks after what she saw, but he did heal Jade and there is no way I can ever thank him for it."

Heather remained silent for a few seconds that stretched into a minute before she finally looked up to them and asked, "Let's just say what you said is true for the moment, where is he?"

Freddie blew out a breath. "We don't know. After he healed Jade, he looked at us and just kind of freaked out. I guess we looked different or something then he slipped out while Jade was waking up and we were getting the doctors. What I do know is that he didn't answer anyone before because he was busy praying to his mother and other angels he knows, but none of them would answer him. That's why he finally came here."

The raven haired girl slightly frowned and looked off in nowhere particularly then stood up. She whispered in a surprisingly apologetic tone, "I'm sorry. I think I need to go." She passed Jade a quick glance and spoke with a soft, but genuine tone, "I'm so happy that you're alright—I'll call you tomorrow." She got up from the bed, turned her back to them and headed out of the door.

Jade's shoulders slumped and her face fell before looking down at her lap. She whispered out full of regret, "How much is he going to lose for being our friend?"

Freddie took a breath, wrapped his arms around her shoulders then kissed her cheek. "I don't know Angel, I don't know."

* * *

The few minutes of privacy for the couple was interrupted when the door opened and several surprised visitors stepped through. Carly breathed out in disbelief, "Hey." Spencer and Sam were right behind her.

Jade blinked at seeing the web-celebrity's presence. "Hi."

Freddie looked on in just as much surprise at seeing the three.

"Uncle Barry was right… you're alright."

She nodded her head and stated simply, "I'm fine. I'm… whole again."

The Seattle brunette didn't necessarily take her word for it and walked to her to pull her into a hug.

Jade slightly flinched, but then relaxed into the embrace when Carly whispered, "Thank God you're alright."

A thought… more of a ghost of a memory that had come back in full force and in vivid color crossed Jade's mind: _Carly snorted out a breath and shook her head. "Which makes it even funnier since Spencer thinks we might be sisters anyway."_

The singer wrapped her arms around the girl two days older than she and returned the hug. She answered back, "Thanks Carly."

The pair hugged longer than expected until Carly finally released the fellow pale girl so Spencer could have his turn to speak with the Angeleno. The artist grinned ear to ear while Carly stepped aside so her brother could pull the pale girl into a hug. He whispered into her ear, "How are you kiddo?" He pulled back and continued to smile at her as he gently rubbed a hand up and down her arm.

The idea that they were just being polite and nice to her crossed her mind, but she disregarded it and felt the genuine concern and happiness from them that she alright.

The brunette spoke up in a cheerful voice, "So Mitch showed up?"

Jade knotted her brow. "What?"

"I've been praying to him since Uncle Barry called us, so did he answer?"

The blue/greenish eyed girl passed a quick glance to Freddie but only saw his annoyed expression as he looked to Sam. Jade looked back to Carly and answered, "No, but ah… I got a miracle."

Spencer curiously asked, "Then what happened?"

She gave the pair a lost look as she couldn't tell them the truth but she felt a sudden sense of guilt if she lied to them… as if she was lying to her family.

While the Shay siblings were conversing with Jade, Freddie got off the bed and rounded the foot of it. He called out in an impatient tone, "Would you excuse us for a minute?" He grabbed Sam by the arm and yanked her to follow him out into the hallway.

They looked on in surprise of him manhandling her, but didn't say anything.

* * *

As soon as the pair was out the door and a few feet down the hallway, Freddie let her go and spat out, "Why are you here? Hoping to dance on her grave?"

The blonde deeply frowned, darkly glared at him and snapped, "You think I'm that sick? I may have hated Jade for a long time for a lot of reasons, but… I never wanted something like this to happen to her—not wanting her to die."

Freddie sharply retorted, "Yes, yes I do think you're that sick, because deep down in what you call a soul, you are a vindictive and cruel bitch. Your words are hollow to me, especially since I remember a number of times you talked about methods of murdering me in cold blood. Feeding me to a tiger one time?"

She crossed her arms under her chest and countered, "People change Freddie."

He snorted out in disgust and shook his head, having no patients for such self-serving crap in his opinion. He gave her a cold look and whispered, "Just behavior yourself. It's been a Hell of a day and I have no patience left. You even look at her funny and I'll put you in one of these neighboring rooms. Understand?"

She hesitated in answering, so Freddie grabbed her by the collar and pulled her close to his face and whispered, "_Understand?_"

The blonde swallowed in fear as she was suddenly reminded of how he looked five months ago when he faced Nora.

Another surprise hit Freddie when a familiar voice called out, "What's going on?"

He pulled slightly back, but continued to hold Sam by the collar as he called over the blonde's shoulder, "Mom?"

Mrs. Benson quickly approached with Mrs. West and Doctor Dorfman. She called out, "I got on the first flight when I heard."

Freddie let go of Sam and turned to his mother. "Thanks."

Mrs. West repeated Mrs. Benson's question while giving Sam a chilly expression, "What's going on?"

He looked back to Sam and stated with a cold tone, "Just reminding her to behave."

The two mothers passed each other quick glances, but neither said anything about what they witnessed. Mrs. Benson continued, "I'd like to see Jade."

Freddie motioned to the door then started leading his mother to the room.

Mrs. West took a moment to direct a frown at the webstar.

Sam raised her hands up and hurriedly said in her own defense, "I didn't do a thing."

She replied in a curt tone, "Just make sure you keep doing 'nothing' because I am not Taylor Shay." The raven beauty walked passed the teenager and back to the room.

The Benson Matriarch entered the room and gave the siblings a polite smile and greeted them, "Carly, Spencer."

The artist turned in his seat on the bed and pursed his lips then politely returned the greeting, "Mrs. Benson." He politely stood up and allowed her to approach the bed.

Jade politely nodded her head. "Mrs. Benson."

The eccentric nurse pulled the girl into a hug.

Jade eyes shot open in reaction and was getting to the point of getting sick of hugs, but she guessed she could put up with one more. This was probably one of the few times she'd have a pleasant encounter with the woman.

Mrs. Benson rattled off for a few minutes with questions and Jade, Freddie and Mrs. West gave vague answers as to what happened, but they were far more acceptable of it being a miracle. After the reddish brunette was satisfied with the answers, she stepped outside and started speaking with Doctor Dorfman.

Ruby peaked her head out of the room and idly commented as she watched Mrs. Benson and Doctor Dorfman argue from Jade's condition to the types of food one should give their child, "This is one of the strangest things I have ever seen."

Freddie had overheard her and looked out of the room to watch the equally eccentric parents in a heated debate. He uttered in concern, "Why do I have a feelings she's going to pick up tips from him?"

She cracked a smile and playfully retorted, "Because he's the one with 'M.D.' after his name?"

* * *

A few minutes later, Jade needed to use the restroom, so she had to make a trip down the hallway since the room didn't have a restroom of its own and didn't need one because the patients were not usually able to use it. Jade returned with her mother a few minutes later from the bathroom with a paler than normal appearance. Freddie was obviously concerned, but they reassured him that everything was fine and he simply accepted his girlfriend's word. He was reassured in the knowledge that she was completely fine, so what could she have possibly found to worry her while she was using the restroom?

The late afternoon started turning into evening with Tori returning and Carly remaining to spend the rest of the evening goofing off on PearBooks and PearPads; however, Jade had one last visitor to check on her. The handsome owner of RPX records walked into the room with his daughter Hope by his side. He happily called out, "Jade?"

The pale girl knotted her brow as she looked on in surprise at seeing him and questioning, "Quincy?"

He answered with a warm, friendly disposition, "Hello Jade. I know you're probably sick of hearing this, but how are you doing?"

"I'm good, I'm fine." She snorted out a laugh, "I'm actually fantastic."

"Then the reports have all got it wrong?"

She gave him a confused expression and looked to Freddie for an explanation.

Freddie was about to answer from what Heather had told him hours earlier, but the record owner continued for an explanation, "How you're doing is wall to wall coverage online."

Hope pointed out, "You've been trending for most of the day."

She knotted her brow and glanced to Freddie to ask, "Trending?"

He shrugged his shoulders as he didn't know what Hope was talking about.

The lovely girl continued, "Yeah, you're all over TwitFlash: Hashtag _Jade in Our Prayers_. Your fans have really rallied for you. They've had regular updates—tried to on the twenty-four hour news stations, but it's just rumors because the hospital won't release anything official."

Mrs. West standing at the door spoke up, "I didn't want my daughter's condition to become a spectacle."

Jade glanced to her boyfriend and suggested, "Well I better tweet something to let them know I'm okay and to thank them,"

Quincy continued in a genuine tone to Mrs. West, "I'll try to keep the media away. We contract out to well respected and experienced private security company that handles all my artists; I was going to assign Jade one after she graduated and before her album released, but I can going ahead and give her one so she can actually checkout without being swamped by the press."

Carly spoke up to Jade from her seated spot on the end of the bed, "We barely got past the press staked out in front of the hospital. I don't know how you're going to get out unless you pretend to be someone else or slip out."

The now natural brunette answered, "Thank you Shawn." She passed quick glances to her mother and Freddie then finished, "I think I'll take you up on that offer."

He smiled and answered, "I'll take care of it, but if there is anything else that I can do for you, just ask."

She cracked a smile then motioned for him to come over so she could whisper into his ear. "Actually, there is something you might be able to do for me."

He walked over so she could speak to him, the others obviously curious as to what she was asking. He cracked a smile then pulled away to answer, "If it ever comes up, I'll make it happen."

"Thank you."

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed part 1. Part 2 should be up later today or tomorrow. Look forward to what you have to say, I'll post soon.

Special Guest Appearance by Jennifer Connelly as Ruby Lynn West  
Special Guest Appearance by Michael Ironside as Mister Lynn  
Special Guest Star Miranda Cosgrove as Carly Shay  
Special Guest Star Jennette McCurdy as Sam Puckett  
Special Guest Star Jerry Trainor as Spencer Shay  
Guest Star Quinn Friedman as Ian West


	41. Chapter 41: Heart Squeezers Part 2

Author's Note: Hello everyone! Second half of the two parter is here. I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much. If you haven't read the first part then I hope you go back since I'm updating them back to back.

Rating: T Language

* * *

Chapter 41: Heart Squeezers Part 2

Jade West: Thank you for all your prayers and support. FEELING: Grateful

Medical Intensive Care Unit  
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center  
Saturday, June 2, 2012

Later that evening after dinner, Jade was still sitting up in her bed as the doctors insisted that she remain at least overnight for observations. All her visitors finally left so that they could get some rest, could come back tomorrow and be with her as she was checking out. However, Spencer decided to volunteer to sleep outside so at least one 'adult' other than Freddie being near and Tori retaking her seat as a recliner to sleep and using Dusty's left jacket as a blanket. She had not volunteered to leave and they weren't going to force the issue.

Jade was not alone with the pair however as she held Ian (in his pajamas) to her side and was reading him a story from one of his storybooks.

Freddie relaxed in his chair to her left as he watched her read the story with a beautiful smile on her face as Ian was being lolled to sleep from her soft words.

He took several breaths, trying to commit the sight in front of him to memory. A thought occurred to him, so he pulled out his PearPhone and quickly lifted it up to turn on the camera and start recording Jade and Ian.

She didn't pay him any attention as she continued to read with a smile playing on her face, occasionally giving Ian a soft kiss on his cheek or above his temple.

Eventually Ian finally fell asleep in her arm and she sat the book down on the neighboring table. She gently rocked him in her arms and occasionally brushing a hand over his brown locks.

Freddie ended the recording and slipped the phone back in his pocket. He broke the silence with a soft comment, "I'm sorry Jade."

The pale girl looked up and saw the weariness on his face. "For what?"

"Insisting that you go. You were right, I should have just took the day and—"

She shook her head and closed her eyes. "Stop. Stop right now." She opened her eyes and continued with a firm voice, "I tore myself up over the last week and you told me—begged me not to blame myself, so you do the same. You just wanted me to relax after everything and there was nothing wrong with that."

"Then why do I still feel guilty?"

She answered without missing a beat, "Because you love me. Plain and simple."

"I should have saved you."

She knotted her bow and slightly from her inability to understand what he meant.

"I saved Carly… but I couldn't save you?"

She slightly frowned at his self-blame. "You couldn't have known. No one could have known that would have happened."

He spat out in disgust, "Caleb knew."

"And what good did it do us?"

Freddie looked away and out the window to the L.A. night skyline.

The pale girl softly challenged, "Do you think that means you love me any less? That you were there to save her, but you couldn't save me?"

He snorted out an ironic laugh, in regards to what he had told her while she was in her coma, then looked to her and whispered with an upbeat tone that instantly made Jade feel better, "No, no it doesn't."

She smiled in return then leaned back against the pillows behind her back to keep her in a semi-upright position to sleep with Ian resting against her. She playfully pointed out, "Now you're making sense."

A few minutes later, Jade finally fell asleep with Ian holding on to her on her right and her holding him. Freddie went about making sure the door was closed, Tori still comfortable in her chair and the lights out with only the low ambient light shining through the window.

Freddie retook his seat and just watched the sight and smiled. It wasn't hard to imagine that one day he would be seeing her hold their child in that manner after reading a bedtime story. He'd like to have a son after Sapphire.

He only watched for a few more minutes until he heard a soft flutter of air over his left shoulder and near the back left corner. He slightly frowned as he recognized the sound. He turned slightly in his seat and looked over his left shoulder. He spat out in disgust when he saw the redheaded angel in her same old attire, "Now you show up?"

Anna softly whispered with a regretful tone, "Yes."

Freddie turned back in his seat to look at the brother and sister peacefully sleeping. "You're too late. Everything's fine now. Thanks for _not_ answering. I really appreciated it."

Anna knotted her brow and outright glared at the back of Freddie's head. She held up her pointer and middle finger of her left hand and made a slashing motion towards her right. The chair turned nearly one-hundred eighty degrees without making a sound so he could face her and catching him off-guard.

He looked up in surprise while she leaned down, grabbed the armrests and looked him straight in the eyes as she hissed out, "I ignored my son's prayer for _both of you_. For _you_ to have the chance to have the peace of mind of knowing when you take the vow of sickness and health that you will know how true that is without a shred of doubt after tonight. For _you_ to have the chance to know that you are completely and absolutely in love with her. What little relationship I have with my son is probably in tatters over this. I personally owe you nothing Freddie Benson, so you can stuff your moral high ground nonsense with me. I've had to put up with enough of that self-righteous crap over the years with Dean."

Freddie swallowed down a bit of nervousness at staring into the eyes of a very angry angel. He however rallied his angrily whispered out, "How? She would have probably been dead before midnight if it wasn't for Dusty."

She closed her eyes and stood up straight then slightly shook her head. She blew out an unneeded breath through her nostrils then answered in a forced calmness, "She was never going to die. I was going to heal her before that, we were just waiting for you to come to your realization that you pledged to her before he healed her. We were… taking advantage of the situation for you."

He knotted his brow in confusion. "Dusty beat you to the punch?"

She paced around the foot of the bed to stand on its right side. She gently brushed her hand over Ian's head while softly smiling down at the child. She answered in an almost embarrassing tone, "I did the exact same thing with my son as everyone else has always done with that family."

Freddie stood up from the chair and questioned, "What's that?"

The redheaded angel turned and softly smirked. "Underestimated him."

At first the tech-producer wanted to laugh at her assertion, but then looked on her with slight concern. "You underestimated him?"

She shrugged her blue jacketed shoulder and casually answered, "He has a human soul and Freewill and he exercised it. It didn't occur to me he'd make that choice."

"He certainly did… I think he underestimated himself… where is he?"

The redhead looked back in annoyance. "I don't know… we can't track nephilim or cambions."

Freddie flippantly asked, "You can't get a GPS signal from his phone and track him down from there?"

The pale redhead slightly frowned as she answered, "He's his father's son: he turned off the GPS. He doesn't want to be found."

The tech-producer spared a quick glance in Jade and Ian's direction as he wasn't surprised that he'd be bright enough to disable that on his phone. He idly commented, "Well you need to find because when he left, he was pretty freaked out and _not_ from him healing Jade. I think he needs some reassurances from _his mother_."

Anna glanced back down to the stepsiblings and commented, "Well looking directly into all of your souls all at once would do that to you."

Freddie knotted his brow and Anna turned her head to him to continue, "I don't see the universe as you see it, limited to just the visible light spectrum. I am a multidimensional wavelength of celestial intent. I see you as my Father created you and not limited to flesh, blood and bone as you have to see each other. I can perceive your thoughts and feelings on command and how much I want to see or none at all. Now he can see the world as I see it, but has no idea how to control it or how to perceive it because he embraced the Grace he has from me all at once instead of just letting it naturally assert itself over time. He's had no adjustment time like his strength, durability or 'sixth-sense'."

Freddie took a breath and tried to readjust the seat back in its original place before Anna moved it without waking up anyone. After succeeding with only a slight stir from Tori, he retook his seat. He ran a hand over his head and through his hair, not in much of a dissimilar why that Beck would do when he became frustrated. "Is he going to be okay?"

"Eventually yes. He'll find his balance."

He looked up and slightly mocked, "You're so sure of that?"

"I'm going to have some faith in my boy."

He nodded along, finding it interesting an angel having faith, then asked, "There's something else I need to ask you while I have the chance since I know the truth now: did we meet Dusty so he could be there to help out all those times?"

"No, it was coincidental through your own freewill. Dean moved to California to make better money for his job and provide for Dustin, Dustin decided to get into Hollywood Arts, you gave Jade the idea to do her own short-films and she wanted to have them posted. Things just came together to get everyone to this point. I would not send my son to Northridge just so he could meet you later and help you one day. Not for you, not with what that place nearly turned him into."

The brown eyed teenager pointed out, "But he's had to pay for it anyway. Do you realize how much he's sacrifice in knowing us? How much trouble we've caused him? Things he's given up?" He motioned around him in the room while he continued to speak, "This just being another example."

She reluctantly admitted, "I'm aware of the choices he's made and the consequences—that he's not had the charmed life as Sam and Melanie for being cambions. He knows the price sometimes that needs to be paid for doing good, but what do you expect? If he hadn't, he wouldn't be him."

He motioned to the door. "Maybe, but are you aware of how Heather—the girl he's seeing even if they aren't officially a couple—reacted when I had to tell her the truth to keep her from worrying when she hasn't been able to speak to him? Is she just going to be another sacrifice he makes?"

"I don't know."

He raised an eyebrow and questioned, "Are you going to do anything about it? You going to tell her the truth? Tell her that everything's going to be okay between them?"

"I can't tell her stuff that I don't know and it's up to her if she can deal with what he is now. If she can't, then he's better off without her and him finding someone that won't care and love him for who he is just like you found Jade to love you for you instead of Carly and her little fantasies she has in her head about the 'perfect' guy."

"Kind of cold hearted assessment from an angel? I thought angels were supposed to be guardians. Fluffy wings, halos - you know, Michael Landon, not cold hearted marble statues especially when it comes to your own son's love life."

She frowned at him at how close his choice of phrase hit her then retorted with a slightly impatient tone, "You need to read your Bible again Freddie. Angels are messengers and warriors of God, so I'm a soldier with a pragmatic mindset that sees things how things are, not how I want them to be regardless of how 'cold hearted' it may appear to you. If she'll make him happy, that's fantastic and I couldn't be happier for both of them and if he needs me to help smooth things out, I _will be there for him_, but if she's not and can't handle it… what's that human phrase? Don't let the door hit you on the way out?"

Freddie snorted out a breath and started to softly laugh.

The pale angel knotted her brow and questioned, "What?"

"Now you're sounding like a mother."

A smile formed on her lovely face and soon joined him in laugher. A few moments later the laughter ceased and Freddie spoke with a genuine thankful tone, "Anna, thank you for looking out for us."

She gave him a warm smile and replied, "Thank you for being his friend." She turned back to the stepsiblings and brushed her hand over Ian's hand again then a dark shadow started to form behind the angel. The shadow became a definite shape and substance of a beautiful bird's wing and shielded over them for a moment. She whispered to Freddie, "You look after her, because she'll look after you."

He nodded and between blinks, the angel was gone.

Hale Residence  
Los Angeles, CA  
Saturday, June 2, 2012

The time was approaching midnight as Mister Hale was looking at the television, but wasn't paying attention to what was playing. He had been sitting like that for hours. He was finally interrupted in not doing anything when the doorbell rang. He blew out a breath as he got up from the couch and sat his bear down on the coffee table.

He stopped just short of the door to pull out his sawed-off double barrel shotgun from the umbrella container then looked out of the peephole of the door with the barrel of the shotgun pressed to the door. He knotted his brow at seeing a very lovely lady standing on the other side.

He opened the door, carefully so he could still shoot through it if necessary.

Mrs. West cautiously asked, "Mister Hale?"

Mister Hale looked the lovely woman then cracked a soft smile while asking in a charming voice, "Who's asking?"

"I'm Mrs. West, Jade West's mother. I'd like to talk to your son."

He cracked a slightly nervous smile, but continued to force a relaxed demeanor. "Whatever you think he did, he's innocent. I'm the one that got into trouble with the girls at his age; he's a good kid."

She returned with a reassuring smile. "From everything I've heard about him and the time I met him at Freddie's party and the PMAs, I believe that. I'd just like to thank him."

"For what?"

"Saving my daughter's life."

He nervously laughed, "I don't understand ma'am. I heard the news of what happened to your daughter. I'm sorry. If he was there, he would have done something."

The raven haired beauty took a breath then pressed on, "I know he wasn't there today at the set. I guess I'll just have to be blunt Mister Hale: your son touched my daughter's forehead and completely healed her. I know his mother is an Angel of the Lord, the same angel that healed Freddie, Mrs. Harris and my father just before last Christmas."

Mister Hale glanced down to his feet for a moment then back up to her to politely answer, "I'm sorry ma'am; I don't know what to say to that without implying something I don't believe about you."

"You son saved my daughter's life. There was a fifty/fifty chance that she was going to be dead in hours and if she wasn't, she'd never be whole again. I just wanted to personally thank him and that's after him giving up his computer club to protect her reputation and using himself as a human shield to protect her during that earthquake back in January; thanking him is the least I could do."

The look in the woman's eyes took Mister Hale that he wasn't going to convince her otherwise, so he gave her a guarded expression and asked, "Well when I see him, I'll pass your message along, but… if you would, don't spread the word that he was involved?"

She slightly nodded her head and glanced downward as she answered, "I'm not going to tell anyone. Have a good night Mister Hale."

"Mrs. West."

She turned and started back towards her car. He slightly leaned to his left to get a quick last minute glance at seeing her rear in his opinion fine fitting jeans. He cracked a smile then closed the door behind him. He locked the door then put back the shotgun in the holder.

Mister Hale started his way up the stairs and stopped after entering his son's room. He blew out a breath as he looked at the empty glass case above the Colt Paterson. He hadn't touched the sticky note left on the case that was to protect the now missing silver blade.

_"I just need some time Dad. I'll be back."_

He took a deep breath and clenched his teeth in annoyance. He barked out angrily, "Cas! Cas!"

Medical Intensive Care Unit  
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center  
Sunday, June 3, 2012

Jade was enjoying a surprisingly good breakfast (since Tori had slipped inside some real food) before she would get ready to be released. She was sitting on her bed with Ian in her cross-legged lap as they shared the breakfast. Freddie was sitting to Jade's left and just quietly watched the stepsiblings enjoy their breakfast.

Tori from her seat on the left side end of the bed was trying her best not let her warm and fuzzy feelings inside about seeing how the three looked like a young family come out as some kind of comment. She quietly slipped her PearPhone out of her pocket and took a few pictures as the stepsiblings were finishing their breakfast.

Mrs. West was standing by the open door watching the sight and a similar thought passed her mind as well, but she was not ready for grandchildren. Her baby was not ready to have babies of her own.

Carly was sitting on the end of the bed on the other side of the food tray to Jade and Ian. The Seattle brunette laughed out with a bit of regret lacing her voice, "I wish you could have been on the show. I know how much you like Jimmy Fallon."

Sam laughed from the seat Freddie spent most of his vigil sitting in, "I enjoyed the chance of meeting Tina Fey."

The Shay siblings' respective smiles slightly faltered at the mentioning of comedian's name. They loved her too, but meeting her face to face was slightly disconcerting due to her similar appearance to their late mother.

Freddie laughed in the hopes of lifting everyone's spirits back up, "That would have been fun to be on the Jimmy Fallon show. He's the greatest talk show host."

An authoritative, but kind voice called out from the entrance of the room to challenge Freddie's assertion, "No the greatest late night talk show host was the late great Johnny Carson. Ruby has to agree with me on that."

Everyone turned their attention to the door to see Colonel Shay in civilian clothes and his A2 Flight jacket.

"Dad?" Carly jumped from her seat on the bed and ran to her father.

He chuckled as she nearly tackled him with a hug. "Hey Cupcake," he whispered then placed a kiss on her forehead. She smiled up to him as she released him.

He opened his arms and called out, "Samantha."

The blonde rolled her eyes, got up from her seat and walked over to give a Colonel a hug. Whether she did it because she appreciated him caring even if it was 'tough love' or she was smart enough not to bite the hand that fed her anymore, only she knew.

They pulled away a few seconds later so he could share a hug with Ruby. Shay softly smiled and patted her back. He whispered into her ear, "I got here as soon as I could."

She nodded her head then pulled away to share another smile.

The Colonel turned his attention to Jade and Ian and warmly smiled. He pulled out of Ruby's arms and walked over to gently take Jade's right hand and whispered, "Hey Jadelyn. Hello little guy."

Ian looked up at confusion at the new man.

Jade leaned slightly over so her cheek was touching the child's cheek and looked up with him to explain, "This is a very good friend of my mommy and he's Carly and Spencer's daddy."

He quickly understood and waved while shouting, "Hi."

Shay gave him a fatherly smile that he used for Spencer when he was that age and asked, "So who are little guy?"

Jade answered, "This is my stepbrother Ian."

The former flyer's brow shot up and hesitantly questioned, "Your step_brother_?" He glanced over to Ruby and mouthed, _"Young enough to be his grandson."_

Ruby shook her head but didn't say anything.

Shay looked back to Jade then had a seat on the edge of the bed. He took a deep breath then asked, "I know you're probably sick of this question, but… humor me, how are you? I guess I just need to hear it from you for myself."

Jade cracked a soft smile as she was glad he could acknowledge how annoying it could be to continually ask the same question. "I'm absolutely fine—more than fine. I feel pretty fantastic."

The Colonel's smile grew and he answered, "I'm happy to hear."

Jade gave him a hesitant expression then asked, "So you flew from only God knows where to see me?"

He answered without hesitation, "Of course I would. Where else would I be?"

She remained silent for a few seconds as she just studied his eyes as memories, possibilities and ghost of thoughts that could be memories came to her mind from what he did when Nevel showed up, what Spencer had told her and a conversation with Carly that couldn't have happened, but she had a memory of it. She glanced over to the others then looked down to Ian and asked, "Are you done with your breakfast?"

He nodded then she suggested, "Maybe it's time for us to get dressed?"

"Okay."

She looked to everyone then asked, "Freddie, Tori, could you take Ian to get dressed and brush his teeth? Carly, Sam, could you give me a moment? I'd speak with your dad and my mom alone for a minute?"

Everyone looked to each other with curious expressions, but Freddie broke the possibility of awkward questions by answering with his arms out, "Sure, come on buddy. Let's get dressed for the day."

He slid out of Jade's lap and into Freddie's arms then he picked the child up. The tech-producer slipped off the bed then headed out the door with Tori following him with Ian's overnight belongings. The blonde had the decency to exit the room with them while Carly mentioned that she was going to call Spencer and let them know their dad was back and they'd be leaving within the hour.

Ruby shut the door behind them then Shay curiously asked the natural brunette, "What's up kiddo?"

Jade took a breath and passed her mother a quick and somewhat fearful glance. Her mother walked to stand on Jade's right side and returned with a curious expression.

The blue eyed girl looked to the Colonel and softly asked, "Are you my father?"

Shay took a deep breath, but maintained his calm demeanor as he maintained eye contact with the teenager.

Ruby looked on in shock at the question then slightly frowned then started with an angry tone, "What did your father say to—"

Shay held up a hand and nearly begged while not taking his eyes off of Jade, "Please Ruby?"

The raven beauty held her tongue and allowed her old friend to continue in a calm voice, "Yes, I am your father and I love you very much."

Ruby nearly shouted in completely disbelief, "_Steven?_"

He ignored his lifelong friend and maintained his gaze on the pale teenager.

Jade continued to look at him and study his face and eyes then eventually nodded her head. She opened her arms and he hugged her then he placed his hand on the back of her head and gave her a kiss on her cheek. She was the one that finally pulled away and gave him a smile.

He nervously laughed as he suggested, "I'll be outside to give you a chance to get dressed. It'll give me a chance to spend some time with your sister and brother."

She nodded her head and the Colonel got up from his seat.

Ruby gave him a deeply disapproving expression that would make any other man flinch, but he maintained his guarded expression as he left the room. Once the door closed, Ruby turned her to her daughter and began, "Jade—"

Jade interrupted in a calm and almost idle voice as she stared at the door, "He's a very good liar especially when he put it with a truth." She shrugged her shoulder and idly commented, "I guess he'd have to be being in Special Forces."

Her mother's annoyance disappeared and replaced with confusion that displayed on her face.

Jade nonchalantly continued, "There was a slight change in pitch to his voice when he said 'and' that marked where the lie ended and the truth started." Her voice dropped, she closed her eyes and she asked in a pained filled voice, "Why can't my father tell me he loves me like that?" The first tear started from an inside corner of her right eye.

Mrs. West face fell and quickly took a seat cattycorner to her daughter and pulled her into a hug. She whispered, "I don't know baby, I don't know."

Jade quickly gathered herself and pulled away from her mother, but wouldn't meet her eyes as she commented, "I'm okay, I'm okay."

Ruby didn't look entirely convinced, but accepted the answer for the time being.

The pale teenager finally looked up and stated with a somber voice, "He may not be my father, but… you need to marry him and be happy."

Ruby's eyes shot open.

* * *

The elevator doors opened and Beck stepped out, still nursing something of a hangover, and started on his way to Jade's room. However, he was stopped just as Tori and Freddie exited the bathroom with Ian to block his path. He was about to speak when he heard his Seattle friend call out behind him, "Beck?"

He turned to look back and forth to divide his attention between Carly behind him and Tori in front of him. He gave his Seattle friend a small and tired smile then called out, "Hey?" He turned to look to Tori. He cleared his throat as he rubbed the back of his head. "I'm sorry it took me so long to show up, but—"

"I heard you ah…" She looked down at Ian whose hand she was holding with Freddie. "…weren't feeling well."

He shook his head and looked to the floor. He uttered in self-loathing, "That's one way to describe it."

Tori let go pulled him into a hug then whispered into his ear, "It's okay Beck. It's okay. Everything's okay."

* * *

Mrs. West stepped outside of the room so Jade could finish dressing and start the paperwork of checking her out (and without actually responding to her daughter's suggestion).

Jade finished pulling her Penny-T over her head then pulled her leather jacket on and over her shoulders. She looked around to see that she wasn't forgetting anything then noticed Dusty's leather jacket resting on top of the backrest of Tori's chair. She picked it up to examine the front. She gently ran a hand over the left breast side of the jacket over where his heart would be while wearing the article of clothing. She put on a thankful smile then proceeded to delicately fold the jacket with the sleeves behind it then held it close to her chest.

The door opened and she turned around to see Beck cautiously enter. He looked on in complete disbelief at seeing Jade up and about and really didn't notice that she was somehow back to her original hair color. He softly uttered, "Hey, you're…"

She gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm okay."

He walked over and pulled her into a hug. He whispered, "I'm sorry Jade, about…"

"It's okay," she interrupted, "No one's to blame but the guy that did this to me. Everyone is already carrying enough guilt, don't you start either."

He pulled back from the hug to meet her eyes and continued, "I'm sorry about us. I'm sorry that it got to this point and that it took me nearly losing you to really make me realize all my mistakes with you and not just when we were together."

She pursed her lips, gave him a sympathetic expression and nodded her head.

* * *

A few minutes later, the pair exited the room to meet up with everyone. The natural brunette took a moment to see just how many people were there for her and thought on the others that undoubtedly would be at her house to meet her.

Ian ran to Jade with the intention of her picking him up. She handed Freddie Dusty's jacket then knelt down and picked up the child. Freddie wanted to say something about her carrying him after what happened, but she mouthed that she would only carry him a little while then he could carry him for her.

Colonel Shay called to the actor, "Mister Oliver?"

The long haired actor looked at father of his unlikely friend who didn't care for him too much. He cleared his throat and politely greeted the former flyer, "Ah… Colonel Shay?"

He cocked his head to the side and idly commented, "You look like you had a rough night."

"Yeah, I did," he answered as he glanced away.

Barry spoke up and goofily laughed, "Hangovers will do that to you."

Everyone gave him a mixture of strange and embarrassing expressions.

The eccentric doctor pointed to the long haired actor and pointed out, "His eyes are still red and the way he's carrying himself."

Shay laughed out and patted his former brother-in-law on the shoulder, "Good old Barry. Always the need for the truth."

The younger man laughed at Shay always having his back.

Ruby spoke up with a smile to steer the conversation into something more practical, "Okay, we're ready to go. Mister Quincy's security detail is on the first floor to meet us, so…" She motioned to the elevator.

Freddie laughed to Tori, "Too bad you don't have your Jade costume then you could play decoy for us."

The longer haired brunette slightly frowned, but her eyes said she thought it was a funny idea.

Shay spoke up, "I need to make a stop and I'll meet you at home." He looked to Freddie and asked, "Can I borrow your car?"

The tech-producer gave him a curious expression.

* * *

Mrs. West and Carly were the first to exit the hospital and head for her car so she could pull up in front and have Jade just slip out and for them to go. A number of paparazzi broke off from the main group camped outside the hospital property and followed her towards the valet parking lot. Some also recognized the brunette with her as Carly, so it just peaked their interest further.

A few minutes later, she pulled her silver Mercedes-Benz in front of the hospital entrance. The security detail surrounded Jade to push through the paparazzi while Tori guided her from her left and Beck used one of his ever present flannel shirts to cover Ian and Jade's head/face from the flashing cameras. When they reached the side of the vehicle, Beck opened the back door then the stepsiblings slid inside with Tori following behind to continue to shield them on the left side while his shirt covered Ian and Jade's face. The actor closed the door then tapped the top of the roof to signal that Mrs. West could pull away.

One paparazzi was stupid enough to try to get in the vehicle's way and Mrs. West was ready to run him over if it wasn't for one of the security guards grabbing him and pulling him out of the way. They turned to try to question Beck but he ignored them and headed back to the parking lot to get his own vehicle.

* * *

Freddie continued to hold Dusty's jacket while leading the Colonel to the Charger in the parking complex. As they made they made their way to the muscle car, the tech-producer finished telling the Colonel what had happened, the entire truth because if he didn't, Mrs. West would just tell him anyway, so it wasn't a betrayal to Dusty so much as saving time.

The former flyer commented in a tone to make sure he was following along, "So this… _Dusty_ 'healed' her?"

"Yes."

"And he's a child of an angel with the apparent powers of one?"

Freddie awkwardly nodded and answered, "Apparently so."

The term 'Ascended Being' and the name Rodney McKay crossed the Colonel's mind as he snorted out, "We could have used him against the Ori."

"What?"

"Nothing," Shay laughed off as they reached the level the car was parked and disregarded the valets.

They stopped just a few feet from the muscle car and Shay chuckled as he examined the restored vehicle, "It's been a long time since I drove this."

The tech-producer knotted his brow. "When did you ever drive it?"

The Colonel smirked at the teenager and asked, "You don't know the story behind this car do you?"

Freddie raised a curious eyebrow and hesitantly asked, "Do I want to know?"

Shay shook his head. "Probably not."

The brown eyed teenager shook his head then walked to the trunk to open it. He placed Dusty's jacket in the left front corner of the trunk then closed it. He tossed the Colonel the keys then commented, "Just don't scratch it."

The former flyer chuckled, "The only damage I've ever done to it was busting out the driver side windshield using Ruby's high school sweetheart."

The former Seattleite snorted out a laugh until he saw the serious expression on the Colonel's face and let his jaw drop.

West Residence

Mrs. West pulled into the garage and waited just about a minute or so for Spencer to pull up his rental vehicle into the Charger's spot then door closed behind them, shielding then from any passing paparazzi that decided to follow them home.

The West matriarch was the first through the kitchen door, followed by Tori who wanted to carry Ian for Jade, but the brunette refused to release him, Jade, Freddie, Carly, Sam, Spencer then Barry Dorfman bringing up the rear.

Jade laughed out as she entered the kitchen with Ian still in her arms, "I just want to plop down and veg out on playing some video games for the rest of the day—"

"Surprise!"

The brunette stopped at seeing the living room filled with the rest of her Hollywood Arts friends, Mister West and his wife and her grandparents.

Cat ran to her and pulled her into hug without squeezing Ian. The child leaned over and wrapped his arms around the back of the redhead's neck, obviously recognizing his coloring friend.

Jade let him slip into Cat's arms and let the childlike teenager hold him.

Tori slightly frowned that Jade would suddenly turn over the child to Cat, but the natural brunette whispered out, "You two fight it out on who wants to hold him."

Jade walked into the living room and Mister and Mrs. Lynn walked up to hug their granddaughter. They released her a few moments later and she asked, "Okay, so what is all this?"

The older gentleman asked, "A little welcome home party." Mister Lynn turned his attention to everyone and stated in an authoritative voice of being the Lynn Patriarch and former sergeant, "We're going to have a nice lunch to celebrate Jadelyn's recovery then we're going to leave and let her have the rest of the day to relax and unwind. Is that understood?"

No one was really up to arguing with the war veteran, including Mister West.

He motioned toward his right and stated in the same commanding voice, "Good, now let's take this to the dining room."

As they made their way to the dining room, Ruby explained, "Steven's here, but he needed to make a stop, so he'll be here in a little while."

Mister West muttered, "Of course he's here."

The retired sergeant smirked as he commented to his former son-in-law, "Of course he'd be here. Where else would he be?"

Roy exchanged an annoyed glance at his former father-in-law, but the older gentleman smiled in return.

About ten minutes later, everyone was settled around the dining room table with a few having to stand, eagerly socializing. Ian was once again sitting in Jade's lap ready to eat a light meal and she was more than happy to help feed him even if he could do just fine on his own.

Ruby was standing off to the side in the kitchen with a drink in hand, idly chatting with Barry and brought up, "Jade asked Steven if he was her father." She took a quick sip from her drink then dismissively laughed, "And he said yes of all things. I can't believe Roy would put such an idea in her head."

Barry knotted his brow and asked with a surprised filled voice, "Steven's not?"

The dark haired woman would have laughed at anyone else asking as she would naturally assumed it was a bad tasting joke, but this was Barry, so she looked at him completely flabbergasted and was stunned to silence. She finally was able to form words and asked, "What? Y-y-you think he is?"

He shrugged a shoulder and innocently answered, "Yes. Two days apart, the similarities Jadelyn has with Carlotta and Spencer and him. I just assumed it was Taylor's idea since you had such a hard time conceiving with Roy. It's not like the idea would have occurred to Steven."

If he was any other man, she'd think he was insane and insulted, but since he was Barry, she was filled with curiosity of why he would think such a thing. "Taylor's idea?"

"Of course. Taylor loved you like you were her sister and wanted you to be happy. I think she would do just about anything for you. Dropping a hint to Steven then looking the other way for a night…"

Ruby slightly frowned and looked away, unable to maintain eye contact with the doctor.

Back at the dinning room table, Cat happily introduced an older woman with a lighter shade of red hair that had driven her to West home to Jade, "Jade, this is my Grandmother, Nona."

The pale girl smiled up to her and answered, "Hello Miss Nona. It's nice to finally put a face to a name."

"It's nice to meet you too dear. I'm glad you're alright."

"Aunt Nona!" a voice laughed out behind her.

The redheaded older woman turned to the blue eyed Dorfman walking away from Ruby and happily asked as soon as she recognized him, "Barry! What are you doing here?"

He thumbed over to Mrs. West and answered, "Ruby called me for Jadelyn. She and Taylor were very close." He motioned over to Carly and Spencer sitting on the other side of the table, the siblings becoming quite confused by this unknown woman being one of their relatives, and he stated, "These are Taylor's children, Carlotta and Spencer _William_ Shay."

Beck was sitting on the same side of the table as his Seattle friend and curiously questioned, "Carlotta?"

Barry quickly answered, "She's named after the character in Phantom of the Opera. Taylor loved the novel."

Nona turned to the Shay children and happily introduced herself, "I'm your great-aunt, your grandfather William Dorfman's sister."

Cat knotted her brow. She softly asked, "I didn't know you had a brother Nona?"

She slightly frowned and answered with a slightly sullen tone, "He passed on when you were a little girl."

Mister Lynn held up his glass of ice tea and called out, "To Colonel William 'Dorf' Dorfman. One of the only two decent officers that I've ever known."

The teenagers curiously looked to one another, but soon held up their glasses and joined in the toast.

Ruby muttered, "Now that would explain the resemblance to Taylor."

Freddie spoke up, "And the love of red velvet cupcakes."

Cat eyes opened wide at the mention of cupcakes and looked to Carly and excitedly yelled, "We need to get some cupcakes!"

The Seattle brunette raised a finger and stated, "We're going on a cupcake run!" She got up and grabbed Cat by the wrist to head for the kitchen and garage, the redhead giggling the entire way.

Ruby shook her head. "Definitely related."

Sam snorted out a laugh before taking a sip of her drink, "_Dorf_man."

Mister Lynn, Ruby, Nona and Barry shouted as one, "It's German!"

Los Angeles Police Department Headquarters  
100 W 1st Street  
Los Angeles, CA

Detective Vega was sitting behind his desk as he tried to finish the paperwork in regards to the whole Brain Squeezers fiasco. They had arrested the executive producer, the host and several of the crew that were dropping things on their heads. Those individuals weren't willing to say who dropped what, so they were all hauled in and were going to be charged with conspiracy so the DA wouldn't have to prove which person dropped what.

A voice called out and pulled him out of his thoughts, "Detective Vega?"

Mister Vega looked to the sound of the voice calling him and stared to answer in a polite tone, "Yes, I'm Detecti—Colonel Shay isn't it?"

The former flyer smiled in return and politely nodded his head in acknowledgement, "Yes it is."

Mister Vega stood up and the pair shook hands, briefly recalling meeting the other near the beginning of the year in regards to Nevel Papperman. "I heard about Jade's recovery. Some miracle, huh?"

"Yes it was a miracle."

The detective leaned against the edge of his desk and asked, "What can I do for you Colonel?"

He gave the police detective a friendly smile and calmly asked, "I'd like to see Mister Smith. I doubt you've moved him."

The police detective gave a disappointing frowned and politely answered, "I can't let you do that and I don't think that would be a good idea even if I could."

Shay put on a bright smile and raised two fingers, "I just need two minutes, maybe not even that."

"I'm sorry. I can't let you see him."

The Combat Controller lost his friendly smile and took a step closer. He looked Vega straight in the eyes, dropped his voice and whispered, "You're going to give me those two minutes—one for each of your daughters that I saved from that Hellhole of Yerba before they were gang raped or _worst_. You owe me that much."

Mister Vega clenched his jaw tightly, in the Colonel throwing that up in his face that he let his daughters go to another country before finding out about it and pointing out that he was the one that had to save them. He finally answered, "I can give you two minutes as some excuse for him, but only two minutes."

Shay put on a big grin and answered in a cheerful voice, "Thanks."

About fifteen minutes later, the handsome African-American television producer was lead into one of the interrogating rooms. He complained, "I told you, I'm not talking to you without my lawyer."

Vega politely answered while he escorted the man to his seat, "I'm not going to be asking you any questions." He undid the handcuffs then left the room and let Colonel Shay enter.

Mister Smith curiously asked the war veteran, "Who are you?"

Shay just smiled as he reached up and unplugged the electrical cord to the camera in the room then took a seat across from the show producer.

Mister Smith cleared his throat, but sat up straight in his seat, not willing to be intimidated by what he saw as a police tactic to get him to confess.

The Colonel relaxed back in his chair and stated in an idle tone as if he was discussing the weather, "You are going to plead guilty to the highest charge they are going to bring against. No trial, no plea bargains. You're going to plead guilty and serve every bit of your time."

The producer snorted out a laugh and dismissively challenged, "Why would I do that?"

Shay maintained his smile as he replied, "Because if you don't, I'm going to kill you—with my bare hands if I have to. I'm not letting you just walk free after what you did. You almost put Jadelyn in her grave."

"You're going to kill me if I don't do what you want?"

"Yes."

Smith snorted out another laugh that turned into a full blown laugh. The Colonel continued to smile and the producer's laugh ceased and replaced with a nervous swallow at seeing the look in the Colonel's eyes.

"This isn't going to work to get me to confess to anything. I'm going to tell my lawyer of this conversation then I'm going to walk out of here."

"You can do that, walk out of here…" Shay's voice finally dropped to a chilly level, "Then you'll die."

Mister Smith cocked his head to the side and laughed again, "You just can't kill me and get away with it."

Colonel Shay leaned forward and rested his forearms against he table as he countered, "You're living in a post-nine/eleven world and I can kill just about anyone I want and justify it under protecting national security. Hell, I could get your name on the Presidential kill list and have the CIA do it for me, but no… I'm going to be the last thing you see before I send you to Hell."

The television producer nervously coughed then asked, "Why would you do that?"

Shay answered in barely above a whisper, "Because you tried to murder my daughter you son-a-bitch and if God hadn't saved her last night and she had died… you would be dead right now and anyone else that was stupid enough to get in my way to get to you."

The Colonel got up from his seat as the door opened to the room. "You remember that when it's time for you to plead guilty."

Mister Vega shut the door behind them after Shay exited the room and hissed out, "He's going to tell his lawyer, bring that up in arraignment and walk free."

Shay flippantly remarked, "Then he'll be dead in a week."

"I should arrest you for that."

"Then the next day you'll be snatched off the street and sent to one of those CIA Black Sites as a favor to me. You make a lot of friends in my line of work in twenty-seven years. You have to in making Colonel."

"They don't have those anymore."

The Colonel softly chuckled then questioned in a tone that suggested that he thought Detective Vega was a foolish child, "You really believe that nonsense? You believe _him_?" Shay snorted out dismissively then turned to head towards the outside hallway and elevators.

"Colonel Shay?"

Shay stopped and slightly turned to meet Vega's eyes, "Yes?"

"If it had happened to one of my daughters… if Trina would have really gotten hurt… he wouldn't have made it to the station alive."

The former flyer nodded his head then turned to head out.

West Residence  
Sunday, June 3, 2012

True to the retired sergeant's word, when the get together was completed, he politely made sure the others left to allow Jade to just unwind and process everything that had happened over the last day. Colonel Shay had returned and was spending a little time with her mother before he would have to head on back to wherever they had flown him from since she wasn't… dying anymore.

The pale and naturally colored haired teenager was up in her room a few hours later, lying on her bed, wearing an older one of Freddie's Penny-Ts and a pair of his silk boxers and holding Easter to her chest as she watched the Director's Cut to 'The Scissoring'. Gently stroking the bunny's back, feeding him a piece of celery and watching her favorite film allowed her to relax and let the stress of the last day slip away, not to say that spending time with Ian wasn't just as relaxing and good for the soul. Before her stepbrother left, she had promised him that after exams and graduation was done, she'd spend a few days with him and go anywhere he wanted. She pushed aside the fact that the last day of school would be in sixteen days.

She was pulled out of her relaxation by Freddie softly knocking on her opened door and calling out, "Hey?"

"Hey?" she whispered back with a smile.

"I don't mean to disturb you, but could we talk?"

She continued to gently smile to him then answered, "Of course." She picked up Easter off of her abdomen and sat up then got off the bed to walk over to the several story high 'Bunny Mansion' and placed the brown and white bunny back inside. She secured it close and left the celery piece for him.

He took a seat on her bed and started with a hesitant tone, "You said you didn't hear anything while you were… in a coma? I know there are cases where people can hear… sometimes trapped in their bodies and can't respond."

She walked over and had a seat next to him. She took his hand and answered, "I guess I was pretty deep in the coma… or maybe my brain was as scrambled as an egg at the time. I guess I'll never know."

He gave her a nervous expression and asked, "If you don't mind, I'd like to tell you what I told you just before you were healed."

She gently nodded.

He slid off the bed to kneel in front of her.

She softly bit her bottom lip from the choice of how he was continuing the conversation.

"I've known that I've loved you like we've meant it for months and I knew we'd have Sapphire, but realized while sitting with you that I was going to be spending the rest of my life with you one way or the other… whether you didn't survive the night or when I died sometime in my early one hundreds. I knew that when it looked like no one was going to answer our prayers and I told you this: I love you… I hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, _in sickness_ and in health, to love and to cherish you until death us do part… I promise you… please come back to me."

Jade took in a sharp breath with her eyes wide open.

He slipped his hand into his jean pocket and pulled out his Hollywood Arts Class ring that he had arrived earlier in the week with a gold chain running through the loop. He held up the class ring (the stone being jade), pausing for a moment for her permission to allow him to fasten the necklace around her neck. She barely nodded her head to signal her permission, pulled her hair up to the back of her head and he completed putting the necklace on her while idly commenting, "Since my fingers are so big and you couldn't wear it…" He finished clasping the necklace on her then rested his hands on her knees while she let her hair fall on her shoulders.

"…and this is a… physical token to represent my vow to you… a wedding band substitute."

She threw her arms around his shoulders, wrapped her arms behind his neck and pulled him tightly against. She closed her eyes tightly as the moisture instantly formed in her eyes. She took several calm breaths then choked out in a whisper, "You skipped a step."

He palmed between her shoulder blades and whispered in return, "I know, but didn't know if you would ever wake up and if you did, if you'd be capable of saying yes to me. I was going to stay with you either way."

She pulled back and rested her hands on his shoulders. A stray tear rolled down her face as she replied, "But I can say yes now."

He smirked in return and playfully answered, "Yes you can, but doesn't mean I meant my vow any less or I'd take it back." His voice became serious as he finished, "And it doesn't mean you have to say yes either. I'm just telling you my feelings."

She softly smiled to him then gently took his left hand and placed it on her lower abdomen. She whispered, "You already know this, but just to make it crystal clear, the answer is yes, I will marry you then one day I'm going to conceive Sapphire right here with you. We're going to raise her in this mansion in Beverly Park where I'm this big musician and actress and you're going to be this technical genius working in movies and we're going to be very happy."

He let out a soft laugh, thrilled with her answer and her plans for them. He playfully asked, "You're so sure?"

Her smile slightly faltered as more ghosts of memories passed through her head then answered, "Yes. I have to have some faith… especially after last night."

He beamed a smile to her and cupped her cheeks before he captured her lips. She eagerly returned the kiss, parting her lips slightly and pouring some of the torrent of emotions that she had felt over the last week since he was stung by the bee into the kiss.

He pulled his hands away from her cheeks and slid them down to her hips so when he stood up, he could pick her up a little to slide her across the bed and he could join her. They instantly started to cuddle and trade slower, chaster kisses as they realized that there was no rush and had the rest of their lives then a few minutes later, settled into each others arms in peace and watched the rest of the movie.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you liked this second half and technically three part take on 'Brain Squeezers'. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Scratch that, enjoyed it more since yesterday it was getting kind of tedious in writing. Since I updated this much so soon, I'm not sure about a Thursday update with 'The Slap Fight'. I'll have to see. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think. Oh, and I made up Smith for the Brains Squeezer producer as the character had no apparent name in the credits, so I used the actor's real last name.

Special Guest Appearance by Jennifer Connelly as Ruby Lynn West  
Special Guest Appearance by Joe Flanigan as Colonel Steven "Loco" Shay  
Special Guest Appearance by Michael Ironside as Mister Lynn  
Special Guest Appearance by Jensen Ackles as Dean Hale  
Special Guest Appearance by Julie McNiven as Anna  
Special Guest Star Miranda Cosgrove as Carly Shay  
Special Guest Star Jennette McCurdy as Sam Puckett  
Special Guest Star Jerry Trainor as Spencer Shay  
Guest Star Maree Cheatham as Nona  
Guest Star Quinn Friedman as Ian West


	42. Chapter 42: iStart Another Fan War P1

Hello everyone and happy July! Sorry for the lateness of this chapter, but I got behind in writing over last week and it turned out that this chapter works better as a two-parter. The second half should be up later in the week. Also, it is a major departure from the original episode as I point out why at the end of the chapter Author's Note.

Fanfic-Reader-88: Well many people don't see an out and out miracle, so comprehension is sometimes a trick when seeing one. Heck, even the Apostles sometimes couldn't comprehend what they start at first.

Where is Dusty? An ongoing question.

As I tell Challenge King: Angels have their wicked schemes and Freddie isn't the only that is not happy with her.

Why is everything thinking Jade is correct in her assessment? How do you know he isn't telling the truth? Yes, Shay would kill that producer as there is a line I wanted to put in for Shay to tell Mister Vega, but couldn't manage it: "I've killed for your kids, you don't think I'd kill for my own?"

Mister Hale is not in the dark about anything, that's all I'll say.

Jeremy Shane: I hope you enjoy this one

PD31: Perception dictates reality and he's seeing reality in a totally different light or more actually, more wavelengths on the EM spectrum than just visible light.

How do you know the Colonel wasn't telling her the truth and that Barry is right? Maybe Jade's just not as good at picking up lies as she think she is?

Sam is always the wild card, especially in the growth department. Unfortunately, I can't wave a wand and fix Dan as apparently he has to her in S&C. Heck, on the last episode I thought I was watching Dusty in Sam's body by her actions then again it was confirmed that S&C is a completely different universe from canon iCarly.

Agent-M-0167: Fortunately as a writer, all the actors are on call when I need them, except Danny Woodburn aka Mitch; the guy stays busy. He's going to be Splinter in a new TMNT movie of all things.

The funniest thing about the stuff Dan's put in is that he's Jewish. I haven't had in vocal negative responses to the mysticism I've employed during the course of the story, but I have tried my best to keep it within the confines of the rules Dan established in the shared universe: Mitch, a Judeo-Christian angel, Magic Malika, some kind of explanation to Sam and if you want to go back further with Drake and Josh due to Helen, a character named Henry Doheny has real powers like Malika. I've also only used them to further the story in a similar vain as he did in iChristmas.

ICVRFF: Whenever you get a chance to further comment, I appreciate them.

Challenge King: Yes, Anna was taking advantage of the situation as Rhianna says in one of her songs: 'Even angels have their wicked schemes'. Are you sure the Colonel isn't Jade's father? I mean even his former brother-in-law and Mister Lynn thinks he's Jade's father due to the circumstances and coincidences between her, Carly and Spencer. Watch 'Car, Rain and Fire' when Jade mocks Tori near the end with her laugh, Spencer has the same kind of mocking laugh.

I would say the proposal was odd in the sense that it was redundant in that they already knew they were going to get married and be together, so an outright proposal wasn't necessary. At some point during the story, I would say around the fact when they both acknowledged Sapphire was what they were going to name a daughter then the really accepted that they would be husband and wife one day.

One last thing PMD31, updated 'A Place to Call Home', so you should check it out.

Rating: T Language

* * *

Chapter 42: iStart Another Fanwar Part 1

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Jade and Freddie walked hand-in-hand, fingers laced as they entered Hollywood Arts. The purple streaked and now back to her darker brunette hair color however still missing facial piercings teenager felt confident as she walked into the school in her long sleeve gray shirt with the portrait of a bald eagle on front and her NYC Militia skirt. What starkly contrasted against the dark colors was the gold class ring with the jade stone hanging from her neck from the gold chain.

The other students mingling about in the hallways and stairwell before the first class stopped and looked at the pair walking inside. Jade had tweeted a few messages to the world since Sunday that she was fine and she was recovering and resting in private.

She waved at them and flashed a crooked smile while she commented, "I'm fine. I'm great." She turned to round the corner to her locker before anyone could speak to her, but instantly stopped when she saw various sticky notes, cards taped to the locker or tied with ribbons to the sticking out scissor handles.

She took a few moments to read the sticky notes then opened some of the cards then took a step back and looked on in awe at seeing all the get well wishes, thoughts and prayers the students of Hollywood Arts had left her. She took a deep breath and tried to hold back the overwhelming emotion she suddenly felt. She didn't want any of them to see her cry as she felt the familiar sensation behind her eyes that told her that was about to happen. She looked away from the locker while she still had her composure to look at the scattered students still mingling in the hallway.

She cleared her throat and called out in a guarded tone, "Thanks… I appreciate it."

The various students started conversing among themselves, surprised that she would respond, just as the couple's group of friends minus Trina and Sinjin approached from down the hall. Tori was the first to speak with an obvious happy tone, "You're back?"

Jade rolled her eyes then answered, "Yeah, I'm back."

The brunette curiously asked in response, "Just two days off?"

Jade nodded off to the side. "I'm fine—I'm better than fine. There wasn't any point of missing any more days when this is review week. We got at least a few exams next week even if we're seniors and I don't want to mess those up."

The longer haired brunette motioned with a hand and pointed out, "Yeah, but… I'm sure they could put them off for you. That was a pretty traumatic experience—"

"Which I don't remember having. I got hit, didn't even feel the pain, I went out like a light then I woke up. Besides, I can't put off exams; we're graduating the week after and I can't miss walking."

The others started looking among themselves as they had their doubts that it was that clear cut for the teenager and she could just shake off nearly dying that easily. However, no one had the courage to voice such a concern, well not at the moment anyway.

Cat spoke up in a surprisingly sad tone, "Yeah, graduating and… we'll all be separated."

Freddie gave her a sympathetic smile and answered, "Cat, we have the summer and we're all staying in L.A. We're not really going to be separate."

The redhead bowed her head and whispered in an unconvincing tone, "Yeah, we're all going to be in L.A."

Jade and Freddie spared each other quick glances, unsure to why Cat suddenly had doubts. Everyone was staying either for school, music, acting or a combination of the three. The situation wouldn't be like it was at Hollywood Arts, but the group would be together in some form or fashion at least for the foreseeable future.

Tori let out an awkward laugh to break the tension and asked, "What have you been doing?"

Jade turned to her locker to start grabbing what she needed for the day from her locker while answering, "Playing video games, working out, studying." She glanced at Freddie in mild annoyance.

Freddie held his hands up in defense and softly laughed, "You needed to play the video games to try test out your motor and cognitive skills; doctor's orders."

"Carly and Spencer's Uncle Dorfman is not my doctor."

The former tech-producer laughed, "I didn't see you making any complaints to your mom."

She shook her head and tried to not roll her eyes while closing up her locker after stuffing the notebook in her Gears-of-War bag.

Ava pointed out, "You dyed your hair back, but no piercings?"

Jade shrugged a shoulder and answered, "I didn't want to go out and be harassed by the paparazzi. We were able to dodge them this morning as they finally gave up staking out in front of the house. I think I'll probably get re-pierced up in Seattle when Freddie and I go up there this weekend."

Freddie playfully reminded her, "You know your mom wants you to wait until _after_ graduation."

The blue eyed girl rolled her eyes then grudgingly replied, "I'll think about it." She shook her head and muttered in irritation, "Lost the piercings and my tattoo and I'll probably have to wait until after my birthday because my mom wasn't happy I got it in the first place. There's no way I'm going to be able to pull the same stunt twice to get one."

Freddie answered in a solemn tone, "Better to lose the piercings and tattoo than you."

The couple shared a poignant look before Tori curiously spoke up, "Seattle? Why are you heading up there?"

Freddie broke his look away from Jade then happily laughed as he placed an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. "Monday Jade got invited to Webicon to speak about her short films."

Ava knotted her brow in annoyance and remarked with a clearly irritated voice, "Why didn't I get an invite? I'm the star of 'The Scissoring'."

Jade slightly pursed her lips as she softly eyed the shorter brunette.

"What? We've been through this: you gave me top billing for the film."

Freddie laughed, "Well why don't you come with us and crash?"

She thought about if for a moment and idly commented, "Weekend before exams to Seattle…" She rolled her eyes and groaned, "I'd have to spend the weekend with my sister and see my mother." She put on a bright smile and eagerly commented, "I think I'll skip it."

The former Seattleite laughed and shook his head.

The first bell sounded throughout the school signaling that the students should start on their way to their first class of the day. The group turned and started walking down the hall as a group.

Jade idly complained despite the fact that she would get to spend first period with Freddie, "Why are we going to this film class again this morning?"

They passed glances to her and she quickly explained, "We saw Sikowitz's tweet about getting out of our regular first periods."

Beck spoke up, "Because Tilda asked Sikowitz if he'd let us give her class some pointers since they have short films due next Tuesday for their exams. We've adapted my short story with Dale in a day, we did 'The Blonde Squad' together for my semester project and you've done _two_ short films besides your scary one bathtub one, so we have a lot to offer them."

Jade nodded along to her ex-boyfriend having a very good point, but doubt that any of them would listen to her.

As they continued down the hallway to the Black Box Theater and passing Tori's locker, Jade cautiously spoke up, passing a particular glance to Ava, "Has anyone heard from Dusty? Ava?"

Ava spoke up with a regretful tone and answered, "No, but I know he's checking his voicemail because I'm able to leave messages."

Cat picked up, "There hasn't been one tweet on his Slap page."

Tori brought up to add, "I read something though that might tell us that he's still in L.A."

The blue eyed girl stopped (causing all of them to stop) and quickly asked, "What?"

The longer haired brunette turned and pulled out her PearPhone. She quickly brought up the story she saved and handed her phone to Jade. The dark brunette quickly skimmed the story and read off the highlights, "On Monday… a homeless Vietnam veteran that claimed to be blind for the last ten years… claims… he can suddenly see. He said someone…" Jade stop for a moment in repeating what she was reading and silently continued. After another few moments she continued with an increasing astonished expression, "…touched his forehead and the next moment he could see. He stated that it was a teenager wearing a Penny T-shirt… made famous by new music sensation Jade West… that had the words: 'Fade/Jeddie Shipper' printed on it."

The couple's eyes opened wide and looked to Tori.

The younger Vega sister smirked and playfully asked, "Remind you of anyone?"

Beck scratched the side of his head and asked, "How is that related to Dusty?"

Jade handed the phone back to Tori as she looked to her boyfriend and was about to answer, but Jade cut her off, "No."

"No?"

Jade reiterated, "No, give Dusty some respect and don't tell everyone what you're thinking."

"Why? They're going to figure it out on their own eventually. The Church is investigating what happened to you as a miracle."

Everyone other than Cat looked on in confusion as they knew there was more to what happened to Jade that they weren't told and it had something to do with Dusty taking off without being seen for the last three days.

The darker brunette slightly frowned as Tori was correct; yesterday they had got a call from someone from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles as a number of their parishioners wanted it to investigate her recovery as a miracle. She took a calming breath, but it wasn't enough as she sharply retorted, "Because I'm _asking_ you to, okay?"

Tori looked at her wide eyed then glance to Freddie then Beck then back to Jade and nodded. "Okay, I won't say anything, but… if someone from the Church asks me what happened, I'm going tell them what I saw. You can't ask me to keep it a secret from them. I can't lie to the Church."

Jade pursed her lips then answered in a guarded tone, "You do what you feel your faith calls you to do."

The girls shared a nod then a moment later the group started back on their way to the Black Box, but just as the reached the back entrance of the theater, Ava stopped them and warned, "Oh, before we go in, if Sinjin ask you about his new spray tan, tell him that it doesn't look naturally _before_ he takes his shirt off."

Tori asked with a sour face, "He's taking his shirt off?"

"Yeah, but the only one I want him to be taking his shirt off for is _me_."

Jade closed her eyes and shivered at the mental image.

Vega Residence  
Hollywood Hills  
Los Angeles, CA  
Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Tori was sitting on the step wrapped around the kitchen dividing wall reading over some of her notes on her PearPad in reviewing for one of her exams for next week.

Trina quietly walked out from the doorway next to the stairs and noticed her sister studying and a devious idea came to her. She continued her quiet approached from behind Tori until she was right behind her then yelled, "Booga-booga!"

The PearPad tumbled out of Tori's hands and onto the floor as she turned and shouted, "Ah!"

At that moment, Trina was able to snap a picture of her shocked sister with her PearPhone. She started laughing while cradling her abdomen with a hand and glancing at the screen of her telephone, "Oh my God! You look so funny in this pic!"

Fortunately, the Pad was more durable than then last two generations of PearPhones and landed on a carpeted surface. She picked it up and placed it next to where she was seated then got up to follow her sister and asked, "Lemme see it?!"

Trina casually walked passed her to the kitchen table where her PearBook was open and on her Slap page. She slightly turned when she reached the end of the table and answered, "If you wanna see it, you can go to TheSlap dot com later and look at my page."

"You are not putting that pic on TheSlap."

Trina started sliding her right pointer finger over the built in mouse pad while answering, "Oh yeah, I am. I have an album on my Slap Page—" She turned to face her sister as finished, "—called 'My Icky Little Sister'."

"That is so... ah, who cares? I mean, because what do you have, like thirty-four followers?" Tori turned to go back to studying and dismissively blew out, 'Pffftt'."

The older sister laughed as she turned away from her orange cased PearBook, "Uh, I happen to have nine thousand and seventy-seven followers. So 'pffftt' to you." She tapped the mouse pad then waved at the computer screen at the brought up number of followers

Tori turned and walked back to the computer to see the screen snapped back in shock, "You have nine _thousand_ and seventy-seven followers?! How do you have so many?!"

Trina crossed her arms under her chest and across her abdomen and softly mocked, "Because I'm amazing, I'm pretty, I'm smart, I'm pretty... and how many followers do you have?"

The younger sister walked past her and quickly brought up her Slap page and her number of followers. She took a step away to allow Trina to view the screen. The older Vega sister took a look at the screen and her mouth immediately dropped open and she softly muttered, "Over nineteen million!" She turned to face Tori, put on a deep frowned and snapped, "Well that's because two hundred million people saw you perform at the Platinum Music Awards!"

Trina tightened her arms under her chest and pouted then took the seat in front of her computer to finish transferring the picture from her phone to the computer so she could upload it to her page.

The glasses wearing sister's smile started fading then asked in a concerned, "Trina, we never talked about this, but… does it bother you that I got to perform? That it was me instead of you?"

Trina barely glanced over her right shoulder and snapped, "Of course it doesn't bother me."

Tori walked around her to take the cattycorner seat to Trina's left. She gave her older sister a hesitant expression and asked, "Please don't be jealous. Please don't be mad at me over this."

Trina kept her focus on her phone and the screen while replying, "I'm not jealous and I'm not mad. I'm already becoming a popular comedian on a show that is huge in Mexico and is starting to beat network television in the US."

The younger brunette quietly observed her sister for a few moments until Trina spoke up with a hint of desperation in her voice, "Just let me have this with no jokes from you. I know how people see me and I know Jade's right about no one liking me, so let me have what little popularity I'm getting."

Tori softly nodded her head and embarrassingly suggested, "I—I could tweet about you and tell my followers that they should follow you because…" She cracked a genuine smile while finishing with a soft laugh, "…you're amazing, you're pretty, you're smart, you're pretty…"

Trina continued wearing her frown as she answered, "I don't want your charity, but…" then started returning the smile, "…I appreciate the thought."

The sisters shared a laugh then Tori playfully poked her sister. "Finish posting your pic of me being your icky sister so we can get to some studying. You've been in high school for the last five years; don't you think it's about time you got out?"

She rolled her eyes and mockingly laughed out, "Ha, ha, ha. I just didn't want to miss out on all of Hollywood Art's four year education like you're going to miss just because I went to Sherwood for my freshman year. At least I'm not Sinjin who's taken the last five to make it this far. Is he even graduating this year or is he going to be stuck there for a sixth year?"

Tori shook her head with a laugh as she got up to retrieve her PearPad so they could get on to studying.

Jadelyn 'Jade' West's Room  
West Residence  
Los Angeles, CA

Jade had just finished her evening routine before going to bed and now stood at the side of her bed, but she couldn't slip under the covers. She slightly frowned as she felt a weight on her shoulders and in her chest. She knelt on both her knees just in front of the side of the bed and put her elbows on the bed then laced her fingers while putting her hands together.

She cleared her throat then swallowed down her apprehension. She took a deep breath, slightly looked up to the top of the wall in front of her then began, "Dusty? Can you hear me? I've never been one much for praying. I've never given much thought to God. I never understood the concept of a Heavenly Father being able to love me when the one right down here doesn't love me and now… now there's one willing to say he is and wanting to love me like I was his, but… that's another story."

She took another breath and licked her lips before continuing, "But I'm praying to you, that you'll hear me tonight—no sarcastic one—and come back to us. Freddie told me what your mother told him about… what you could be experiencing after you healed me, but…" She bowed her head to look at the fitted sheet over the mattress and placed her forehead against her hands. She blew out a breath. "You don't have to be afraid coming back. I remember things now from a life that didn't happen… saw things that won't happen and others that still might and I know you'll get through this and that you'll be happy here." She closed her eyes tightly and finished with a regret filled tone, "Don't give up graduation or your friends or… or your chance with Heather because of what you did for me. Don't you dare give up one more thing for being my friend… I've taken enough from you… too much."

The blue eyed looked up at the ceiling as the first tears started rolling down her cheeks.

She knelt there for a minute or so, unanswered by anyone then she bowed her head down and looked at the opposite wall. She softly muttered, "Where the Hell are you Dusty?"

Freddie stood at the threshold of her room as he had wanted to ask her if she wanted to leave early to meet up with the others to study before school, but stopped when he saw her praying. He had heard most of it and had hoped his friend would answer, but when he didn't, he bowed his head and turned away in silence not wanting to intrude on such a private moment.

Jade waited for another ten minutes or so before giving up on hearing an answer then slipped into bed to get a semi-peaceful night sleep.

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Thursday, June 7, 2012

The group of friends sat around their usual table for a relaxing lunch to what had been so far a relaxing day of easy going review classes. Some of them didn't have a review at all and watched movies as being seniors they were exempt from exams other than the classes that had an ECO tests or some paper/project counting as an exam he or she had already submitted as for example Beck's 'The Blonde Squad'.

Freddie had suggested that they meet up tomorrow morning and for the rest of the week before school started for some light, quick warm-up reviews before any exam that morning. After agreeing to the idea, Tori idly commented, "I was studying last night and Trina scared me nearly to death with snapping a picture of me to put on her Slap page. She has a section called 'My Icky Little Sister'. After she put it up, I had to bug her to study or she would have kept tweeting all night to get more followers. I think on some level it bugs her that I have so many followers over her even if she doesn't want to be annoyed by it. I offered to recommend to my followers that they should follow her, but she didn't want the 'charity', but she's really happy for me."

Beck replied in a laugh, "I don't think anyone should care how many followers other people have."

The lovely brunette laughed out in response to her boyfriend, "So it doesn't bother you that Jade and I have something like nineteen million followers?"

He took his girlfriend's hand and sweetly answered, "Of course not. You two deserve that many after the PMAs."

She nodded along with a sip of her drink then answered, "Trina would agree with you on both parts. She just wants to be happy with the popularity she's finally getting. She's happy with her almost ten thousand followers."

The handsome actor's eyes shot open, "What?!"

André shouted in agreement, "Really?!"

Robbie was flabbergasted as he muttered, "What was that?!"

Cat shouted, "Whoa!"

Jade laughed out while pulling out her phone to check Trina's Slap page, "Okay, there is no way Trina Vega has that many followers..." Trina's Slap page appeared on her phone and she immediately shouted, "Oh my God, she has that many followers."

Freddie pointed out with a laugh before popping a French fry into his mouth, "Divertisimo is a hit in Mexico and it is on primetime on the Spanish Language Channel, so she's probably has that many followers as fans of the show. It's just going to go up from there."

During their two day break, Freddie finally took a chance to watch Divertisimo with the coincidence that the producers were taking advantage of the publicity surrounding Jade and put her segment on Monday Night. Jade had been quite displeased that Freddie had teased her about wearing the yellow dress, minus the 'cheese boob', in the future as he thought she looked good in it despite the fact that she hated yellow.

The others grudgingly nodded along to that explanation, but weren't too happy about it. Beck was the first to show his displeasure by throwing up his hands and getting out of his seat.

Tori called out in surprise, "Beck?"

He left his half-eaten lunch, grabbed his book bag and started walking off while shouting over his shoulder, "I gotta get more followers."

Robbie was the next one to get up from his seat at the table with André asking, "Where are you going?"

The curly haired teenager laughed, "For a walk in the sunshine."

The redhead happily shouted as she stood up from her seat and pulled her book bag onto her shoulder, "Ooh, I'll come with you! I love sunshine!"

Tori called out in shock, "Hey! Are you guys just going to get more followers?"

Robbie lamely defended, "No."

Cat didn't hesitate to answer, "Yes, that's right."

The four remaining teenagers gave each other curious expressions before turning back to their respective lunches then Tori looked to Freddie and playfully asked, "Do you want to go and get more followers?"

The handsome teenager softly chuckled before eating another French fry, "Nah, I'm happy with my three hundred thousand followers."

In Route to West Residence

Jade quietly looked out the passenger window of the Charger as Freddie drove them home after the easy going school day. He had noticed that other than lunch, she had been pretty quiet all the times he had seen her through the day. She was oddly quiet even during Sikowitz's class and just resting her head on his shoulder.

He broke the silence by cautiously starting, "I ah… didn't mean to overhear last night, but just before I went to bed, I stopped by your room to suggest the study group and heard you… praying, including to Dusty. I didn't want to disturb you, so I went back to my room."

She continued to look out to the passing scenery and answered, "He won't answer phone calls, texts or tweets… Heather never called and won't return my calls or messages, so… it was the only thing I had left that he might answer to."

He didn't want to laugh and be dismissive of the idea, but his response was awkward, "Ah… how—how do you know that would work? His mom's an angel, but does that mean you could pray to him for you to hear?"

Jade focused out to the passing sidewalk where she saw an elderly couple walking down the sidewalk, hand-in-hand and perfectly content as a stray thought crossed her mind: _Freddie continued to compress Jade's chest as he shouted, "Dusty! Dusty! Get your ass back here! Don't you dare leave me again! Breathe!_

Freddie spared a glance to the back of Jade's head as his girlfriend answered, "He can hear me, but I don't know why he won't answer."

"How do you know?"

She turned and looked at his profile and answered with a tone that clearly showed that she didn't want to answered, "I can't talk about how I know right now. I'm not ready to talk about it."

Freddie swallowed as he focused on the road then uttered with a bit of fear lacing his voice, "As much as that worries me… you tell me when you're ready."

She turned her attention to the front of the car and uttered, "Thanks."

"But… if I may? What was that part about someone wanting to be your father and love you like you were his own?"

She debated for a few moments whether to bring it up or not, but finally decided to tell him, "It's what I talked about with my mom and the Colonel when I asked you and everyone to leave the room. After almost that last year and some things I've learned about him… I asked him if he was my father."

Freddie's eyes immediately shot open and he had to pull over to a parallel parking spot on the road they were driving down.

Jade looked on in surprise that he stopped the car, but before she could speak, he asked, "You did what?"

She knew he had clearly heard her the first time, but she decided to humor him and answer, "I asked him if he was my father."

"Why would you ask him that?"

"Because he's my mom's oldest friend and over this last year has shown more love and care for me and turns out longer than that than my own father then there's some characteristics I share with Carly and Spencer."

He couldn't believe he was asking the question, but asked it anyway, "What did he say?"

"He told me yes and that he loved me very much."

Freddie's jaw dropped as he stared at her wide eyed.

"But… I know he's lying—the father part, not the loving part. He's very good at lying that for a moment, I thought he was telling the truth about being my father."

"Why would he tell you that?!"

She looked down at her lap and answered, "Maybe because a part of me wished it was true and he could sense that? He has done a lot for me. You never really talked about your absent father and you may have come to peace with that, but… I do wish I had a father that loved me."

He softly bit his tongue as he didn't want to discuss his feelings about his absentee father. He decided to set that aside for a moment and asked, "What did you tell him?"

"Nothing. We hugged and he left the room so I could get dressed to leave." She cracked a smile as she continued, "He said he was going to take the chance to spend time with 'my brother and sister'." She snorted out a laugh at the idea that after everything of Carly being her half-sister, but the Shay siblings being her siblings (far more in Carly's case than Spencer) wasn't such a repulsive idea as it would have been ten months again.

"So you didn't tell him that you knew the truth?"

"No."

He took a few seconds to gather his thoughts before asking, "Does Carly or Spencer know what he said? Is he going to lie to them? Carly would freak if she thought he could have cheated on her mom with your mom."

"I don't know how he's handling it, but I'm just going to stay quiet about that whole thing. I'm not going to do that to Carly."

"Did he ask you to do that?"

"No."

Freddie looked back to the front windshield and idly commented, "What is he playing at?"

"I don't think he's playing. He wants me to see him as a father if I need one and he'll figure out the rest."

He raised an eyebrow and challenged, "By potentially destroying the rest of his family with a lie of adultery?"

Jade looked away as she answered, "That's on him and I'm going to respect his decision."

Freddie blew out a breath. "And if Carly or Spencer asks you about it?"

"Then I'll tell them what I think. I don't want them to think less of their father. I don't want them to feel what I've felt for years."

He nodded along and looked over his shoulder to see if he could pull back into traffic. "I guess will find out this weekend when we see them."

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Friday, June 8, 2012

Tori rounded the corner at the end of the hallway by the janitor's closet and drink machines in frustration a few minutes before classes were to start on the bright Friday morning. She noticed Sinjin knelling down in front of his bottom locker and called out, "Sinjin... Sinjin..."

The curly haired teenager stood up from his locker, partially closing it and smiled at the lovely brunette. "Oh, hey Tori."

"What time is it?"

"Uh..." he started as he reached into his left front jean pocket to pull out his PearPhone then glanced at that screen to check the time. "…almost eight."

"That's so weird."

He slightly leaned down to her and whispered, "What, that I'm wearing my underwear backwards? How could you tell?"

Tori slowly answered, "I can't."

"Oh." He instantly brightened as he asked, "What's up?"

"I was supposed to meet André and Beck, Jade, Freddie, Cat and Robbie at seven-thirty for a study group to study for our exams, but only Jade and Freddie showed up."

He motioned to the janitor's closet behind her and answered, "Well, Robbie's in the janitor's closet."

The brunette slightly narrowed her eyes and whispered, "Why?"

Sinjin held up his hands as he answered, "Hey, I don't ask people why they're in closets." He completely closed his locker then turned to head in the opposite direction.

The lovely brunette shook her head then headed for the janitor's closet with a quick look back over her right shoulder. She opened the door just as Robbie was finishing recording a message on his aqua colored PearPhone, "And be sure to tell all your friends to follow me on The Slap... and now the contest... Begins!"

She asked in mild disbelief, "What are you doing?"

"Uploading a video to The Slap."

The brunette softly whined, "But we were all supposed to meet in the library to study at seven-thirty."

"Well, I'm busy getting more followers. See, I'm having this contest... Because contests are one of the best ways to get more followers."

"Well, what kinda contest?"

"It's called 'Where's Robbie?' See, every hour, I tweet a video of myself, in a secret location and my first follower who finds me gets a cool prize."

"So, what prize did you offer just now?"

He lifted his left foot and answered in a husky voice, "My sneakers."

"Well, we really need to get to study for our exams, so why don't we go... ah!"

She was cut off and trapped between the door and the supply shelf when the janitor's closet door suddenly burst open and a number of students shoved their way inside. Burf lead the group and shouted, "There he is!" as they rushed to pull his sneakers and so off his feet.

During the struggle she was able to shout out, "Hey! Ow! What are you doing?"

Robbie was able to shout out, "Those are my shoes! Watch my sore toe!"

Once they had pulled off his shoes and shocks, they dashed out of the closet with Robbie pathetically whining and sitting in the sink. Tori shook her head and walked out of the closet without a second look. She couldn't work up the sympathy for him with him ditching them from studying and offering his shoes to those that found him.

She walked down the hall and spotted Cat entering the school. She quickly made her way down the hall to catch up with her redhead friend and called out, "Cat? Hey! Hey, Cat!"

The petite girl looked down at her phone and started texting away as she spoke, "Tori... just... said hey... to... me."

"Ya know, we're supposed to meet up to stud together right now for our exams?"

The redhead looked down at her phone again and tapped while muttering, "Tori... just... reminded me... about our... exams. Hash-tag, don't... care."

Tori asked in an exasperated voice, "Will you put your phone down and talk to me?"

"I can't. I'm doing a thousand tweets a day."

"For what?"

"Because the more you tweet, the more followers you get."

The taller girl softly laughed out dismissively, "Yeah, but there's no way you can think of a thousand things to tweet every day."

Cat turned to walk away and started typing again, "I... like... birds and cheese..."

Black Box Theater  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA

Tori shouted as she found André sitting on a piano bench with his back to the piano, "There you are."

"Oh!" he shouted in surprise and stuffed his green cased PearPhone into his jean pocket. He rested his back against the piano and forced a casualness to his voice, "Hey, what's up Tor?"

"Why aren't you in the library with us studying?"

He cleared his throat, stood up from his seat and straightened his purple shirt as he shouted in an unconvincing voice, "Because everybody's running around trying to get more followers, and... I'm disgusted by all the nonsense!"

"Well, so am I!"

He shouted in defense, "You started the nonsense!"

"I didn't start it! I just told you how many followers Trina has." She closed her eyes and shook her head in mild disgust. She threw up a hand and commented, "I'm gonna go get ready for first period."

He threw up his hands up agreed in a lower voice to ease Tori's tension, "I'll see ya there."

As soon as she exited the theater, he pulled out his phone back out of his pocket and started recording, "Okay, everybody out there on The Slap dot com... It's your man André, tell all your friends..."

Tori stepped back into the theater and shouted with an accusatory finger point, "Ah ha!"

The songsmith shouted back in horror, "Ah!"

"I caught you! Slap-handed!"

He blew out a tired breath and answered, "Look, I can deal with having less followers than Trina, but I will not have less followers than Robbie!" He aggressively pointed down to the floor and shouted, "I can not have it!"

Tori turned, threw up her left hand and responded in disgust, "Ugh, pathetic!"

André shouted as she walked out of the theater, "I can't be last! I can't! I can't!"

Advance Acting II  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Friday, June 8, 2012

The group of teenagers finally decided to take a break from their Slap fight to show up for Sikowitz's class despite the fact there wasn't much point to showing up. Sikowitz wasn't going to have an exam for the class as he didn't see what else he could test them on after his astronaut and the submarine play along with most of them participating in Beck's 'The Blonde Squad' over the last semester, so he was spending the last week to cover anything he wanted, but hadn't gotten a chance over the semester. He was doing a quick review on the types of theater with a little more detail of each over the next few days, starting with realism today followed by expressionism, absurdism and something called 'squatalism' on next Wednesday.

As Sikowitz was really getting into his lecture, Jade's phone beeped and she quickly pulled out her PearPhone from her bag. She looked down at it while Sikowitz softly admonished, "Jade?"

The purple streaked hair girl ignored him and looked on in shock as she whispered, "Dusty tweeted."

The others turned their attention to their pale friend due to her concern about the former webmaster over the last week.

Freddie scooted closer to her and looked down at her phone. "What did he say?"

She read off, "About to take on the King for hashtag Jade In Our Prayers, feeling… revolutionary, halo smiley face." She looked up to Freddie and asked, "What does that mean?"

Freddie eagerly suggested, "I don't know, tweet him back."

"What?"

He eyes opened wide and face drawn in surprise as he answered, "Anything? Where is he, how he's doing? Anything."

Sikowitz questioned again as he took a step down from the stage, "Jade?"

The dark haired teenager snapped off, "Back off! We haven't heard from him in nearly a week!"

The eccentric teacher took a step back in fear as Jade started typing away and read off what she typed, "At Dusty Hale. Don't! Come… home… now! Please!" She tapped the send button and called out without thinking, "Send."

Her DM was sent then she waited for a response. She nervously bit her bottom lip without thinking hoping that he would respond. The rest of the class was respectfully silent as she waited for that reply. Several minutes ticked past until her shoulders slumped as there was no tweet in return. She slumped back in her chair with a disappointed expression. She ignored the rest of the class and lecture and Sikowitz was inclined to leave her alone (as he was afraid she'd hurt him otherwise).

Freddie Benson: Catching early morning flight up to Seattle for Webicon _#DustyInOurPrayers_ FEELING: Pumped

Fredward 'Freddie' Benson's Former Room  
Benson Apartment  
Seattle, WA  
Saturday, June 9, 2012

Freddie looked into the mirror hanging on the inside door of his former closet to examine his costume. He had pulled out his Nug-Nug outfit from years ago that he once used to irritate Sam, before she became physically violent towards him. The blue shirt fit him far better than it had nearly five years ago as the costume had hung on his small frame and now the robe didn't drag across the floor due to his height.

He hoped he wouldn't embarrass Jade too much for dressing up since the last time he had to do the panel discussion with iCarly and couldn't cosplay, but didn't have to worry about it this time. Heck, he found it ironic that instead of having to sweet talk her into going, they were going so she could get a chance to interact with her fans about her films instead of just responding to the overwhelming comments.

He was also glad that they were getting away for the weekend as he had found out from Mrs. West that while he was at work Friday night, Jade had swung back and forth from moping to edgy while attempting to study. He saw it that Dusty's refusal to answer and perhaps the idea that she nearly died had finally started to get to her. He hoped that this break would let her unwind. If he was honest with himself, the trauma may have been finally catching up with him and expressing it in odd ways of stealing lustful glances at Jade in a subconscious way in wanting to consummate his declaration at the hospital. He found those feelings quite embarrassing.

He was pulled out of his thoughts as Jade playfully called out from the threshold of his former room, "How do I look?"

Freddie turned his head to see her and his mouth immediately dropped open. Jade was wearing a blue Star Trek Starfleet dress uniform from J.J. Abrams' _Star Trek_ that nearly matched her eye color where the hem stopped just above her mid-thigh and her fingertips. A black belt with a silver belt buckle with a Starfleet delta on it hung loosely on her hips with a communicator attached between it and a right hip holster with a TOS Phaser snuggly tucked in it. A thin black strap crossed her chest from her right shoulder and stopped at a TOS Tricorder. Her outfit was finished with her hair pulled back in a ponytail with her blue hair extensions also matching the dress. He lamely started, "Ah…"

She grinned as she placed her right hand on her right hip above the holster (pushing her Gears-Of-War bag hanging on her shoulder slightly behind her) and her other hand on her opposite thigh. "That was the reaction I was hoping for."

He snorted out a playful laugh, "You look fantastic. Are you really going to wear that to Webicon?"

"Yep, I thought I'd get into the spirit of the event."

"As much as I _love_ the outfit, I feel I should question whether you want to wear that since you're going for a panel discussion."

She brought her Gears-Of-War bag back around in front of her and stated, "In my supplies for the day, I'm carrying one of your Penny-Ts to put on when we get to that point. I will be sitting behind a table, so they won't see a costume to distract them."

He snorted out a laugh, "Sounds perfect."

She crossed the distance between them while reaching into one of the small, side zip pockets of her bag that she'd usually keep her keys if what she was wearing for the day didn't have pockets and pulled out Freddie's class ring and chain. She gently took his hand and put the piece of jewelry in his hand then commented, "I can't wear this today, so could you? I want it close and I don't want to lose it."

He returned with a smile and quickly put the necklace on around his neck.

Jade continued, "So are we riding with the Shays or are we meeting them there?"

"We're riding with them, but Sam, Brad and Gibby are meeting us there, so it'll be the four of us in their SUV."

"Good, I don't want to ride with Sam."

"It's a big place, so you'll probably at most say hi when we all get there then get lost in the crowd."

"Fine by me… so you're ready to go?"

He opened out his arms so she could get a good look at him then asked, "How do I look?"

She wasn't exactly sure how to judge such a thing, but answered, "Yeah, you look good."

The brown eyed teenager laughed, "Then I'm ready to go."

Shay Apartment  
Seattle, WA  
Saturday, June 9, 2012

Carly shouted while she headed for the apartment door after hearing a knock on it, "I got it." She went ahead to the door as she was ready to leave while Spencer was still in his room getting into costume.

The brunette opened the door to reveal Jade and Freddie. She let out a soft laugh at their appearance, but she could easily admit that Jade looked quite lovely in the dress. "Hey."

Freddie warmly smiled at her as the couple stepped inside. "Hey."

"Don't you two look the part?" she commented as she remembered his Nug-Nug costume and she had seen enough random bits and pieces of _Star Trek_ to recognize Jade's costume.

Freddie laughed as he turned to face Carly as the brunette shut the door behind them, "The costume fits far better than a few years ago."

Spencer exited his room in his costume from last year Aruthor, Defender of the Hoobscher Fyord from World of Warlords. He was about to introduce himself as the character, but laughed, "Wow Jade, great costume."

Jade passed a glance down at herself and answered, "Thanks Spencer. You look… I'm sure you look exactly who you're suppose to be."

"Thanks." He looked to Freddie and asked, "You haven't got her into World of Warlords yet?"

He wrapped his arm around Jade's shoulder and laughed, "I'm trying, but she's into her shooters."

The _Trek_ dressed teenager responded in a mildly defensive tone, "And he's finally getting good at them, but I think I've compromised with Galaxy Wars: Republic Commando Two. That's a good shooter."

He laughed and leaned over to steal a quick kiss from her cheek.

Spencer held up his staff and called out in an authoritative voice of his character, "Now that we've established how awesome we all look, I decree that it is time to go so that we can get good parking!"

Carly snorted out a laugh, "He means he wants to meet up with his new girlfriend Heather." She raised a hand and interrupted, "But before we go, I need to tell you something… I saw Dusty last night."

Jade quickly answered, "What? You saw Dusty?"

Spencer frowned as he knew that Carly was going to recount the tale that she should never have been a part of in the first place.

"I went to Dana's party, a smash party—Sam's old friend from juvie who just got out, but Sam told me not to go, but I went anyway. I wanted to prove that I was a big girl and can do more than go skirt shopping and make cupcakes, but… it was getting rough, so I called Brad and Gibby so they could swing by and give me an excuse to leave, but when they showed up, Dana and her friends, all thirty of them, more like twenty Dusty said, tied us up and started throwing dishes at us."

Freddie snapped in concern, "Oh my God, are you okay?"

Carly waved him off and answered, "We're all fine." She continued in a more serious tone, "Sam showed up at the front door to rescue us before they could hit us with any of the plates and was going to take them all on, but Dusty appeared literally out of nowhere between us and them. A lot of them were scared of Sam and Dusty, but it looked like they were going to fight them anyway, but then the lights started going off and on and it started thundering outside. The next thing I saw was…" She shook her head as she couldn't believe what she was saying, "Dusty has wings…" She started flapping her hands as she continued, "Big feathery shadow wings! It was…" She took several breaths as she wasn't sure how to describe the feeling.

Freddie finished for her in a sympathetic tone, "Terrifying."

Carly quickly nodded her head as her former tech-producer continued, sparing quick glances between the girls, "Anna did that when we first met to show she was an angel."

The Seattle brunette swallowed nervously then tried to laugh it off, "I think I prefer Mitch's card trick. Gibby wet his pants at seeing it… _I_ almost peed on myself."

Freddie shrugged a shoulder. "Anna thought Mitch's way was a little too Chris Angel for her taste."

"Anyway, a lot of them bolted after that and a few more words from Dusty got the rest to leave then he vanished in front of our eyes. He can be quite scary. I think even Sam was afraid of him."

Jade quickly asked, "But he's alright?"

The slightly older girl tried to reassure her, "Yeah, he seemed to me, just…"

The Angeleno pale teenager took a step forward and asked, "What?"

"So Dusty's an angel?"

The couple glanced between one another then Freddie questioned with a curious expression, "Your dad didn't tell you what happened?"

She knotted her brow. "What?"

Spencer looked on just as curious as Freddie bowed his head for a moment then answered, "No, Anna's his mom."

Her eyes shot open, "What?"

"He's a child of an angel, but it's not something we won't to spread around for obvious reasons."

The web-hostess awkwardly pointed out, "You know how crazy that sounds?"

Jade snorted out a laugh, "Yeah, but you just said you nearly peed yourself at what you saw. So it may sound crazy, but… you know what you saw."

Carly glanced away and at least to herself, she had to admit that the fellow pale girl was correct.

"Do you know why he showed up? Did you pray to him?"

Carly's brow knotted as she had no idea what Jade was talking about. "Pray to him?"

Jade closed her eyes and shook her head in defeat, "Never mind… let's just go." She walked passed her and headed to the elevator.

The other three quickly joined her in silence as it was quite clear that her sudden change in demeanor suggested that she wanted to drop the subject and to give her a few minutes to shake the melancholy off.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you are enjoying my take on 'The Slap Fight' so far. As you can tell, there are some major departures from the competition since even without my butterflying the canon with this story, the original episode doesn't make a bit of sense: Why are they working on a short film when they've done Beck's semester project already in 'The Blonde Squad'? Why is Tori reacting to Trina at all? She should have millions of followers due to the PMAs since TheSlap tweeting is just an interface to their version of Tweeter. If you think I may have given Tori and Jade too many followers in being comparable to already well established artist, I'd like to point out that in-universe the PMAs are watched by literally ten times more people than watch the Grammys. Also, if they weren't competing, they were only planning on filming for an hour and half since they were bothering to film it at school in the first place instead of doing it all over the weekend yet they couldn't get it together in 19 hours while being allowed to do it at school after school? At the end of the day, the episode made about as much sense as April Fools Blank.

Jade's Star Trek outfit is entirely inspired by a person named gilliestveit on tumblr who photomanipulated a pic of Liz from her Einstein benefit show last year, the one where she's in that white dress. I recommend you find it, because I thought it was pretty good. Also, Star Trek and Star Wars do exist separately outside of the parody of Galaxy Wars for a number of reasons (Freddie's commemorative plaque of a Phaser, Communicator and Tricorder; acknowledgement of Vulcans in iPsycho, Sam's Darth Vader impressions and Robbie's 'I Think You're Swell' Song), so she could wear it from Star Trek.

Also, if you're still wondering where Dusty is at the moment, I have wrote a little something that I'm posting at the same time as this chapter called: Big Time Revolution: Kings Fall or at Least Bow. As you may be able to tell from the title it is another crossover and it actually wraps up a potential storyline from an apparent innocent line from a previous chapter of 'We Love Each Other' and sometimes it is good to write out of your comfort zone. I hope you enjoy that story too.

Special Guest Star Miranda Cosgrove as Carly Shay

Special Guest Star Jennette McCurdy as Sam Puckett

Special Guest Star Jerry Trainor as Spencer Shay


	43. Chapter 43: iStart Another Fanwar P2

Hello everyone. I have the second half of the episode for you and I hope you will enjoy it.

Agent-M-0167: Well here is the second half and I hope you enjoy.

TenorSax93: Wait no longer!

darck ben: I think Holly Marie Combs would be an interesting choice for her mother.

Challenge King: I never liked how neglected their relationship was handled in the series as I always felt that once Dan used her to get Tori to the school, he really didn't know what to do with her even after three years. The outfit was inspired by the picture I ran across and I suggest looking it up from my author's note. The prayer was to show just how much Jade has grown and changed as a person since the beginning of the trilogy. Now here is the next part.

Fanfic-Reader-88: Dusty is still in the wind for the moment and we'll see how he ends up.

I upped the follower count from the episode because I would assume people would like her on her show and looking up similar real life shows, the attractive women on there have a fair amount of followers. I didn't give her more because she's only been on there for two weeks at most. Trina is sensitive about the issue just for the fact that her parents do love Tori more than her and find her an irritant. She does have room to boast as the others don't have numbers like that other than Tori for the PMAs, Jade for the same reason and Freddie because of his iCarly past.

Twilight Warrior 627: The gang is concerned because they have nowhere near as many followers. In the canon for the other characters other than Tori and Jade, their numbers are in the low hundreds at best.

The plot for the original episode was clearly intended to be pre-'The Blonde Squad'/'Tori Goes Platinum' and other than the fact that Beck and Jade were back together, we could have just chalked this episode up to one that was simply shown out of order. iCarly and Victorious for the most part have never been shown in order during a season. If you take the order of the episodes shown verse how I've done the chronologically for the story, they won't match up. I put them in production order unless they were clearly not intended that way such as 'The Gorilla Club' since that was filmed weeks after the Bade breakup, but they back filled it between 'The Breakfast Bunch' and 'The Worst Couple' as it was clear how out of the blue their break up was in the series and they wanted to give some hints that things were deteriorating between the couple.

Sinjin hacked TheSlap… you think one particular character from this story would disagree on how easily that could happen.

What will Tori do when she sees her man washing his car with his shirt? I guess you'll find out.

Rating: T Language, Adult Themes

* * *

Chapter 43: iStart Another Fanwar Part 2

Webicon 2012  
Washington State Convention Center  
800 Convention Plaza  
Seattle, WA  
Saturday, June 9, 2012

The ride was pretty pleasant for the quartet as Spencer's and Freddie's excitement was infectious enough to lift Jade out of her sullen loll, so when they quartet entered the convention center, everyone was excited for the day. As soon as they stepped inside, Jade stopped to take in all the sights and sounds. She had seen some random videos or news reports (even if she hated watching the news) of various Webicons and Comic-cons, but she didn't expect it to be this packed with people, especially so many people cosplaying.

Freddie snorted out a soft laugh and pleased that his sometimes jaded girlfriend could be impressed. He laced his fingers with hers and they were about to step further into the center, but a young blonde woman that bared a striking resemblance to Emma Stone happily approached the quartet. She threw her arms around Spencer and the pair shared a quick kiss.

Spencer grinned at the young lady as she pulled away and turned to Freddie. She threw her arms around the tech-producer and shouted, "Freddie!"

Freddie was taken aback from blonde throwing herself at him, but did lightly pat her back in response with his free hand.

She pulled away and laughed hysterically, "Oh my God, it's really you! It's really Freddie Benson!"

Jade immediately frowned at the woman and let herself feel the annoyance of this unknown woman throwing herself at her man.

The older Shay sibling wrapped an arm around the blonde's shoulders and happily introduced, "Jade, Freddie, this is my girlfriend, Heather and as you can tell, a big fan of iCarly."

The couple politely returned the introduction despite Jade forcing a smile from the woman's polite compliment on her costume. Freddie continued with a question, "Girlfriend?"

The artist laughed out nervously then answered, "With everything that was happening last weekend, I never got a chance to mention her."

Heather's excitement immediately calmed down and looked to Jade with a sympathetic expression, "I'm sorry sweetie for what happened."

Jade returned with a polite smile.

Freddie asked, "So how did you meet up with Spencer?"

Carly answered for the lovely blonde, "Spencer and I were out and we randomly met Heather. Socko was out of town—"

Spencer picked up, "And all my other buddies were busy and we ate together and just hit it off." He smiled to Heather and stole a kiss just in time for Sam, Brad and Gibby approached from behind.

The blonde haired 'she-demon' called out, "Hey Carls…" Sam looked wide eye at seeing Jade and Freddie dressed up and Brad was nearly equally taken aback. Gibby was more vocal when he say Jade and called out, "Wow, beam me up Scotty."

Brad looked down in embarrassment for his co-worker then attempted to bail him out of embarrassment, "I think what Gibby meant to say is that you definitely look the part and it's very eye catching."

The pale Angeleno smirked and politely answered, "Blue is my color, so it's expected that I'd catch people's eyes."

Brad nodded in acknowledgement then continued by pointing to himself and Gibby and started to apologize (to go ahead and get it out of the way), "Sorry, we would have headed down there too with what happened, but they took off without us."

Carly spoke up in his defense, "We're sorry about that. If Sam hadn't been over when my Uncle Barry called, she wouldn't have gone down with us. We just grabbed a few suitcases and threw as much stuff in as we could then drove to the airport."

The dark brunette assured the boys, "It's okay. I do appreciate the thoughts."

The current iCarly tech-producer nodded his thanks then started with an upbeat tone, "We got about half an hour before our panel discussion starts, so if you'll excuse me, I'd like to mingle before it gets started." He bowed his head slightly and whispered to Freddie, "I hear Felicia Day is making a surprise appearance and want to see if I can a picture and maybe an autograph."

The brown eyed teenager shouted out almost giddily, "Felicia Day?!"

Sam whispered out dismissively, "Nerd alert."

Her comment instantly drew annoyed expressions from Brad and Freddie. The blonde actually turned her gaze away in embarrassment, mostly due to Brad's gaze.

Sam rallied herself and idly commented, "I'm going to see if I can get any decent food here while you go chase your geek queen." She turned and started on her way to blend into the crowd.

Carly called out for her, "We have our panel in half an hour, so don't be late!"

The blonde threw her hand back signaling that she heard her friend then disappeared into the sea of people.

"I have a costume contest to enter, so I'll see everyone later," Spencer explained then turned with Heather to head for the entry booth.

Freddie turned to Jade and gave her a puppy dog look, "I want see if I can see Felicia Day before your panel discussion."

She gave him a permissive smile and motioned him away with her hand. "Go, I'll see you in about an hour."

He brightened up in a heart beat then stole a kiss from her cheek and replied, "Thanks." He turned and walked off with Brad and Gibby to find their 'Internet Queen'.

Carly looked to Jade and nervously laugh, "I guess it's just us for a while."

"I guess so."

The web-hostess curiously asked Jade as she expected Freddie to dress up, but not the musician, "Why did _you_ dress up?"

She threw a quick glance in Freddie's retreating form then answered with a seductive tone, "I thought I would just get into the spirit of the event and… what's wrong with giving my man some eye-candy for the day? As I told Brad, blue is my color and I'm definitely wearing this dress well."

Carly bowed her head at suddenly feeling awkward as she couldn't see herself indulging a boyfriend with what she saw was a pretty silly hobby. She immediately recalled last year when Spencer was first creating his costume and a smile formed on her face, "Wow, Freddie's certainly going to owe you one for that. I joked about how weird it was from them not having girlfriends when he and Spencer were all into getting Spencer's costume ready for the one last year."

Jade smirked as her mind quickly put a few not necessarily readily put together pieces were put together in her mind. "You did that lame joke just after finding out that Steven had _never_ been faithful to you and the only reason Freddie didn't have a girlfriend at the time was because he dumped _you_ to make sure your feelings were real and had _waited for you_ to give him a straight answer about wanting to get back together… which was in the form of getting with Steven?" She snorted out dismissively with a big grin on her face, "Real smooth there Carly."

The fellow brunette frowned as Jade had nailed the situation and Carly really had no leg to stand on when she had made the joke a year ago. She raised a finger and admitted, "You are absolutely right and it was wrong from me to say that to them."

The Starfleet dressed teenager looked on in surprise that Carly would so readily admit her mistake.

Carly motioned her head into the crowd, "Come on, let's mingle for a bit."

The girls started on their way through the crowd to see the sights and sounds with Jade getting a number of looks and whistles from passing guys and girls for her costume. She briefly wondered if any of them had actually recognized her from her short-films or the PMAs, but didn't give it much thought afterwards.

Carly hesitantly started when they passed a Galaxy Wars booth, "This isn't the best place or time to talk about this, but I don't know how long you're staying after the convention and we need to talk about this in person."

Jade answered in an equally hesitant tone as they continued to walk, "Okay?"

"After Freddie left Seattle to live in L.A., I hated you for a very long time… I hated myself. I blamed you and myself for him leaving…"

Jade wanted to dump on her about how it had been partially her fault for him leaving Seattle, but she decided to remain silent so she could continue, "But after a lot of soul searching, I realized my faults and my responsibilities and I know you weren't the… 'bad one', that you truly cared about Freddie in three weeks than I had in a long time and now you love him very much and he loves you. I'm not sure how you really feel about me after all this time, but I wanted to let you from my side, we're good and I really do care about you and what happens to you."

The musician started walking again so they could continue the conversation in a more secluded area of the convention center. Once she found a less populated area, Jade asked with a cautious tone, "Why are you bringing this up now? Because I almost died? Is this a guilt confession?"

She shook her head and answered, "No, because it's the truth. Even after everything including the way you found out that Beck and I are friends and New Year's… I'll probably never be Freddie's best friend, but you gave me far more than I would have had otherwise and it is far more real than we had before that night in the hotel room and…"

Jade wanted to point out that she hadn't done it for her, but pushed that aside. "And what?"

The Seattle teenager licked her lips and continued, "…my dad is willing to call you his daughter."

Jade took a sharp breath and met the fellow pale girl's eyes.

Carly slightly tilted her head to the side and finished, "If we're going to be half-sisters… sisters then you need to know that Spencer and I do love you."

The Angeleno wasn't sure how to respond to the statement. She figured the girl would be livid at such a notion, not calm and considerate to her.

"He told me and Spencer what you asked him and what he told you. We had a long talk about it before he had to go."

Jade rallied her nerves and responded, "Yes I did. I needed to know. I had my suspicions and he showing up last weekend was the last straw in giving me the nerve to ask."

Carly nodded in acceptance then continued, "But you need to know this, my dad would not betray my mom. He hasn't dated since my mom died. Spencer says it's because he feels like he's cheating on mom if he shows any interest in a woman, yet he's willing to say he's your father… I'm willing to just live with that—paradox I think it's called and leave it at that if you are."

Jade responded in a hushed and regretful voice, trying to not let her eyes water, "You have no idea what it's like not having a father that doesn't love you even if he's not there most time."

Carly answered back in a sympathetic tone, "No I don't and I can't imagine what it's like for you to go through that, but let's just keep this quiet because of the whole 'it's a crime in the military to commit adultery'?"

"I wasn't going to say anything to you or Spencer. I didn't want you to think bad about your dad."

The web-hostess nodded then surprised Jade by pulling her into a hug. Jade closed her eyes and returned the hug. They pulled apart moments later and Jade brought up, "About yo-our-your dad, not… moving on, do you think your mother would want your dad to be alone?"

"I know from Spencer that was the last thing she wanted him to do, but he's stubborn."

Jade nodded along. She wasn't comfortable with the idea that Freddie would have the same attitude if something happened to her and hearing that the Colonel was following the same line of thought was not acceptable to her. "How do you feel about it? About him being happy with someone else?"

She slightly frowned then softly answered, "No one could replace my mom, but… I don't like the idea that my dad's alone."

Jade nodded her head then asked, "How would _you_ feel if he got with my mom?"

Carly slightly turned her head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

* * *

Freddie was grinning ear-to-ear as the three finally got their chance to meet Felicia Day as the rumors Brad had heard had been correct. They had patiently waited in line to her table for the last twenty minutes for their chance and during that time, the three had a good geek fest discussion and all the mess between the three over nearly the last year was forgotten.

Freddie was just about to speak when gave him an expression that showed that she recognized him and laughed, "Freddie Benson!" She stood up from her seat and gave him a hug, catching the tech-producer off guard. Brad and Gibby looked on flabbergasted.

Felicia laughed while pulling away, "It's great to meet you. I was hoping I'd get to see you too when I saw Jade's name on the list of attendees."

The tech-producer's mouth dropped open and was lost for words for a few seconds. "Meet me?"

"Yeah, I'm a big fan of you and Jade. I thought her take on 'The Scissoring' was fantastic."

"Thanks, I know Jade would appreciate hearing that."

She let out another laugh while asking, "Just give me a few minutes to sign a few more autographs and take pictures then I can take my break and we can chat? Is that okay?"

He quickly nodded, "Sure." He motioned to Brad and Gibby and asked, "Could you pose for a picture for my… buddies?"

The celebrity laughed, "Sure," then proceeded to pose for a few shots with the pair. Gibby tried his trademark flirting that usually worked on women older than himself, but Felicia politely shot him down pretty effectively without being too rude. Once the pictures were done and they moved off for the next fan to have their chance, she waved to Freddie and called out, "I'll see you in a few minutes."

As the teenagers walked away, apparently then next fan in line had overheard the conversation and asked the celebrity, "Hello, name's Ben and my question is: Do you think there's the possibility that Freddie could ever have a guest spot in 'The Guild'?"

The redhead laughed, "I'll have to ask him if he's available this summer."

* * *

Brad laughed as they walked in the general direction of the panel room as he realized the time was slipping up on them, "Wow, Felicia Day wanted to meet _you_."

Freddie gently corrected with a laugh, "She wanted to meet Jade and just hoping I would tag along."

"Who wanted to meet me?" Jade asked while approaching with Carly.

The former iCarly tech-producer smile and brought Jade into a quick hug to answer, "Felicia Day wanted to meet both of us. She was excited to see your name on the guest list."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, she's wrapping up her meet and greet then she wants to meet up with us."

"I guess that sounds pretty cool. The one you wanted to meet actually wanted to meet you first."

Brad spoke up with a regretful tone, "Too bad we're going to miss out on it." He held up his wrist to show the time then looked to Carly. "We better go try to find Sam and head to our panel discussion."

Gibby looked quite disappointed as he thought he could take a second run at the celebrity while the Seattle brunette nodded and quickly agreed, "Right. See you later."

"Later," Freddie called out with a raised hand as the others turned to head for their discussion.

Freddie turned and rested his hands on Jade's hips and playfully asked, "Having a good time so far?"

"I'm completely surrounded by nerds; what do you think?"

He asked in a hopeful tone, "I think I'm very grateful you'll being such a good sport about it?"

She responded with a smirk then put on a more serious expression and whispered, "Carly had a nice little talk."

"About?"

"How to handle the whole 'sister' thing."

Freddie's jaw slacked and started blinking, but she raised a hand before he could form words, "She brought it up and she seems really fine about it. She says she's just going to accept the paradox that her dad would not betray her mom and him willing to claim me as his daughter at the same time… and that she and Spencer love me."

He knotted his brow and sharply asked in shock, "You didn't correct her."

"I'm just going to let her have her way on this. She seems pretty sympathetic with the lack of a relationship I have with my dad, but we're just going to keep this among ourselves."

He asked in a genuinely confused voice, "So everyone is just going to live the lie?"

She bowed her head and whispered, "Can't I just have this one? Please?"

He nodded his head, but leaned forward enough for his forehead to touch her forehead and asked her something that he felt she had to consider if she was going to live the lie, "If you're going to say that is the truth, then what does that make Ian now?"

Jade lifted her head and her eyes shot open wide as she hadn't thought about the ramifications.

"Freddie, Jade?"

The pair turned to see Felicia approach with a bright smile which quickly faded. "I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?"

Jade pulled away from her boyfriend and shook her head. "No, we were just—hi, I'm Jade."

The redhead awkwardly replied as she knew she had interrupted something, "Felicia. It's nice to meet you. Fantastic costume!" She picked up in a more upbeat tone, "Hey, they set up one of the rooms as a green room; do you want to go back there and grab something and not worried about being pestered?"

Freddie answered, "Sounds great."

Felicia led the couple to the 'Guests Only' section of the center and through a hallway to the room. It was a fairly furnished room with a full spread of food and snacks and for the moment, empty.

Jade walked over to grab a bottle of water while Felicia laughed out, "Jade, you were terrifying in your films and at the end of 'The Scissoring' I nearly balled my eyes out. The part about letting go… I was never good at it. The scene hit me like Optimus Prime in vehicle mode."

Jade gave Freddie an unsure glance.

He quickly explained, "He transforms into a big rig tractor trailer truck."

The blue eyed girl's eyes lit up and responded, "Oh." She looked to Felicia and answered in a genuine grateful tone, "Thanks."

Freddie chimed in, "I'm not good at letting go either… I couldn't do it." He looked to Jade and the couple shared an intimate look.

Felicia instantly felt like she was intruding in their moment but a part of her loved it. However, she didn't want to be rude, so she clapped her hands together to catch the couple's attention and continue, "Right, besides you about to become a big music star, you really plan to go into horror acting?"

Freddie spoke up, "I know Jade loves the horror, but personally I don't want her to be typecast and people think that's all she can do." He looked to Jade and playfully commented, "I hope her next short-film is her playing a nice, sweet girl… wearing lots of pi—yellow."

Jade knotted her brow and slightly frowned at his suggestion, but just like last summer, she couldn't disagree with the concern. She took a swig from the bottle water as the redhead stepped closer to the couple so she could make sure no one was overhearing them even if they were alone in the room and stated, "I do have a very important question to ask."

"Yeah?"

Her voice dropped to a fairly serious tone, "Have you heard from Dustin?"

The couple's respective faces dropped in surprise in an almost comedic fashion. Freddie's mouth started opening and closing like a fish several times before he could get out, "What?"

She blew out a breath and glanced away then looked back to them with a bright smile. "Dustin Hale? Long story short, I know what happened to Jade…" She looked straight in Jade's eyes. "…the whole healing thing. The kid finally spread his wings. Cas did the same thing for my mom years ago… coma, the whole nine yards. I'm an old friend of the family and I was wondering if you had heard from him. Dean's trying not to worry and be all manly, but… Dustin is his son and all he's getting is a few random text messages saying he's alright for the most part, but don't worry about him, but Dustin _hates_ using text messages. That's what's freaky to being with. We don't understand why he just doesn't call."

The couple exchanged looks for a few seconds then Jade quietly answered, "Nothing but a tweet yesterday."

Felicia rolled her eyes and muttered, "Yeah, I read that too. You don't know what it means?"

The Starfleet dressed teenager shook her head. "No, we don't have a clue."

The redhead looked down in disappointment then back up to the dark brunette to ask, "If you hear anything, you'll let me know? I already follow you on TwitFlash, so you can DM if you hear anything."

"I will, but same goes for you too. I really owe him."

Felicia laughed, "Deal."

Freddie raised his hands and asked completely perplexed, "Wait, I'm still catching up; you know Dusty? Dusty knows Felicia Day?"

The girls blinked at his slowness of the tech-producer grasping the situation.

* * *

Jade West: About to meet some fans about my films. FEELING: Excited

* * *

The iCarly panel discussion finally ended and they were walking off to the side entrance just as Jade and Freddie was reaching it from the other side. The iCarly group was out first, so they stopped them before heading inside.

Sam blew out a breath, "Better than last year's discussion."

Freddie dryly asked, "They didn't ask you about relationships?"

Brad spoke up, "They started asking me if I was back together with Sam or was I started to date Carly and about how Carly felt about you and Jade together… but nothing like what I saw last year then they actually asked about the transition it was for me to take over for you."

Jade raised her formerly pierced eyebrow.

Freddie responded, "I was wondering about you and Sam, but… I didn't want to pry."

Sam and Brad glanced to one another. His replacement answered, "We're working on it."

The blonde haired troublemaker looked at the tall teenager a little awestruck. He smiled back awkwardly. She cleared her throat and turned back to Freddie to continued, "It wasn't like last year, but you'd be surprised who shouted what was left of the Creddies and Seddies down."

Freddie cautiously asked, "Who?"

The blonde gave them a knowing smile.

Carly frowned at her blonde friend and admonished, "Not funny Sam."

Jade frowned just as harshly at Sam and commented with a curt tone, "We need to get inside."

"We'll stay and watch," Carly offered in support.

Sam softly laughed, "Yeah, I got to see this."

Freddie frowned as he suddenly felt that Jade was about to walk into the lion's den… but he'd kill the lion with his bare hands like Samson if necessarily. The couple stepped just inside past the double doors and Jade pulled out one of Freddie's grey Penny-Ts out of her Gears-Of-War bag. She handed the bag to Freddie then pulled the shirt over her head then pulled out her caught ponytail from the collar.

The organizer approached and smiled to Jade then instructed her on how the proceedings would go. She walked up on stage and behind the table with Freddie taking a seat next to her. The couple looked on in surprise at seeing the crowd taking their seats. The crowed was divided along the center line of the seating with one side having people hold up a signs with the words 'Teddie' and other side 'Jedi' under and above pictures of Freddie and Jade and of Freddie and Tori. Someone was holding up a blown up picture of Freddie and Tori kissing from Sikowitz's play about the underwater submarine when they had played husband and wife. Of all things, there was a website name under the picture of an apparent fan website for the pairing.

Freddie mumbled out in disbelief, "Not again."

Jade blinked out in wonder, instead of anger at the moment, as she muttered, "People want you to be with Tori?"

He leaned over and whispered to reassure her, "Never underestimate people's ability to ship people… chizz, they could probably ship Sam and Cat if they randomly saw them together for five minutes. I'm just trying to imagine the name for that. It doesn't mean anything. Just ignore it."

The announcer from last year with tall spiky sandy hair started as he stood to the side of the table on the stage. "Hello everyone, I'd like you to give a round of applause to our special guest, Jade West."

The crowd started clapping in support of the pale actress. A random person shouted from the crowd, "We love you Jade!" Some attendees started chanting, "Jade in our prayers, Jade in our prayers, Jade in our prayers."

Jade waved and laughed into her microphone, "Thank you, thank you, I'm happy to be here. This is my first time I've been to one of these things, so I hope you go easy on me."

The announcer continued, "This is a simple Q&A session. No foul or vulgar language or any blatant disrespect or you will be ejected from the convention center for disturbing the peace by those nice lady and gentlemen." He motioned towards some individuals in the back on the auditorium and instead of seeing the expected private security detail, they saw several uniformed Seattle Police Officers and ones that didn't look like they would even be afraid of Sam as some were known to be afraid of her. "The fine officers of the Seattle PD have no problem arresting you and hauling you off to jail. Occupy Seattle doesn't frighten them, so you definitely won't. I'm not having a repeat of last year. The last group behaved and so will you. We have two microphone stands set up on each side and we'll alternate between sides in answering questions, but ultimately it is up to Miss West what questions she wants to answer."

He turned to look to Jade and politely informed her, "Whenever you're ready."

"Thank you."

The first person, a young lady about her and Freddie's ages took a spot behind the microphone to Jade's left and curiously asked, "I think everyone wants to know, could you tell us what happened? Everyone said you nearly died from a car battery dropping on your head, you were in a coma and that you were crippled, but now you're fine. What's the truth?"

At the other microphone stand another fan followed up, "Yeah, why aren't you dead?"

Jade cleared her throat and nervously looked to Freddie for his suggestion in answering the question.

Freddie leaned over and whispered, "Whatever you want to tell them or you don't have to tell them at all."

The dark brunette nodded her head then looked back to the audience member to answer, "I don't know how to explain it other than a miracle, plain and simple. I would prefer not to go into details of what I experienced or my condition after the battery hit me. I don't have anymore to say on the issue than that because there is nothing more I can add other than I'm grateful to all of you for the support you've had for me through what happened and I'd like to thank all those that were with me when I needed them the most."

The gathering started murmuring among themselves and started debating the same old theories about what happened to her.

The second attendee dressed up as some kind of elf asked a follow up question, "There are photos and video of you leaving the hospital with a child in your arms? Is that the real reason you were in the hospital? A cover to see your child? Was he sick? Is he your ex's son? He couldn't be Freddie's; you haven't known him long enough."

The Jade and Freddie supporting side started booing at the person for asking such a question. He looked on nervously and wondering if he was going to be jumped any moment, but not by them, but the fellow Tori and Freddie supporters booing louder who thought it was a disgusting and disrespectful question. He turned his attention back to Jade and the questioner immediately looked down in embarrassment and fear from Jade's glare.

Jade took a calming breath then patiently answered, "No, I do not have any children. The child I was carrying out was my stepbrother who was staying wit me in the hospital. I didn't want paparazzi taking pictures of him and I'd prefer if you would leave him completely out of your fandom for me. I don't want him to become some spectacle for you."

The 'Jedi' side shouted in support of that request and at least visibly agreed to honor it.

The elf dressed teenager was pushed aside from the microphone and a younger blonde girl asked, "What happened to your star tattoo?"

She cleared her throat to try to push away her annoyance and awkwardly answered, "All I can say that it involves my recovery from my accident."

Someone spoke from the other microphone after the first person sat down, "Do you plan on getting another one?"

"Yes, I do. I intend to get an identical one at the same place as the first one. It has some deep sentimental value to me and I'll leave it at that."

A microphone was starting to be passed around as it was becoming cumbersome for people to get out of their seats. The microphone stopped at the individual that was holding up the picture of Freddie and Tori passionately kissing from Sikowitz's play. "Hello, I'm Michael and my question is: What do you think about Tori and Freddie going out on that date before the Platinum Music Awards or the other one just before Easter? Especially with their obvious shared chemistry in the play they starred together."

Jade gave the questioner a harsh glare.

Freddie answered with an irritated tone, "Tori and I have never been on a date contrary to whatever reports there are. She is my best friend and all that was recorded was us having coffee. You're reading into things that aren't there. I don't even remembering us out by ourselves before Easter."

The iCarly group was standing off to the side of the auditorium next to the door. Carly slightly frowned at Freddie making the point that Tori was his best friend.

"So you're not interested in her?" someone from the side supporting him and Jade.

Freddie rolled his eyes but patiently answered, "I am not romantically interested in Tori. She is a very kind and loving and a bunch of other adjectives I could use to describe what a great person and friend she is and who I am very fortunate to have as a friend and Beck is quite lucky to have as his girlfriend. Now I think you should perhaps turn your questions to Jade's short-films or maybe if she'll indulge you, about her future music career?"

Someone from the 'Jedi' side shouted, "You heard him. He's not interested in being with Tori, so let's get on with talking about Jade!"

Another person on the 'Teddie' side shouted in return, "Not according to people going to their schools that say they're involved!"

A third person, a cute brunette that bared a resemblance to the brunette Northridge girl that they saw during Sinjin's game show and 'The Blonde Squad' premiere shouted from the 'Jedi' side, "He just said they were best friends? What part of that do you not understand?! Of course we hang out together! They have classes together and productions that have to be practiced after school. One of you has a picture of them in a play together!"

Michael yelled back, "Yeah! And do you see how passionate it is?! You can't tell me something isn't there!"

Freddie cleared his throat into the microphone to catch everyone's attention then dryly commented, "It's called a stage kiss. It's supposed to look real."

The 'Jedi' side started shouting their support of Freddie's statement while apparently the answer didn't impress the 'Teddie' side as they started shouting in return:

"Teddie!"

"Jedi!"

"Teddie!"

"Jeddie!"

"Teddie!"

"Jori!"

"Teddie!"

"Fade!"

Apparently there was still argument among his and Jade's supporters as to what they should call their ship with the apparent handful of fans wanting Jade and Tori to get together. Jade looked on in shock from that possibility and wondered how they would react if they found out about their 'play date'.

Michael shouted, "Teddiade!"

His friend sitting beside him gave him a curious expression.

He shrugged back, "If he's with Jade, it's best I can hope for."

The teenager Freddie recognized from the one of the fans Carly had pulled up on one of the Trouble Water's television. He was a heavyset fellow with sandy blonde hair who seemed to only have the ability to shout 'Seddie' which he proceeded to do again, "Seddie!"

The two groups stopped their arguing and turned and shouted at the teenager, "SHUT UP!"

The teenager frowned and looked down at the floor then rallied himself and shouted, "Carly lied!"

Freddie snorted out a laugh, "No she didn't. Sam really mistreated me like that."

"You lie! Carly just made that up because she still wants you and you're going along with it for some reason I don't know."

"I don't want to get with Carly. That love sailed a _long_ time ago."

Carly quickly walked up from the side of the stage and 'borrowed' Freddie's microphone to shout, "This Q&A isn't about anyone's relationships or how people feel about each other, it's about Jade's films. It's about—"

Michael shouted, "We don't want to hear another one of your bollocks speeches like you gave last year!"

Carly shouted in outrage, "It was not bollocks!" She frowned then shouted, "What's 'bollocks'?"

Michael's friend sitting beside him shouted, "You don't want to know!"

Michael continued, "Sam tried to hook up with Freddie a week after Webicon and you dated Freddie for a week and he use to blog about being in love with you, so don't try to pull that on us like you did the last crowd. And heck, you may not have thought about it that way, but since he's been gone, you've lost half your audience and they never came back, so to them, the relationships were why they were watching."

Carly looked down at the table as the fan was correct. They had lost half their fanbase and even after months and months, the show hadn't returned to their usual numbers other than the spike in views and replays from the appearance Freddie made during her father's birthday episode.

Sam ran up behind the stage and stole the microphone from Freddie to continue, "Everything Carly said was true. I made his life a living Hell throughout iCarly's run just like I told our fans—and you Seddie spaghetti boy a few minutes ago, so knock it off before I introduce you to my buttersock."

The teenager swallowed nervously and quickly shut his mouth.

Sam glanced up to the cops in the back to give them a warning glare not to interfere if it got messy. However, unlike other Seattle cops she could frightened with an expression, the ones in the back stared back just as coldly and rested their hands on their respective taser guns except for the female officer resting her hand on the grip of her sidearm.

The unexpected couple looked to Sam with slight disbelief that she would come to their defense. The feeling was short lived when another attendee shouted to the couple, "Jade, when are you and Freddie getting married?!"

Jade shouted out in frustration, "We haven't set a date!"

The crowed instantly stopped arguing.

Freddie's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets that she would reveal such a thing, but then again he remembered how frustrated he had become last year when all the audience wanted to talk about was their relationships. Also, on the same hand, he wouldn't deny such a thing.

The iCarly group as a whole, mouths dropped open and looked just as flabbergasted as the rest of the audience.

A few seconds ticked by then the Jade and Freddie supporters started cheering and shouting in celebration while the Teddie side fumed and booed. Michael's friend laughed and sympathetically patted him on the shoulder.

He rolled his eyes and muttered, "I guess I really do have to settle for Teddiade."

Jade took several calming breath then whispered out, "You're not going to ask me one question about my films or my music?"

A lone hand went up.

She snorted out a breath and rolled her eyes as she had lost all her patients, "Yes?"

A teenager looking remarkably like their science teacher Mister Haule, possibly a younger sibling, seated beside Michael asked, "Hi Miss West, you know me from our chats on SplashFace as One Horse…" He glanced over at Carly for a second then back at Jade to finish, "…Shay and my question _is_ about one of your short-films that I never got a chance to ask: What was your reason for changing the ending in your version of 'The Scissoring'? I have my own theories, but I was interested your motivations for the change."

Jade took a relieved breath that someone had asked her an intelligent question and did recognize the unique name from her perspective. "Thank you for the question One Horse. I changed it to show that it was alright to move on after lost. Just because you move on, doesn't mean you're betraying the original person you were with." She glanced over to the side to meet Carly's eyes and the pair shared a small smile.

The teenager going by the name One Horse shouted to Michael, "Ha! I was right! You owe me Bibble." He looked back to the couple and dryly commented, "And the obligatory: "Go Jedi!"

Michael gritted his teeth in frustration, but quickly threw up his hand and asked without waiting to be called, "Are you planning for any sequels to either of your films?"

Jade may have been annoyed that he held up the picture of her boyfriend and Tori kissing, but he did ask a legitimate question, so she answered, "I don't have any planned at the moment, but I am working on several other scripts to possibly shoot during the summer or possibly in the fall. It depends on the availability of actors and how involved I'm in my music."

"So do you know when you'll be releasing your first album then?"

She smiled at seeing that they were finally steering the conversation in the direction of why she was here. "I can't comment on that right now, but I'm working hard on it, I'm getting complete support from Shawn Quincy and I hope you will enjoy my music when it is released."

Another random voice called out, "Have you thought about performing any covers for SplashFace?"

"I have and I have a few in mind; some of them mean something special to me, but I've been quite busy lately and it would have to be after graduation. Exams for Freddie and I are next week."

Over the next fifteen minutes, the group asked surprisingly intelligent questions about her films, future plans in music and acting. Some had made it known they were hoping to see her possibly do more sweet roles as apparently the short-film she had did during the summer workshop where she hooked back up with Freddie had been posted and they loved it. Another question had revolved around what got her into doing independent short-films outside of school in the first place. When she mentioned that it was Freddie's idea during his original visit, the 'Jedi' people let out a cheer.

Finally the session ended and Jade and Freddie started their way out of the auditorium with the iCarly crew taking the lead. The dark brunette commented as they stepped outside, "Not exactly what I expected, but… at least it got to the point."

"I guess we should have expected questions about the accident and us, but that was far calmer than I expected."

"Yeah, but I'm glad I had one of my reasonable fans turn the discussion."

Freddie knotted his brow and wondered, "Yeah, but One Horse _Shay_? And why did he look like a younger version of Mister Haule?"

Jade shrugged a shoulder. "Why do I and Heather Fox look identical or Tori and Shelby Marx? I've given up trying to figure stuff like that out. I just know I've had some intelligent conversations with him about my movies."

Carly abruptly turned and asked, "Are you two really engaged?"

The couple stopped and looked at the web-hostess. Jade cleared her throat and looked away to any of the dozen sights that could catch someone's attention in the convention center. Freddie was the one that answered in a calm voice, "We're getting married at some point, whether it is after I'm through with college, sometime earlier or maybe even tomorrow, but it's happening. It's not a conventional engagement, but you could call it one. I don't think we put any kind of label on it. It is what it is."

Carly cleared her throat and nodded her head. She answered in an awkward tone, "Well, congratulations."

Brad laughed along, genuinely happy with the development, "Good for you two."

Jade awkwardly returned, "Thanks."

The younger Shay sibling nodded her head behind her and suggested, "Why don't go ahead and catch up with Spencer and Heather? See how he's doing in his costume contest?"

Neither Jade nor Freddie were blind to the sudden awkwardness displayed by Carly after the confirmation of the couple's future plans, but remained silent as they followed her to meet back up with Spencer and his girlfriend.

Benson Apartment  
Seattle, WA  
Saturday, June 9, 2012

The time was approaching mid-afternoon when Jade looked herself in Freddie's closet mirror while still wearing the uniform minus the tricorder and belt and the Penny-T she had worn during the Q&A. It may have been a geeky sci-fi costume to her, but she could admit that it showed off her curves well and was her color.

She reflected on how the rest of the day had gone and how pleasant it had been for the group despite Carly's initial uncomfortableness with the news about just how serious the couple was in their future plans. She had any number of theories on why the Seattle based teen could be uncomfortable with the news, but in the grand scheme of things, she really couldn't care. They were Carly's feelings and she couldn't help with them. If she was to worry about anything, it was the news spreading of her confession, but then again the only people's opinions that she cared on the issue had to know already or they were so blind watching a video of her confessing wouldn't help them realize it.

The news had reached Spencer and he was quite happy for the couple. When the day finally wind down to a point for Jade and Freddie to head on back to the apartment so they could make their late afternoon flight, Spencer went ahead and brought them back to the Bushwell while he others continued to enjoy the convention. When Freddie went head to catch the elevator for them, it gave Spencer and Jade a quick moment…

…_Spencer was able to gently take Jade by the left elbow to slow her down so he could speak._

_She looked up to the artist with a curious expression while he awkwardly started, "Jade, I don't know if Carly mentioned it, but—"_

_She gave him a knowing expression and interrupted, "We talked about… Colonel Shay and we're good. We have an understanding. I'm not saying anything, but I know the—"_

_He nodded in acceptance, but interrupted in a somber tone, "It doesn't matter, only that if you ever need anything from us… a big brother or sister… we're here."_

_The dark brunette took a soft breath and looked to him in awe as his words were just as unexpected as Carly's words. He surprised her again by pulling her into a hug and whispering, "We love you kiddo. I just wish it hadn't took all this time to get to this point."_

_Jade returned the hug and whispered out, "Thanks Spencer."_

Freddie slipped behind her and rested his hand on her lower abdomen then whispered into her left ear and rested his chin on her shoulder to pull her out of her reflecting, "What a day?" Freddie had changed in the bathroom into a pair of jeans and one of his buttoned up shirts.

She placed her hand over his hand resting on her and answered, "Yes it was, but I'm glad that I have supporters for my man."

"And supporters of your work."

She shrugged a shoulder with a soft smirk. "That helps too."

He let out another small laugh as they looked together in the mirror, "You do look fantastic in this costume. Too bad there isn't an excuse for you to wear it again anytime soon."

Jade teasingly laughed, "Well, I could always wear it when I give you a thorough physical examination? You know just to double check to see that there weren't any long term effects from the bee sting."

He returned with a soft laugh, "Play nursemaid again?"

She softly shook her head. "No, Doctor; there is a difference."

He cleared his throat, put on a bashful expression and nervously asked, "Have we've just gotten to the part where we start discussing our fantasies?"

She gave him a teasing smile in the mirror, met his reflecting eyes and answered, "It's about time we got to that point."

He asked with mild concern, "Oh? I haven't left you disappointed all those other times have I?"

Her smile slightly faltered and answered in a reassuring tone, "Absolutely not, but the day is coming where we'll be intimate on a regular basis and… I'd like to know what you may want to… try sometime?"

"I've tried to figure that out with _you_ the times we have already, but if you want to know… we can discuss it. I'd like to know how I can make you really enjoy the experience, but I just hope I don't embarrass myself or you think less of me with any ideas I ma—"

Her mouth became a thin line and interrupted with a curt tone, "If you try to call yourself a pervert Fredward Benson, I will make you buy me coffee every morning until the end of school."

He rolled his eyes, snorted out a laugh then kissed her cheek. He whispered, "I thought you were supposed to be threatening me, not treating me."

She let out a soft laugh then turned her head to capture his lips while palming his right cheek. She broke the kiss then looked him in the eyes to tenderly whisper, "I will not judge you just like I know you won't judge me when I tell you what I might want to try… because I know I'm completely safe with you."

He softly chuckled, kissed her nose then whispered, "Make sure you pack the uniform for the trip home my Lieutenant Commander/Doctor West."

Jade West of all things let out a giggle as he pulled away to head out of the room so she could change and get ready for their flight back home.

* * *

Freddie Benson: Back to Hollywood Arts for exams! Great! FEELING: Sarcastic

* * *

Hollywood Arts High School  
Los Angeles, CA  
Monday, June 11, 2012

Jade was walking to meet up with Freddie at his second period class as hers had let out early and she wanted to bet the first lunch crowd and speak before they met up with the others. She wore a simple black scoop neck (that showed a nice hint of cleavage just below her ring and inverted triangle necklace) hourglass dress with her standby stretchy wide belt wrapped over her waist. The dress may have been simple, but she noticed that Freddie had stolen a number of glances from her, before they left home, on the drive to school and while they stopped by their respective lockers before their first period classes.

Freddie had stolen those glances as other than how well Jade was wearing the simple black dress, he had noticed that her leggings today were just thigh highs from when she'd turn suddenly, the skirt of her dress would flare up just enough to see the top of the leggings and pale skin and the clasp to the garter belt strap. He also noticed that her left bra strap was clearly to the side of the dress strap and glimpse of her lacy bra in the arm opening. Over the last two periods, he was glad that he had no exam today as she was the only thing on Freddie's mind from the dress and what she had worn on Saturday. He thought he had shook off and dealt with those feelings over the weekend, but seeing her this morning just stoked the fire in his heart and obvious physical level.

Jade met him just as he exited his second period class and immediately noticed his tension and bashful expression in his eyes. She took his hand without a word and led him through the school, but Jade took a detour to the janitor's closet. She opened it and led him inside then leaned around him to close the door and lock it behind him. She was grateful that they had replaced the lock back to the older one where one could lock it from the inside without a key, probably so a student could lock themselves inside in case of a school lockdown.

She took a step back and looked to him to ask in a concerned laced voice, "What's the deal? You were on edge when we left and you're still on edge. What's wrong?"

Freddie looked down at his feet and took a calm breath.

"Freddie, what's wrong? Talk to me."

He looked up then took a step towards her and stole a soft kiss from her. She quickly stole one back. They traded back and forth that way several times and she started walking backwards without realizing it. She only stopped when she pressed her back against the ladder that led to the library. It wasn't the most comfortable thing to lean against, but when they stopped kissing for a moment and saw the look in Freddie's eyes, they distracted her form any really discomfort.

"I am absolutely…" He rested his left hand on her hose covered thigh and slid it up, past the hem of her skirt until he grazed his fingertip over the part where the top of her thigh high pantyhose met her smooth skin then slipped the end of his pointer finger between the material and her near porcelain skin then rubbing small circles on her skin. "…positively…" His right hand smoothly ran up her side to stop and gently cup the side of her left breast with his end of his palm and his fingers outstretching just under her armpit. He slipped his thumb between the slight gap of her bra strap from her skin and rub gently at the very top of her breast. "…lusting for you and almost every fiber of my being wants to make love to you right at this moment."

Jade swallowed as she did see the lust and love in his eyes. She cleared her throat and whispered, "That's okay—"

His face fell into worry and his voice dropped to a shameful tone, "No it's not… I don't think it is… I don't know, but I know it isn't being driven by my love for you and… it's scaring me. I thought I had shaken it off over the weekend, but…"

The lust in his eyes that she saw momentary subsided and was replaced with fear. She reached up to cup his left cheek.

"I'm flattered that I can… do that to you and you should not feel ashamed for what you're feeling."

He leaned forward and rested his head on her forehead. "But you're not some piece of meat for—"

She brushed his lips with her right hand fingertips to interrupt him and whispered, "We never made love after my accident… and I…" She swallowed nervously then whispered, "…I miss you that way too… I guess Tori was right. Maybe we needed more time to just process what happened. I was upset that Dusty took off and dealing with… some stuff I need to talk to you about and I didn't notice that what happened really messed you up and you needed me." She cracked a soft smile and whispered tenderly, "We talked about how you feel about this, but… maybe we could… just go drive to Vegas and rent a motel room?"

He lifted his head off her forehead and knotted his brow.

She smirked and continued in the same voice, "Age of consent in Nevada is sixteen. We could be there in four hours. If you don't want to miss school, we could go this Saturday. We just spend the day away from everyone and… just be together and if _we_ are still feeling that way by that time… we can make love?"

He stood up straight and pulled his hands away from her. He cleared his throat and answered with a struggling voice, "_I_ don't need comfort sex."

She stepped forward and pulled him into a hug, closed her eyes and gently brushed the back of his head. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her to return the hug. She whispered, "We can always take comfort in the love we have for each other."

He cracked a soft smile as he realized the profound truthfulness of that statement.

Asphalt Café  
Hollywood Arts High School  
Monday, June 11, 2012

Tori was sitting alone at the group's usual lunch table eating on her noodles while looking at the screen of her PearBook sitting on the table in front of her.

Jade and Freddie approached the table from the Grub Truck side of the table and had a seat.

The brunette looked to the couple and smiled. "Hey you two. I missed you this morning before school."

The former Seattleite put on a crooked smile and shrugged a shoulder, "Running late, sorry."

Tori glanced between the pair and noticed just something off with them, nothing bad, just something. "Are you two okay?"

Freddie gave her a crooked smile and answered, "We're good."

Jade spoke up with her honesty surprising her boyfriend, "I think the stress of… I nearly dying is finally hitting us. You were right, I didn't take enough time and neither did Freddie and we…" She glanced to her brown eyed boy then back to Tori and finished, "…we're missing each other… in that way."

Tori respectfully bowed her head. She had given Jade her sympathies during their 'playdate' about how hard it must have been for them to be unable to be together after all they had gone through and now she felt more pity for them after what had happened last weekend. She let out a nervous laugh, "From Freddie's point-of-view, he's already your husband, so…"

The pale teenager turned and knotted her brow.

The longer and lither haired brunette quickly explained, "I was in the room when he said his half of the wedding vows."

Jade nodded her head and whispered out with mild embarrassment, "Right…"

"You two are very fortunate to have each other. I hope you two really understand that."

The pale girl answered in a solemn tone, "We do."

Freddie asked in a more lighthearted tone, "So what's been going on since we've been gone?"

Tori snorted out in irritation, "They're still in their little 'Slap Fight'. I had to spend the weekend with Trina and Ava to study. No one else wanted to."

Jade gave her a confused expression and answered, "What about Beck?"

Tori's brow shot up and she formed an 'O' shape with her lips while answering, "Oh… I'll show you what Beck was busy doing Sunday." She slightly turned her PearBook so she could show the screen to the couple and brought up Beck's Slap page. "Beck had a live stream-cast here at school yesterday to try to get more followers."

The video started with Beck in the Asphalt parking lot next to his GTO with a bucket and hose. _"Okay, here I am, live on The Slap, about to wash my car. Oh. You know I forgot my rags."_ He looked around in confusion then explained his solution, _"Hmm, guess I'll have to use my shirt."_ He pulled off us unbuttoned shirt, leaving only his gray athletic undershirt on.

Tori sucked in a soft breath and placed a hand on her upper chest even if she had seen it yesterday as Beck picked up a blue bucket of soapy water and threw it on the car. A playful smile formed on her face as she tilted her head to the side and watched her boyfriend proceed to wash his car with his shirt.

Freddie jaw slacked at the blatant and in his mind, pathetic attempt to draw in female followers.

Jade rolled her eyes at the site while a small piece of her mind reminded her about her comment ten months ago after their first time that she thought Freddie wore the shirt better then groaned, "I have to turn this off."

Tori waved off his boyfriend's former girlfriend, "No, no, no, no, no, no."

Beck lay across the hood of the GTO after he finished wiping off the hood with his shirt and threw his wet shirt over his right shoulder.

Jade frowned while commenting, "This doesn't bother you at all?"

Tori calmly answered, "I'm okay with it."

Freddie slightly leaned forward as he eyes opened wide and questioned in disbelief, "You're what?"

"Okay, anyone that went to his Slap page saw him wash is car with his shirt, but so did I… and he never actually took off his shirt."

Freddie pointed to the PearPad and commented, "You know that proves he knew exactly what he was doing with the ladies when he and Jade were together? He really wasn't blind to it. He was just full of chizz."

Jade answered, "I know, but it doesn't matter now." She looked to Tori and pointed out, "As long as he doesn't pull it on Tori."

The brunette slightly frowned at the possibility.

André and Beck approached from the parking lot side of the café and quickly had a seat on either side of Tori. The pair continued to randomly argue about something until Jade interrupted, "What's your guys' problem?"

Beck quickly answered, "André is desperate to get more followers."

The songsmith snapped back, "At least I do my videos with my shirt on."

The pair continued to argue for a few moments and Freddie simply covered his ears with the palm of his hands.

Cat approached the lunch table and had a seat on the right side of the table to the café's parking lot. She greeted them then started typing away, "Hi. I just... sat down... and said... hi."

Tori breathed out in annoyance, "Cat, if you're just gonna sit there and tweet stupid, pointless tweets then please go sit somewhere else."

The redhead turned her back to the brunette and continued to type on her phone and repeated, "Tori... is being... mean... to me. Hash-tag... Cramps?"

The brunette's mouth dropped open in outrage, but she didn't get a chance to snap back at her as Robbie approached and called out in irritation, "How could you?! I mean, really, how could you?!"

Tori called out, "What'd Cat do?"

"She tweeted... 'Big news! Robbie Shapiro has bimples'."

Beck curiously asked, "What are 'bimples'?"

"Butt pimples! Pimples on one's bottom!" Robbie shouted out defensively while sweeping his left pointer finger in front of them, "Which I do not have!"

"I know."

Tori asked in a disbelieving tone, "Then why'd ya tweet that?"

The redhead turned in her seat to look at her brunette friend and answer, "Because I ran outta real stuff to tweet! And anyway, people like reading weird stuff about other people!"

Jade snorted out dismissively, "Okay, so she tweeted that you have bimples, nobody's gonna believe her."

Sinjin happily approached from behind Robbie and called out, "Hey Robbie, I have a doctor that can get rid of your bimples."

"Dang it!"

Cat got up from her seat and pointed accusatory toward Cat, "Look, it's not my fault! Tori's the one who started this Godforsaken followers war!"

The brunette shouted back in outrage, "What? You're blaming me?!"

One of them randomly shouted, "Yeah, you're right. You did it," then everything broke into a shouting match with everyone standing up from their seats.

Freddie held up his hands in an attempt to calm the group while Jade shouted them all to shut up so she could enjoy her lunch.

Tori noticed one of the others students eating lunch had a trombone and quickly swiped it. She blew into the trombone and immediately caught everyone's attention, including neighboring students.

Cat shouted in outrage, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Tori ignored the old trademark phrase and stated, "I didn't start this followers war! I just told you how many she had."

André retorted in frustration, "Well, how the Hell did your dang sister get so many followers in the first place?! I can't believe it was her stupid TV show."

Sinjin spoke up with a raised hand, "Uh... I can partially answer that. Three months ago, Trina told me that if I'd hack into The Slap and change her number of followers from thirty four to nine hundred she'd teach me how to jump rope. So, I hacked in, and I gave her nine hundred slap followers then she must have picked up the rest from her show."

Tori asked in disbelief, "You rigged her numbers?"

The student owing the trombone politely asked, "Can I have my trombone back?"

Tori meekly answered and handed it back, "Sure."

Sinjin started, "Look, I just wanna say... you guys make me sick."

"Why?"

Sinjin shouted, "Because! You're all great-looking... and talented... and popular... I mean, you guys star in every play at this school and you sing all the songs and you do all the talking in class. You guys have it all and you're really worried about which one of you has the most followers?"

The group awkwardly looked to one another.

He finished with a soft berating, "Yeah. You feel the shame? Because... You should feel the shame."

Freddie was about to retort when a very familiar sound to his ears sounded from behind Sinjin: the fluttering of wings and displacement of air.

"What a bunch of bullshit," a voice called out behind Sinjin.

Every turned their attention to the familiar Southern teenager in his denim shirt and Penny-T with the words 'Fade/Jeddie Shipper'.

Sinjin gave him a fearful expression, "Dusty?"

Jade whispered out in utter shock, "Oh my God, Dusty."

The former Carolinian softly smirked at the taller teenager and continued in a teasing voice, "They do not get everything. Other classes put on other productions; the fact that your girlfriend switched classes, along with you by the way for this semester, was able to be in her own productions proved. This school _of over a thousand students_ does not revolve around the six of them as much as you and Sikowitz think it does. Did you forget about the Spring Showcase and the Full Moon Jam? They weren't even in the Showcase and only Jade and Freddie was in the Jam."

He took a step forward and looked Sinjin straight in the eyes and his joking expression instantly turned into a cold expression. "You _didn't_ hack my system; I'll tell you that _right now_."

The lanky teenager swallowed in fear as he admitted, "You're right. I did it just after you left. Dalton took down most of the firewalls and security programs because it took too much processing power and time for people to upload stuff on their pages."

Freddie broke his momentary shock at seeing his friend and snapped his fingers as the revelation hit him, "That's how he was able to solve the traffic problem after I took back my server."

Dusty snorted out dismissively, "Well what do you expect from an idiot?"

No one answered as Jade finally shook off her shock and walked around the table to Dusty. She pushed aside Sinjin, wrapped one arm over Dusty's left shoulder and another around his torso and pulled him into a tight hug.

Dusty sucked in a breath and expected her to let go, but she didn't, so he hesitantly wrapped his arms around then returned the hug with his awkward expression. The expression was soon replaced with a soft smile and comforting hug. They stood there for as seconds ticked by then she pulled away to meet his brown eyes and let out a quiet laugh, "Hey?"

He softly smiled and whispered, "Hey Angel Girl. You look fantastic."

She slightly nodded her head. "I feel fantastic."

He nodded his head in approval then leaned close enough that his forehead was nearly touching hers and whispered, "I got your prayer, but… I just wasn't ready to come back. I wasn't in good enough shape."

"I meant it; you're going to be alright."

He snorted out a soft laugh, "I hope so…"

He lifted his head and looked over her shoulders to the rest of them and lazily waved, "Hey everyone."

Jade turned away just in time for Cat to run up to him and pull him into a hug.

He let out a soft laugh and patted her back. "Hey Caterina," he whispered then kissed her on the forehead.

She took a step back and let out a giggle.

Freddie walked around the table and stopped beside Jade. He asked still a little shocked at seeing the Southern teenager, "Where have you been?"

Dusty let out a soft chuckle, "Everywhere."

Tori knotted her brow and cautiously questioned, "What do you mean 'everywhere'?"

He warmly smiled to the brunette and answered, "It's a _big_ universe Tori and there are a lot of places to go to try to get away from the…" He closed his eyes and placed his pointer and middle fingers above his left temple. "…noise, even by accident—especially by accident."

Jade rested a hand on his upper left arm and gave him a concerned expression. "What's wrong?"

He gave her a reassuring smile and patted the top of her hand. "Nothing. I'm okay, just still trying to figure out how to turn off _everything_. I'm just picking up some of the school's wi-fi at the moment. Give me a second. It's one of the things I have figured out how to turn off."

Beck commented in a tone that suggested he was questioning the teenager's sanity, "You're what?"

He waved him off and answered, "Nothing."

Tori finally realized something, pointed to Dusty and raised her voice to a near shout, "Hey, you called me Tori."

He smirked and shrugged a shoulder. "Well… I do know you better than any human being on the planet or ever will know and what I saw was _quite_ beautiful just to get that on the record, so the point in trying to put _any_ emotional distance between us is out the window."

"What?"

Dusty snorted out a laugh and shook his head, "Never mind." He turned his gaze to all of them and questioned, "So if I overheard Van Cleef correctly, you're battling for TwitFlash followers for the last few days despite the fact that you're seniors and you have exams this week?"

The other excluding the couple and Tori looked away in embarrassment.

He blew out a soft breath then continued, "Well, you have what?" He glanced at his wrist watch and did the quick calculation so he could commented, "About nineteen hours to study before school starts tomorrow and some of you might have an exam, but since you should get a good eight hours of sleep, you only have eleven hours."

Tori suggested to her friends, "So you want to blow off Sikowitz's class and fourth to meet up in the library? Dusty's right, time's not on your side in reviewing."

The teenagers spared glances to one another to see what the others thought of the idea.

Freddie spoke up to give a final push for them to take that option, "That's a good idea. Jade and I didn't get any studying in on Saturday, so we could use some extra time."

The pale teenager frowned and knotted her brow while looking at Freddie then commented in a curt tone, "Hey, we don't need to cram for anyt—"

Freddie slipped his hand into hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Jade quickly put on a forced smile and commented with an equally forced pleasantry voice, "Freddie's right. We could use some extra study time."

The tech-producer spoke up, "But we'll catch up with you in a few minutes. We're going to finish our lunches first."

The teenagers acknowledged with various head nods and vocal responses while picking up their book bags, turning and heading for the Grub Truck to grab something quick before heading back inside the school. Tori packed up her PearBook and her noodles container then followed her friends.

The purple streaked haired teenager turned to Dusty and continued, "I know we don't share any classes, but if you need help studying—"

He shook his head and attempted to reassure her, "I'm fine Jade. I'm not worried about them and you don't have to worry about me in that regard."

Freddie raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because since last week I've had perfect recall and I haven't slept either, so I have plenty of time to reread my notes and textbooks and anything else, so I'll be fine."

Jade's jaw slightly slacked then asked in mild disbelief, "You haven't slept?"

"I haven't showered or eaten either, but I'm still as fresh as a daisy," he finished with a laugh.

The dark brunette leaned over and sniffed him then let out a laugh, "Oh my God, he does. So that's why Cat called you Soapy?"

"As Shakespeare said, 'Cleanliness is next to godliness.'"

The three shared a quick laugh then Freddie slightly shook his head and asked, "Where do I begin to thank you?"

Dusty gave him a reassuring smile and warmly answered, "You don't; you just accept what happened and continue with life." He looked to Jade and gave her a soft smile while finishing the last part of his statement.

Freddie nodded his head. "Thank you anyway."

The former webmaster shrugged a shoulder.

Jade asked in a concerned tone, "Are you really okay?"

He gave her a half smile and casually answered, "I'm getting there. Still a lot of adjusting and getting a feel for my skin again, but I'm a lot better than after I healed you."

Freddie pointed out, "You really freaked."

Dusty shrugged another shoulder. "I could suddenly see directly into your souls. I saw a lot of things all at once. It was kind of overwhelming. I know each of you better than you know each other or ever will. The same is for Tori and Cat and little Ian… it's a little different for him since he's a child." He looked to Jade and dropped his voice in a solemn tone and finished, "He understands more than you may think and needs your love… he wishes you were his mommy."

Jade sucked in a sharp breath and looked at him wide eyed.

He continued in a sympathetic voice, "Sorry to dump that on you, but I thought you should understand just how much you mean to him."

The pale girl nodded her head and looked down to her boots. She whispered out, "Why?"

"Because you love him unconditionally and you… despite the pain and anger and resentment you still carry… past that shield you hide behind to protect yourself… you are an absolutely beautiful person Jade and I'm sorry Freddie has to find out the hard way and probably never see it all in this world. I think Ian sees it with how much you care about him."

The musician looked back at him, still in utter shock at his statements.

He looked to Freddie and continued, "And you… nothing is wrong with you, there is something wrong with everyone else that wants to take a shot at you and it's not your fault your father left. Don't blame yourself for his actions."

Freddie swallowed down the sudden surge of emotion from the sensitive issue for him. The couple looked to one another to see how the other was reacting to the revelations.

"And you two are absolutely, completely in love with each other." He slightly shook his head. "Never doubt that." He let out a soft chuckle, "It's moving."

Freddie looked back to him and cleared his throat then commented, "Your mom told me that's what she thought happened, the whole 'soul looking thing'."

Dusty raised an eyebrow, "Oh? So she finally showed up?"

"Yeah. She told me why she didn't answer us. She was just waiting for me to realize that I would stay with Jade no matter what and was going to heal Jade anyway. She was taking advantage of the situation."

The Southern teenager nodded his head then flippantly commented, "I don't care."

The couple gave him confused expressions while he continued, "I prayed to her—I _begged_ her and…" He snorted out dismissively, "…she ignored me _for you_. My mother chose _you_ over _me_… your wellbeing over the fact that I _needed_ her and I'm not forgetting that… and I'm not quick to forgive her on it either." He glanced up at the sky and commented, "And don't think that doesn't go for the rest of you that didn't answer you flying butt-monkeys. Yeah, I'm right here at Hollywood Arts, Los Angeles, California, Earth. I wonder if any of you have the courage to show up."

The three waited with the other lunch going students, but no one did show up after a few seconds.

"I guess not." He took a deep breath then finished solemnly, taking particular care to look at Jade, "My mother made her choice and I made my mine, now we have to live with them and I'm good with my choice."

Jade pulled him into another quick hug and whispered, "I'm sorry."

He patted her on the back and returned, "You have nothing to be sorry about."

The pair pulled apart and he gave her a reassuring smile.

Freddie spoke up, "I need to give you back something."

He narrowed his eyes the more muscular teenager. He cautiously asked, "What?"

Freddie nodded his head to the side then started leading Jade and him to the Asphalt parking lot. He led the Southern teenager to the black Charger and stopped behind the car. Freddie opened the trunk and reached inside it to pull something out. The tech-producer turned and held up Dusty's folded hooded leather jacket. "You don't seem right without it?"

Dusty cracked a soft smile as he looked down at his folded jacket. He gently took the garment and snorted out a soft breath. He unfolded it then slid his arms into the sleeves.

He grinned as he adjusted his jacket on his shoulders then looked to the couple. He smirked while confidently commenting, "I guess I'm back…" He smiled to Jade and answered, "There is something you could do for me."

Jade raised her still un-pierced eyebrow in curiosity.

The Palm Woods Hotel  
Los Angeles, CA  
Monday, June 11, 2012

Katie Knight blew out an irritated breath at being interrupted from playing her video game. She was alone in the hotel for the moment sitting on the L-shaped orange couch, so she had to get up and answered it. She figured it was just one of the boys who had forgotten their keys. She opened the door to see Dusty and Jade on the other side of the threshold.

"Dusty?" Her face lit up when she saw the music sensation, "Jade? Jade?"

Jade smiled in return, recognizing the girl even if she was a few years younger than when she 'met' her the first time. "Hi Katie."

Dusty held up his 'Fade/Jeddie' Penny-T and commented, "Hey kiddo, I got you a Penny-T and I got you the girl to sign it."

Katie thankfully laughed.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this second half of iStart Another Fanwar. I thought it was an appropriate title in light of everything: the Victorious crew basically fighting for fans in Slap/TwitFlash followers and the 'Jedi' and 'Teddie' fans. Some people did make cameos and I hope they enjoyed their appearances.

Once again, thanks to gilliestveit on tumblr for the inspiration for Jade's costume choice. I really do suggest that you look it up.

The next update will be the following Thursday, the 11th as over the last 20 days, I've published just over seventy-two thousand words to this story (about 1.5 Nanos in a 2/3 the time of just 1) and I need little bit of a break. Also, if you're interesting in where Dusty's been at least for a little bit of time, check out my other story, 'Big Time Revolution: Kings Fall or at Least Bow'. Thanks for reading.

Special Guest Star Miranda Cosgrove as Carly Shay  
Special Guest Star Jennette McCurdy as Sam Puckett  
Special Guest Star Jerry Trainor as Spencer Shay  
Special Guest Star Emma Stone as Heather  
Special Guest Appearance by Felicia Day as Herself  
Guest Star Noah Munck as Gibby  
Guest Star Ciara Bravo as Katie Knight  
Guest Star OneHorseShay as OneHorseShay


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